The 4th seed, UConn Huskies (30-8, 13-7 Big East) are headed back to their 5th Final Championship Game in school history. Connecticut has 36 Tournament appearances, and 4 Championships. This is UConn's first National Championship Game under Head Coach Dan Hurley, and the Huskies are looking for their first NCAA Championship since the 2013-2014 season. The 5th seed, San Diego State Aztecs (32-6, 15-3 Mountain West) are led by Head Coach Brian Dutcher, and are headed to their first NCAA Championship game in school history. These two teams will play Tonight at 9:20 EDT, in the NCAA National Championship, located in Houston, Texas. The matchup will air on CBS. If you are looking for the best betting odds, here is information to know:
Betting Odds, Money Line, Spread, Under/Over
Money Line:
UConn: -350, Massive favourites to win according to college basketball betting sites
San Diego State: +290
Over/Under: 132.5
Over: -110
Under: -110
Spread:
UConn: -7.5 (-110)
San Diego State: +7.5 (-110)
Tournament Recap
Connecticut Huskies (UConn)
Tournament betting records: UConn is 5-0 Money Line, 5-0 against the spread (ATS), and hit the UNDER 3 of their 5 NCAA Tournament games.
The Connecticut Huskies are playing their best basketball this NCAA Tournament, outscoring Miami, Gonzaga, Arkansas, Saint Mary’s, and Iona by double-digits in points. UConn is averaging 79.8 points per game and allowing an average of 59.2 opponent points per game. Connecticut has been brilliant on the defensive end, allowing a high of 65 points scored against Arkansas. It’s no secret the game of basketball has evolved over the past 10 years, and the three-point shot is more relevant than ever. Connecticut has held all five opponents in the NCAA Tournament to 29.74 percent three-point shooting. In addition, the Huskies held all five of their opponents to 34.5 percent field goal shooting.
Forward Adama Sonogo keeps proving why he is the glue to this basketball team. Sonogo has 7 blocks, 49 total rebounds, and is averaging 20 points per game in the tournament. Head Coach Dan Hurley is a defensive minded coach and is not afraid to teach his players how much that means on the biggest stage. Guard Andre Jackson Jr. has 6 steals in the past 5 games, in addition to guards Tristen Newton, Joey Calcaterra, and Forward Alex Karaban. In this year’s March Madness Tournament, UConn is averaging 50 percent from the field, and nearly 41 percent from the three-point.
Final Four
UConn is playing an elite level of defense. However, they are an extremely efficient team on the offensive end. In the Final Four game against Miami, The Huskies dominated in the first quarter, beating the Hurricanes 72-59. Connecticut played extremely well in the first half, outscoring Miami 37-24. In addition, The Huskies shot nearly 50 percent from the field, and 34.6 percent from downtown. Although they had a game high 15 turnovers, Connecticut outrebounded the Hurricanes 41-32, and had 5 blocks.
Not only did Adama Sanogo dominate inside the paint, but the Hurricanes let him shoot two open three-point shots. Although Jordan Hawkins was coming off an illness, he added 13 points on 3-7 three-point shooting. Donovan Clingan and Alex Karaban added some key rebounds, while guards Andre Jackson Jr., and Tristen Newton added shooting, defense, and assists. Even though Connecticut won this game, they did not play as well in the second half. They had a high number of turnovers, and only shot 50 % from the free-throw line.
NCAA Tournament wins:
UConn vs. Miami: 72-59 (Final Four).
UConn vs. Gonzaga: 82-54 (Elite 8).
UConn vs. Arkansas: 88-65 (Sweet 16).
UConn vs. Saint Mary’s: 70-55 (Round of 32).
UConn vs. Iona: 87-64 (Round of 64).
San Diego State Aztecs
Tournament betting records: San Diego State is 5-0 Money Line, 4-1 against the spread (ATS), and hit the UNDER 4 of their 5 NCAA Tournament games.
San Diego State is not technically classified as a “Cinderella Team,” given they are a 5th seed this year. However, they have proven themselves, knocking off FAU with a buzzer beater to advance to the Championship game. If they win tonight over Connecticut, the Aztecs will be the first number 5 seed to ever win the National Title. It’s important to note, the Aztecs last two wins against FAU and Creighton were decided by 1 point or less. Like the Huskies, San Diego State has been brilliant on the defensive end. They hold opponents to an average of 60 points-per game. It’s even more impressive the Aztecs are holding opponents to 21.6 percent free-throw shooting this tournament as well.
Besides their FAU matchup, San Diego State held Creighton, Alabama, Furman, and Charleston all under 65 points. Although they beat the number 1 seed Alabama, their only double-digit win came against Furman. San Diego state was not the most efficient team on the offense end this season. Furthermore, Matt Bradley is their only player who averaged double digits in points. Although Bradley struggled over the tournament, he is the key piece to this team if they want to win. Over their 5 NCAA Tournament games, San Diego State is averaging, 67.6 points per game. In this year’s March Madness Tournament, San Diego State is averaging 42.5 percent from the field, and nearly 33 percent from the three-point.
Final Four
Remember the name Lamont Butler. In one of the most exciting games in NCAA history, Butler hit the game winning mid-range shot to advance to the NCAA Championship Final game. Like UConn, San Diego State is a physical team that is playing at an elite defensive level. In their Final Four matchup, they beat FAU 72-71. This game was a higher scoring game than others, however, they rebounded FAU, and shot nearly 50 percent from the three-point line. Although they were down 40-33, they outscored 39-31 in the second half. Matt Bradley rebounded with 21 points, on 5-12 shooting, and 4-8 from the three. In addition, The Aztecs received help off the bench with 28 points.
None of the Aztecs starters touched double digits in points, however, Keshad Johnson, Darrion Trammell, and Lamont Butler all had defensive steals. Also, it’s important to note, although the Aztecs outrebounded FAU, not one player had double-digits in rebounds. 22 Rebounds were equally grabbed by the Aztecs starting five. If San Diego State wants to win, they must outrebound UConn, rely heavily on Matt Bradley, and capitalize off Connecticut turnovers. It will be extremely difficult to guard this UConn team, given players can shoot from both the strong and weak sides.
NCAA Tournament wins:
San Diego State vs. FAU: 72-71 (Final Four).
San Diego State vs. Creighton: 57-56 (Elite 8).
San Diego State vs. Alabama: 71-64 (Sweet 16).
San Diego State vs. Furman: 75-52 (Round of 32).
San Diego State vs. Charleston: 63-57 (Round of 64).
Injury Report
Connecticut Huskies (UConn)
None
San Diego State Aztecs
None
Key Players
Connecticut Huskies (UConn)
Adama Sanogo
Adama Sonogo has been lights out for the Huskies this season, and in the NCAA Tournament. Sonogo is a powerful force, who can score and grab rebounds inside. He stands at 6 foot 9 and weighs 245 pounds. In the Huskies win against Miami, Sonogo surprised by hitting two three-points in less than a minute. In this year's NCAA Tournament, he’s averaging 20.2 points-per game, 1.4 blocks, and 9.8 rebounds per game.
Jordan Hawkins
There was some concern when Hawkins was listed on the injury report last game due to a non-covid illness. Jordan suited up for the Final Four game and added 13 points on 3-7 three-point shooting. Hawkins is averaging 16.4 points per game, and 3 rebounds this tournament. He is shooting a stellar 51.8 percent from the three-point, and 43.5 percent from the field. Look for him to be a key part of this Huskies offense tonight.
San Diego State Aztecs
Matt Bradley
Matt Bradley has been the “guy” for the San Diego State Aztecs all season long. He was the only Aztec to average double digits in points with 12.7. In addition, Bradley averaged 36.5 percent from the three, and 40 percent from the field. It’s important to know Bradley struggled this tournament. He scored a combined 8 points between the Creighton and Alabama game. In those two games, he played no more than 20 minutes, and averaged 17.4 percent from the field. Luckily for the Aztecs, Bradley stepped up in their Final Four win against FAU. He added 21 points and shot 50 percent from the three-point line. If Bradley is struggling, Senior Guard Darrion Trammell could step up big time. He added 21 points against Alabama, and three steals in the NCAA tournament.
Key Stats
• UConn averages 78.5 points per game during the regular season.
• San Diego State averages 72.1 points per game during the regular season.
• UConn ranks 34th in points allowed with 64.3 opponents points per game.
• San Diego State ranks 25th in points allowed with 63.1 opponents points per game.
• UConn ranks 10th in rebounds per game with 39.3.
• San Diego State ranks 87th in rebounds per game with 36.3.
• UConn ranks 2nd in point differential at +14.3
• San Diego State ranks 35th in point differential at +8.3
• UConn ranks 20th in blocked shots with 4.8 per game.
• San Diego State ranks 78th in blocked shots with 3.9 per game.
• UConn averages 36.4 % from the 3-point, while Arkansas averages 35.1 % beyond the arc.
LAST 10 GAMES + GAME PREDICTION
SPREAD: UConn -7.5
-UConn covered the spread in 9 of their last 10 games.
-San Diego State covered the spread in 7 their last 10 games.
-UConn has a 26-11-1 record ATS this season.
-UConn has a 9-1-0 record ATS their last 10 games.
-San Diego State has a 19-16-2 record ATS this season.
-San Diego State has 7-3 record ATS their last 10 games.
UConn is dominant team that wins by a lot of points. Although the Aztecs are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games, give me UConn to cover.
MONEY LINE: UConn ML
-UConn won the Money Line 9 out of their last 10 games
-San Diego State won the Money Line 9 of their last 10 games.
Although San Diego State played well all tournament long, I think UConn has the better coaching and talent. They have won every game by double-digits and are a force on both sides of the ball. Give me UConn Moneyline.
OVER/UNDER: Under
-UConn Avg +/- vs O/U Line: +0.14
-San Diego State Avg +/- vs O/U Line:
-UConn Overall O/U Record: 20-18-0
-San Diego State O/U Record: 15-22-0
-UConn hit the UNDER in 7 of their last 10 games.
-San Diego State hit the UNDER in 9 of their last 10 games.
Both UConn and San Diego State have incredible defenses. It's the most important game on the biggest stage. I expect a solid defensive effort from both sides. Give me the under.
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Sara Jane is a full-time content creator, focusing on both college basketball, the NBA, NFL, and writer of Ballislife.com. Don’t forget to follow her on Twitter: @GGirlSports