In a Final Four no one saw coming, bettors are predictably putting money on the most familiar names remaining.

Despite being the overwhelming favorite (-125) to win the national title next week in Houston, fourth-seeded UConn has nevertheless raked in 62 percent of the handle on 53 percent of the bets at DraftKings since the Final Four was set.

The Huskies will face fifth-seeded Miami in the Final Four and No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic will square off with No. 5 seed San Diego State on the other side of the bracket.

San Diego State has what appears to be a slightly easier path to the title game, and therefore a slightly shorter number than Miami (+380 at DraftKings). Yet the Hurricanes (+475) are far and away the second-most popular bet, with 24 percent of the tickets and 20 percent of the handle.

This is the first Final Four in the seeding era to feature no teams seeded No. 1, 2 or 3 in their region. According to Action Network, the four teams’ combined odds to win the title entering the NCAA Tournament would add up to +34,6000, the third-highest total on record.

BetRivers reported that UConn, Miami, San Diego State and FAU combined for just 17.1 percent of the total handle and 12.3 percent of the total bets placed on the championship.

It was similar at DraftKings. While 10 percent of the handle and 8 percent of the bets during the course of the season have gone to UConn, the four teams still standing have combined to rake in about 16 percent of the money and 15 percent of the bets.

–Field Level Media

Forward Josh Oduro and guard Justyn Fernandez, both formerly of George Mason, have committed to transfer to Providence.

Oduro and Fernandez played at George Mason for Kim English, who was named Providence’s new coach last Thursday, replacing Ed Cooley.

Fernandez committed on Sunday and Oduro followed suit Monday.

Oduro has one year of NCAA eligibility remaining after spending four years at George Mason. He was twice an All-Atlantic 10 first-team selection (2022, 2023).

Oduro averaged double-digit scoring in each of the past three seasons and put up 15.6 points per game along with career highs in rebounding (7.9) and assists (2.6) in 33 starts. In 114 career games (94 starts) at George Mason, Oduro has averaged 12.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest.

Fernandez was rated a four-star prospect by some services coming out of high school and turned down offers from ACC and SEC schools to commit to English at George Mason.

He averaged 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per game in 33 games (13 starts) as a freshman.

–Field Level Media

Vanderbilt junior guard Tyrin Lawrence announced Monday that he is declaring for the NBA draft.

Lawrence said on Twitter that he will maintain his college eligibility to leave open the possibility of a return to Vanderbilt.

Lawrence averaged 13.1 points per game this past season, and he made an epic buzzer-beating 3-pointer as time expired to give the Commodores a 66-65 upset of then-No. 6 Tennessee on Feb. 8. Vanderbilt had lost 11 straight games to their in-state rivals.

“Thank you to Coach (Jerry) Stackhouse and Vanderbilt University for the opportunity to play in front of Commodore Nation,” Lawrence wrote. “Thank you for sticking with me through all the ups and downs. I’m forever grateful.

“With that being said, it’s time for me to pursue my lifelong dream. I will be entering my name in the 2023 NBA Draft while maintaining my collegiate eligibility.”

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— Tyrin Lawrence (@tyrinlawrence) March 27, 2023

Lawrence shot 50.2 percent from the field this season, a vast improvement from his 41 percent rate while averaging just 3.8 points as a sophomore.

Overall, he has averages of 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 77 games (52 starts) for Vanderbilt.

–Field Level Media

North Carolina guard Caleb Love announced his decision Monday to transfer.

Love becomes the sixth Tar Heel — and the first starter — to enter the transfer portal since the end of the season.

“I’ve taken some time with my family to re-evaluate what’s best for me to continue to grow as a player and I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal to continue my journey,” Love posted, in part, on Twitter.

with love, the journey continues…???? pic.twitter.com/hnVddUAbo3

— Caleb Love (@caleb2love) March 27, 2023

Love averaged a team-leading 16.7 points per game in 33 games (32 starts) in 2022-23. However, his 3-point shooting percentage fell off from 36 percent in 2021-22 to 29.9 percent this past season.

The 6-foot-4 Love also averaged 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, but UNC posted its fewest assists in school history since the stat was first tracked in 1968-69, according to The Athletic.

Carolina starters R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot have announced they will return for 2023-24. Leaky Black and Pete Nance are out of eligibility.

The Tar Heels also landed Brown transfer Paxson Wojcik later Monday. Wojcik, a guard, averaged 14.9 points and 7.2 rebounds with the Bears last season.

–Field Level Media

One team will clinch its first-ever berth in the NIT championship game when second-seeded Wisconsin tangles with second-seeded North Texas in the semifinals on Tuesday at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

Both programs secured their first appearance in the NIT semifinals by eking out road wins over top-seeded opponents last Tuesday.

The Badgers (20-14) rallied past Oregon 61-58 in Eugene, while the Mean Green (29-7) outlasted Oklahoma State in overtime, 65-59, in Stillwater.

Close games have been a staple of Wisconsin’s season, as they’ve played in an NCAA-leading 20 contests decided by five points or fewer. The Badgers are 13-7 in such games.

“This group has been through a lot this year, and there’s been a lot of rocky times,” coach Greg Gard said. “But one thing they’ve never done is flinch or quit.”

Steven Crowl (12.2 points per game), Chucky Hepburn (12.1), Connor Essegian (11.7) and Tyler Wahl (11.3) all contribute double-figures for Wisconsin, which has had a different leading scorer in each game throughout its tournament run.

First, it was the 7-footer Crowl, who torched Bradley for a career-high 36 points in the Badgers’ first-round win.

Hepburn followed with a career-best 27 points to dispatch Liberty in Round 2 before Max Klesmit supplied 18 to lead Wisconsin past Oregon.

North Texas, meanwhile, hasn’t had as much scoring variety during the tournament, but there’s little need for such when senior guard Tylor Perry’s on the floor. The Conference USA Player of the Year is averaging 22.3 points per game throughout the NIT and has been the Mean Green’s top scorer in all three contests.

Playing against the Cowboys in his home state, Perry poured in 23 points, including the 1,000th of his career, and buried a 3-pointer with under two minutes remaining in overtime that gave North Texas the lead for good.

“(He’s) the heart of our team,” coach Grant McCasland said of Perry. “I could have done a way better job of helping him, but, man, did he make big baskets.”

While Perry will be the go-to scorer against the Badgers, the Mean Green will look to control the rebounding game without their top board-getter, Abou Ousmane (6.0 rebounds per game), who will miss Tuesday’s game as he attends to a family situation.

Against Oklahoma State, Moulaye Sissoko gobbled up a career-high 15 rebounds en route to his first career double-double.

Tuesday’s showdown is the first all-time meeting between the programs. The winner will face either UAB (28-9) or Utah Valley (28-8) for the NIT title on Thursday.

–Field Level Media

Washington State guard TJ Bamba declared for the 2023 NBA Draft on Monday but won’t hire an agent, keeping his options open to return in 2023-24 — somewhere else.

Bamba took to social media to announce he’ll test the NBA waters but will also enter the transfer portal.

Loading … pic.twitter.com/RFqcdCvGMo

— Tj (@TjBamba_) March 27, 2023

The 6-foot-5 Bamba enjoyed a breakout season, more than doubling his career-best scoring average to 15.8 points per game in 31 starts. He averaged 7.7 points per game in 2021-22.

For his career at Wazzu, Bamba is averaging 9.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 86 games (51 starts).

Bamba would have two years of eligibility remaining if he chooses to return.

–Field Level Media

Virginia center Kadin Shedrick has entered the transfer portal, according to ESPN.

He joins Cavaliers freshman Isaac Traudt in the portal. Traudt, ESPN’s No. 51 recruit in the Class of 2022, redshirted this season.

Shedrick averaged 6.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in 30 contests (15 starts) in 2022-23. Shedrick saw his role diminish over the course of the season. However, he started and had team-highs of 15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in UVa’s loss to Furman in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

In 76 career games (34 starts) for Virginia, the 6-foot-11 forward averages 6.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

Traudt made an announcement on social media, saying he wants to play closer to his home in Grand Island, Neb.

Thank you Virginia???? pic.twitter.com/qthCAnseJc

— Isaac Traudt (@ittraudt) March 27, 2023

Cavaliers center Francisco Caffaro entered the portal late last week.

–Field Level Media

Coveted transfer John Tonje announced Monday that he has committed to Missouri.

The 6-foot-5 guard played the past four seasons at Colorado State and was second in scoring at 14.6 points per game this season.

Tonje made his announcement on Instagram and posted a photo of himself in a Missouri uniform.

Among the programs that reportedly had interest in Tonje were Kansas, Xavier, Iowa State, Virginia, Arkansas and Nebraska. Tonje is a native of Omaha, Neb.

Tonje is eligible for the fifth season due to the COVID year of eligibility rule installed by the NCAA.

In addition to his scoring average, Tonje also set career highs for rebounding (4.7), 3-pointers made (61), steals (25) and blocked shots (11) during the 2022-23 season.

Tonje averaged 8.6 points and made 138 treys in 122 games (46 starts) during his four seasons with the Rams.

Missouri went 25-10 this season and lost to Princeton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

–Field Level Media

Kentucky point guard Sahvir Wheeler will transfer for a second time in his collegiate career, ESPN reported Monday.

Wheeler will enter the transfer portal after two seasons with the Wildcats. He played his first two seasons at Georgia.

Wheeler had his 2022-23 season cut short by an ankle injury that reportedly required surgery. He had been supplanted as Kentucky’s starting point guard by freshman Cason Wallace.

Wheeler averaged 7.7 points and 5.6 assists in 21 games (14 starts) this season. He hadn’t played since Feb. 4 against Florida.

Wheeler is averaging 10.3 points and 6.1 assists in 108 career games (86 starts) for Georgia (2019-21) and the Wildcats.

–Field Level Media

Texas officially removed the interim tag and made Rodney Terry its permanent head coach on Monday.

Terry and the school agreed on a five-year contract, Stadium and ESPN reported earlier Monday afternoon.

Terry assumed the job on Dec. 12 when former head coach Chris Beard was suspended following allegations of domestic violence. Beard was fired less than a month later and eventually cleared of charges.

The Longhorns were 7-1 when Beard departed, while Terry led the team to an overall 29-9 mark and an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Their season concluded Sunday night with an 88-81 loss to Miami.

Players had stated their support for Terry to remain in the position full-time.

Terry, 55, served as an assistant at Texas under Rick Barnes from 2002-11, then was named head coach at Fresno State (2011-18) and later UTEP (2018-21).

Between the three schools, Terry has a combined record of 185-164 and two NCAA Tournament appearances.

–Field Level Media