MARCH MADNESS BAD BEATS BLOG: Pair of razor-thin covers

Two spots in the Final Four will be reserved today.

First, No. 2 seed Houston will try to end the Cinderella run of No. 12 Oregon State in the Midwest Region final, then No. 1 Baylor takes on No. 3 Arkansas in the South Region final.

We’ll be following the action from both games, as well as checking on the women’s Elite Eight games. Refresh this blog throughout the day to track bad beats, movement on the live betting line, props, halftime bets and much more.

UPDATES

9:30 p.m.: That’s it for today. Favorites went 2-0 straight-up and 1-1 in two tight games against the spread. Both covers came down to the final seconds. Oregon State (+8) hit a 3 in the final seconds to lose by six to Houston, and Arkansas opted not to foul in the final seconds, allowing Baylor to win by nine and cover -7½. Totals split 1-1.

Betting results for every game today, including the women’s tournament — full game, first half and second half — are listed at the end of this story.

Thanks for reading. We’ll be back Tuesday to finishing setting the Final Four.

9:17 p.m.: Baylor-Arkansas player props: Baylor’s Jared Butler under 15½ points (14), Davion Mitchell under 14½ points (12), MaCio Teague over 15½ points (22), Adam Flagler over 7½ points (10); Arkansas’ Moses Moody under 15½ points (11), Justin Smith under 15½ points (10), Jalen Tate over 11½ points (13), Davonte Davis over 11½ points (14).

9:16 p.m.: Baylor was +150 to win the South Region before the tournament started. The Bears were +310 at BetMGM to beat Arkansas by six to 10 points.

9:10 p.m.: FINAL: Baylor 81, Arkansas 72. The South No. 1 seed Bears hold on to cover as 7½-point favorites, -380 ML against the No. 3 Razorbacks. The game goes over 147½. Baylor will face Midwest No. 2 Houston in the Final Four. Both teams go over their team totals: Baylor 78, Arkansas 70½.

8:58 p.m.: Hold all tickets. The spread (Baylor -½) and total (147½) remain very much in doubt. Baylor leads 72-61 with 3:24 left in the second half. The Bears are -50,000 on the live line (Arkansas +3,000), spread -10½.

8:47 p.m.: Still very tight. Baylor leads 64-58 with 7:34 left in the second half, and the Bears are -500 on the live line (Arkansas +360), spread -5½, total 156½.

8:35 p.m.: The game remains in doubt, and the spread very much so. Baylor leads 62-54 with 10:56 left in the second half, and the Bears are -1,600 on the live line (Arkansas +820), spread -10½, total 162½.

8:23 p.m.: Arkansas continues to trim the lead. Baylor’s edge is down to 53-46 with 15:46 left in the second half. The Bears are -700 on the live line (Arkansas +470), spread -8½, total 165½.

8:15 p.m.: WOMEN’S FINAL: Arizona 66, Indiana 53. The No. 3 seed Wildcats win as 2½-point underdogs, +120 ML against the No. 4 Hoosiers to advance to the Final Four. The game stays under 124½. Arizona will face No. 1 Connecticut in the Final Four.

8:05 p.m.: Live line at halftime: Baylor -700 (Arkansas +470), spread -9½, total 165½.

7:56 p.m.: The Bears built an 18-point lead, but Arkansas got it down to eight at halftime. Largest lead over 15 points already cashes.

7:55 p.m.: Second-half line: Baylor -1½, total 82.

7:53 p.m.: HALFTIME: Baylor 46, Arkansas 38. First-half winners: Baylor -4, over 68½.

7:43 p.m.: Baylor’s lead is down to 44-34 with 2:58 left in the first half. The Bears are -1,400 on the live line (Arkansas +760), spread -12½, total 169½.

7:34 p.m.: Baylor leads 38-25 with 6:42 left in the first half. The Bears are -2,200 on the live line (Arkansas +980), spread -15½, total 168½.

7:24 p.m.: Baylor won the race to 10 points at -145 and the race to 15 at -160.

7:23 p.m.: Baylor is locked in. The Bears lead 26-11 with 12:15 left in the first half and are -2,000 on the live line (Arkansas +920), spread -15½, total 160½.

7:10 p.m.: Fast start for Baylor. The Bears lead Arkansas 13-2 with 16:15 left in the first half. The Bears are -950 on the live line (Arkansas +590), spread -13½, total 149½.

6:57 p.m.: In the second women’s Elite Eight game today, No. 3 Arizona leads No. 4 Indiana 27-23 at halftime. Arizona covers in the first half as a 1½-point underdog, +110 ML. The half stays under 58. Second-half line: Indiana -2, total 66½.

6:56 p.m.: The next game is about to tip off:

— No. 1 Baylor (-7½, 147½, -380) vs. No. 3 Arkansas (+320), 6:57 p.m.

6:42 p.m.: Houston-Oregon State player props: Houston’s Quentin Grimes over 17½ points (18), Marcus Sasser over 12½ points (20), DeJon Jarreau under 10½ points (10), Justin Gorham under 9½ points (6); Oregon State’s Ethan Thompson under 15½ points (11), Jarod Lucas under 12½ points (8), Zach Reichle under 6½ points (3), Warith Alatishe over 7½ points (8).

6:35 p.m.: Houston was 2-1 to win the Midwest Region before the tournament started. Houston was 3-1 at BetMGM to beat Oregon State by six t0 1o points.

6:32 p.m.: Spread bettors went on a roller coaster ride with Houston and Oregon State. The Cougars (-8) raced to a 17-point halftime lead and appeared to be cruising, up double digits for most of the second half. Oregon State mounted a rally in the late stages and tied the game at 55 with under four minutes to play. Then, Houston won the endgame, eventually taking a nine-point lead in the final seconds.

However, Oregon State’s Maurice Calloo canned a 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left to cut the deficit to six, and the Beavers chose not to foul, allowing their backers to escape with a victory against the spread.

6:27 p.m.: FINAL: Houston 67, Oregon State 61. The Midwest No. 12 seed Beavers rally from 17 down at halftime to cover as 8-point underdogs, but the No. 2 Cougars prevail at -360 ML. The game stays just under 129½. Houston will face the winner of South No. 1 Baylor and No. 3 Arkansas in the Final Four. Houston stays just under its team total of 68½; Oregon State goes just over 60½.

6:14 p.m.: Houston clings to a 60-56 lead with 1:17 left in the second half. The Cougars are -600 on the live line (Oregon State +420).

6:06 p.m.: WOMEN’S FINAL: Connecticut 69, Baylor 67. The No. 2 seed Bears cover as 5-point underdogs, but the No. 1 Huskies win outright at -210 ML. The game goes just over 134½. UConn advances to the Final Four.

6:02 p.m.: Here comes Oregon State. The Beavers have cut Houston’s lead to 52-48 with 6:15 left in the second half. The Cougars are -590 on the live line (Oregon State +410), spread -5½, total 127½.

5:52 p.m.: Houston leads 52-40 with 8:05 left in the second half. The Cougars are -8,000 on the live line (Oregon State +1,800), spread -11½, total 122½.

5:42 p.m.: Houston is keeping Oregon State at bay. The Cougars lead 48-35 with 11:54 left in the second half and are -8,000 on the live line (Beavers +1,800), spread -14½, total 127½.

5:37 p.m.: The UConn women have fought back to take a 59-55 lead on Baylor with 8:09 left in the fourth quarter.

5:33 p.m.: Houston is still in control, leading 42-27 with 14:54 left in the second half. The Cougars are -8,000 on the live line (Oregon State +1,800), spread -15½, total 119½.

5:26 p.m.: Houston and Oregon State are underway in the second half.

5:22 p.m.: The UConn women are in trouble. Baylor leads 53-44 with 2:51 left in the third quarter and is -450 on the live line (UConn +310), spread -5½, total 142½.

5:11 p.m.: Largest lead by either team over 15 points has already cashed.

5:05 p.m.: Second-half line: Houston -1½, total 70.

5:03 p.m.: HALFTIME: Houston 34, Oregon State 17. First-half winners: Houston -5, under 58.

4:50 p.m.: Houston leads 28-17 with 3:46 left in the first half. The Cougars are -2,000 on the live line (Oregon State +920), spread -13½, total 125½.

4:47 p.m.: In the women’s game, Baylor leads Connecticut 39-37 at halftime, covering as 2½-point underdogs, +150 ML in the first half. The half goes over 63. Second-half line: UConn -5, total 72½.

4:41 p.m.: Houston is in control. The Cougars lead 21-10 and are about to shoot a free throw. They are -1,800 on the live line (Oregon State +880), spread -13½, total 123½. Houston wins the race to 15 points at -170.

4:32 p.m.: Houston has clamped down early. The Cougars lead 12-4 with 11:31 left in the first half and are -850 on the live line (Oregon State +540), spread -11½, total 119½. Houston won the race to 10 points at -155.

4:22 p.m.: Houston leads 5-2 with 15:43 left in the first half. The Cougars are -550 on the live line (Oregon State +390), spread -9½, total 122½.

4:19 p.m.: The first made field goal was a 3-pointer at +195.

4:11 p.m.: The first men’s game is about to tip off:

— No. 2 Houston (-8, 129½, -360) vs. No. 12 Oregon State (+300), 4:15 p.m.

4:05 p.m.: One bettor is banking on Houston today. BetMGM reported a $306,000 wager to win $255,000 on Houston -7 against Oregon State. (The bettor bought a half-point down from -7½.)

4:03 p.m.: Here are the line moves today:

Houston up from -7½ to -8

Houston-Oregon State total down from 130 to 129½

Baylor still -7½

Baylor-Arkansas total down from 148½ to 147½

TODAY’S SCHEDULE

MEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT

Midwest Region final

— No. 2 Houston 67, No. 12 Oregon State 61

Full-game winners: Oregon State +8, under 129½, Houston -360 ML

First-half winners: Houston -5, under 58 (Houston 34-17)

Second-half winners: Oregon State +1½, over 70 (Oregon State 44-33)