In college football, it’s easy to spot playcallers who dominate the “scripted” portions of games. There’s a rhyme and reason to each play. Their teams seem to execute at a higher level in the first quarter, and that early success sets up counterpunches later in the game. In a fluid game like basketball, this can be harder to spot, but I can assure you that some teams are better prepared for the opening five minutes than others. This, of course, extends to defensive preparation as well, and Michigan and UConn are two of the most buttoned-up teams in that regard. Michigan overwhelmed Tennessee and Arizona defensively in the first half of their past two games. The Wolverines held the Vols to just 26 points at the break. Arizona didn’t fare much better in the Final Four, scoring 32 points on 12-for-32 shooting in the first 20 minutes of action. A common theme across the two games was Michigan’s ability to take away anything inside of 17 feet. In the first half of their matchup with Michigan, Arizona shot 35% (7/20) within that range, and Tennessee found the sledding even more difficult, shooting a paltry 28.6% (6/21). This was a testament to Michigan’s size and preparation. UConn has been a dominant first-half defense all season long, ranking 17th in scoring average (31 1H ppg allowed). Per Evan Miya, Tarris Reed Jr. is the ninth-rated player on the defensive end in the entire sport. And while a full-game wager on under would necessitate Reed avoiding foul trouble, a first-half play doesn’t run the same whistle-risk. The same goes for Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg, who rank first and fourth on Miya's defensive leaderboard. And it bears mentioning that Lendeborg’s health is paramount in this game. He’s the third-most indispensable player in college basketball (Miya). And to put his importance into perspective, Michigan’s peak lineup efficiency drops by nearly 23% when Lendeborg is off the floor. If his MCL and ankle sprains limit him, Michigan’s offense could be put into a box by Dan Hurley and his staff. Given the defensive masterclasses I just witnessed in the Final Four, the reputation of both coaching staffs, and the potential absence of Lendeborg, this under is my top play on my card.