Barry Recks
The Florida Atlantic Owls and the San Diego State Aztecs will each be making their first-ever Final Four appearance on Saturday. Not many expected both teams to reach this far, but here they are, ready to shock the college basketball world – again.
Read on for more about this Florida Atlantic vs San Diego State matchup in the 2022-23 college basketball season, including the latest odds, pick, and prediction to win this showdown, as brought to you by JefeBet. Also, don’t forget to check out the other NCAAB game previews here to help you make the best betting decisions.
Picks and Predictions for the Florida Atlantic Owls vs San Diego State Aztecs NCAA Basketball Championship Final Four Game on April 1, 2023
- Where: NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
- When: Saturday, April 1, 2023, 6:09 PM ET
- March Madness Betting Odds: View NCAAB Odds
[the_ad_placement id=“sports-ncaab”]
Betting on the Florida Atlantic Owls
- Regular Season Record: 35-3
Somehow, no one has figured out the Owls in the 2023 NCAA tournament. Florida Atlantic has been thrown challenge after challenge and yet Dusty May’s squad is still standing. After FAU beat the Kansas State Wildcats in the Elite Eight round, 79-76, KSU head coach Jerome Tang personally told the Owls in the locker room that they were the toughest opponent his team had faced this season.
That says a lot about strong Florida Atlantic, considering that the Wildcats are from the dog-eat-dog world of the Big 12. There’s just no quit in the Owls, who had 14 offensive rebounds and shot 18/22 from the free-throw line versus Kansas State. Florida Atlantic, which is posting a 54.3 effective field goal percentage this season, recorded a 56.5 eFG% against KSU, the best the Owls have had so far in the tournament.
Betting on the San Diego State Aztecs
- Regular Season Record: 31-6
The Aztecs came through in the Elite Eight, beating the Creighton Bluejays by the slimmest of margins last Sunday, 57-56. Like the Owls in that round, San Diego State willed its way to a win despite a not-so-good shooting performance. The Aztecs shot just 37.9 percent from the field and went just 3/13 from deep, but they also made sure they won’t get burned defensively from the perimeter.
Since the Sweet 16 round, wherein they took down the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide, the Aztecs have allowed just five 3-pointers on 44 combined attempts by the Crimson Tide and the Bluejays. Defense will be the best weapon of San Diego State, which entered the Elite Eight round 23rd in the nation with just 63.1 points allowed per game and fourth nationally with only 89.9 points surrendered per 100 possessions adjusted. On the season, San Diego is allowing a mere 27.8 percent of opponents’ 3-point attempts to go in.
JefeBet Prediction
This will be a slugfest that should come down to the very last minutes of the game. That said, San Diego State sounds like the smart pick here because it knows how to shut down opposing attacks.
Prediction: San Diego State wins, 72-69.
Bet the prediction above (or make your own) AND get an instant bonus to apply to your wager by clicking the banner below
[the_ad_placement id=“sports-ncaab”]
