Two Lone Star State teams keen to return to former glory will make up the first matchup of the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
The showdown between Houston (seeded Midwest 2) and Baylor (seeded South 1) would be interesting enough on its own if it focused solely on the Texas supremacy angle; Fortunately for fans of March Madness, the players and coaches of both teams provide some great stories that only add to the intrigue of the showdown.
Consider Houston, a team that hasn’t made the Final Four since the Phi Slama Jama days of the mid-1980s. The Cougars would love nothing more than to extend their stay in the NCAA Tournament in honor of those. players who stormed the NCAA Tournament and college basketball. Then there’s coach Kelvin Sampson, whose path here was built brick by brick after he left college for six years. Quentin Grimes, a former candidate whose early career in Kansas didn’t go the way he wanted it to, but has nonetheless found him among the elite of college basketball.
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Meanwhile, Baylor was once considered on the same level as No. 1 seed General Gonzaga and a potential undefeated candidate, before COVID-19 interrupted his season. The Bears have two losses this season, but are still considered to be on a collision course with the Bulldogs, if they can get past Houston first. A resurgent defense makes a collision more likely. It would also be the top spot in the team’s championship since 1948.
We hope that the team’s game on Saturday matches the incredible stories that prevail in this showdown. Until then, here’s everything you need to see Baylor vs. Houston in the first Final Four game, including time, date, location, updated betting odds, and more:
What channel is Baylor vs. Houston tonight?
CBS, which has exclusive broadcast rights for the 2021 Final Four, will broadcast both Baylor-Houston and Gonzaga-UCLA on Saturday.
Baylor vs. Houston start time
- Date: Saturday April 3
- Time: 5:14 pm ET | 2:14 pm PT
The Final Four game between Baylor and Houston is scheduled to begin at 5:14 pm ET on Saturday, April 3.
Where is the Final Four in 2021?
- Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
Lucas Oil Stadium will serve as the venue for the Final Four for the third time since 2010. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2021 NCAA Tournament to be played entirely in the state of Indiana, the venue was also used. from the first round to host games.
March Madness will move to New Orleans in 2022, Houston in 2023, Phoenix in 2024 and San Antonio in 2025 before returning to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in 2026. Below are the full dates for the Final Four in each of the next five seasons.
Year | Host city | Venue of events | dates |
2022 | New Orleans | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | April 2, 4 |
2023 | Houston | NRG Stadium | April 13th |
2024 | Glendale, Ariz. | State Farm Stadium | April 6 and 8 |
2025 | San antonio | Alamodome | April 5, 7 |
2026 | Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | April 4 and 6 |
MORE: Baylor vs. Houston Odds, Picks & Predictions for March Madness Final Four Game
Baylor vs. Houston odds of winning Final Four showdown
Baylor started as a five-point favorite over Houston, and the line has held steady as the game approaches. The Bears have had a slightly more demanding path to the Final Four, beating three consecutive single-digit seeds to reach the national semifinal. The Cougars, meanwhile, were matched against the 15th, 10th, 11th and 12th seeds. Whether that means Baylor is more tested or tired remains to be seen.
Below is the spread, over / under, and moneyline for Baylor-Houston at noon ET on Wednesday, March 31:
- Spread: Baylor (-5)
- Below: 135
- Money line: Baylor -200, Houston +175
2021 NCAA Baylor Tournament Record
Date | Round | Opponent (seed of the region) | Result |
Friday March 19 | Round 1 | Hartford (seeded South 16) | W, 79-55 |
Sunday March 21 | Round 2 | Wisconsin (southern seed 9) | W, 76-63 |
Saturday March 27 | Sweet 16 | Villanova (Southern seed 5) | W, 62-51 |
Monday March 29 | Elite eight | Arkansas (3 South seed) | W, 81-72 |
Saturday April 3 | The last four | Houston (Midwest Seed 2) | TBD |
2021 Houston NCAA Tournament Record
Date | Round | Opponent (seed of the region) | Result |
Friday March 19 | Round 1 | Cleveland State (Midwest Hotbed 15) | W, 87-56 |
Sunday March 21 | Round 2 | Rutgers (Midwest seed 10) | W, 63-60 |
Saturday March 27 | Sweet 16 | Syracuse (Midwest seed 11) | W, 62-46 |
Monday March 29 | Elite eight | Oregon State (Midwest Seed 12) | W, 67-61 |
Saturday April 3 | The last four | Baylor (South 1 seed) | TBD |
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.