Despite all the madness we’ve had at the 2021 NCAA Tournament, literally the most upset-filled tournament in March Madness history, we’ve still come to a foregone conclusion.
No. 1 Gonzaga (31-0) and No. 1 Baylor (27-2), the top two consensual teams in the country for most of the season, will meet in the final game of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Both the Bulldogs and Bears were clearly the better team when they took to the court in March, winning by a combined average of 18.0 and 15.2 points per game, respectively.
The only contest that was in doubt was Gonzaga’s Final Four test against UCLA. The Bulldogs got everything they wanted and more from the Bruins, and they needed a half court from Jalen Suggs, beating 3 in overtime to prevail 93-90. It remains to be seen if that means Gonzaga will be battle tested or tired on Monday.
PLUS: Watch the 2021 NCAA tournament championship live on fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Just because Gonzaga had a tough game against the 11-seeded Bruins doesn’t mean they played poorly. By contrast, all five Mark Few starters scored in the double digits, with Drew Timme, Corey Kispert, Suggs, Andrew Nembhard and Joel Ayayi making timely plays to keep the Bulldogs in contention. They will face a Baylor team that is also playing excellent ball, particularly behind guards Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell.
Something has to give in the bet of both teams for their first national title. Will the Bulldogs complete their undefeated streak and advance to 32-0? Or will the Bears become the latest team to deny perfection as they secure their first championship in the show’s history?
Here’s everything you need to know about Monday’s showdown.
What channel is Baylor vs. Houston tonight?
CBS, which has exclusive broadcast rights for the 2021 Final Four and the national championship game, will broadcast Gonzaga-Baylor on Monday.
Gonzaga vs. Baylor start time
- Date: Monday April 5
- Time: 9:20 pm ET | 6:20 pm PT
- Transmission equipment: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Grant Hill, Bill Raftery (analysts), Tracy Wolfson (reporter), Gene Steratore (rules analyst)
The national championship game between Gonzaga and Baylor is scheduled to begin at 9:20 p.m. ET on Monday, April 5.
Where is the NCAA tournament championship in 2021?
- Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
Lucas Oil Stadium will serve as the site for the national championship game. Because 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
Gonzaga vs. Baylor odds of winning the national championship
Gonzaga opened as a 4.5-point favorite over Baylor, and the line held steady until noon ET Sunday. The Bears had little trouble beating two-seeded Houston in the Final Four, a team that had previously only faced double-digit seeds. The Bulldogs, however, fought tooth and nail in a power struggle against UCLA, 11-seeded, winning in a last-second overtime from freshman Jalen Suggs. Whether that will influence teams’ play on Monday remains to be seen, but now both teams have been battle tested at the tournament:
Below is the spread, over / under, and moneyline for Baylor-Houston at noon ET on Sunday, April 4:
- Spread: Baylor (-4.5)
- Below: 159.5
- Money line: Gonzaga -210, Baylor +180
2021 Gonzaga NCAA tournament record
| Date | Round | Opponent (seed of the region) | Result |
| Saturday March 20 | Round 1 | Norfolk State (West 16 seed) | W, 98-55 |
| Monday March 22 | Round 2 | Oklahoma (seeded West 8) | W, 87-71 |
| Sunday March 28 | Sweet 16 | Creighton (West 5 seed) | W, 83-65 |
| Tuesday March 30 | Elite eight | USC (West 6 seed) | W, 85-66 |
| Saturday April 3 | The last four | UCLA (seeded East 11) | W, 93-90 (OT) |
| Saturday April 3 | National Championship | Baylor (South 1 seed) | TBD |
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) | W, 78-59 |
| Monday April 5 | National Championship | Gonzaga (West 1 seeded) | 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.