Miami vs. UConn picks, predictions, odds: Who wins March Madness Final Four game?
No. 5 seed Miami and No. 4 seed UConn face off on Saturday in an NCAA Tournament Final Four game.
The national semifinal game is scheduled for 5:49 p.m. MST and can be seen on CBS.
Who will win the game and advance to the Final Four?
Check out these picks and predictions for the contest.
UConn is a 5.5-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
The Huskies are -250 on the moneyline. The Hurricanes are +200.
The over/under for the game is set at 149.5 points.
OddsChecker: Take UConn to cover against Miami
It writes: "Elite versus red-hot, which comes out on top? The edge goes to UConn here for three reasons. First, Miami’s defense has continued to be a weakness even as their offense has skyrocketed. If UConn gets going it’s going to be hard for even the red hot Hurricanes to stay with them. Second, UConn’s dominant on the glass, while Miami is below average. That’s going to make up for a lot of mistakes and will limit Miami’s ability to come from behind if in that situation. Third, eventually Miami’s shooting fill fade. A streaky team will eventually hit a wall. UConn doesn’t have that issue as they’ve been this team all year. Sure, they had one stretch during the season where they lost 6 of 8, but outside of that two week stretch they’re 27-2 and dominated Alabama, Marquette, and Gonzaga. That consistency is going to be key here."
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College Football News: UConn 81, Miami 75
Pete Fiutak writes: "The Hurricanes are amazing from the line and UConn gets hammered with a whole lot of fouls. But the Huskies can hit them, too. It’s not going to be the total wipeout the first four rounds have been for the team from the Big East, but the size and depth will wear down the Hurricanes late. Get ready for a ton of scoring, lots of momentum waves, and a blast of a showdown."
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FanDuel: UConn 76, Miami 72
Larry Rupp writes: "UConn has few weaknesses to exploit, though. The Huskies allow an opponent three-point percentage of 29.7% (No. 13 in NCAA) and control the boards by averaging 39.3 rebounds per game (No. 10 in NCAA). They also shoot a reliable 76.0% from the free throw line (No. 37 in NCAA). This one is going to be close, but I don't expect UConn's dominance to end on Saturday night."
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Fansided: Take the over for UConn's total points vs. Miami
Reed Wallach writes: "Overall, this feels like a lot of points to give such strong guard play, but I see too many holes on the Hurricanes’ defense for the Huskies not to push into the high 70’s. UConn is comfortable playing fast on offense and I don’t see Miami staying competitive in a half court based matchup. They will need to play fast and hope its guard play leads them through. I’ll avoid the spread and target the Huskies team total as my favorite bet in this Final Four matchup, a number they have gone over with ease in three of four games. The game they didn’t, they put up 70 points on a methodical Saint Mary’s team that allowed that many points in regulation in only three other games this season."
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Sporting News: UConn 81, Miami 74
Bill Bender writes: "It's two talented teams playing their best basketball. UConn averages 39.2 rebounds per game, and that battle between Sanogo and Omier will be the focus during the week. Miami does not rely on the 3-pointer, but they are shooting 44% from 3-point range in the tournament. Miller, who had 27 points in the comeback victory against Texas, must match Hawkins, too. The Hurricanes are 8-3 ATS as an underdog with six victories. That makes them dangerous, but we are going to stick with the red-hot Huskies. Take the over, too."
March Madness odds: UConn favored to win 2023 men's NCAA Tournament Final Four
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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Miami vs. UConn Final Four picks, predictions, odds for March Madness
