The 2023 Final Four tips off on Saturday, April 1, with a matchup between No. 9 Florida Atlantic and No. 5 San Diego State at 6:09 p.m. ET on CBS.
Can FAU continue its Cinderella run and become the first No. 9 seed to make it to the title game? Will San Diego State become the first Mountain West Conference team in the finals?
Let’s take a look at the Final Four odds and predictions for San Diego State vs. Florida Atlantic.
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Final Four Odds: Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State
As of March 31, the top four online sportsbooks are split when it comes to the spread for FAU vs. SDSU.
DraftKings Sportsbook and Caesars Sportsbook have the spread at -2.5 in favor of the Aztecs, while FanDuel Sportsbook and BetMGM pushed past the hook and are offering -3.
These spreads mean bettors who want to lay a wager on San Diego State will want to do so at DraftKings or Caesars.
On the flip side, taking Florida Atlantic +3 on FanDuel or BetMGM Sportsbook is the move for those who think the Owls cover the spread in the first Final Four game.
Florida Atlantic has covered the spread at the fifth-highest rate this season at 68.6% (24-11-1). San Diego State has been above average, covering 55.9% of its games (19-15-2).
At the time of this writing, DraftKings Sportsbook offers the best moneyline odds for both FAU and San Diego State at +130 and -150, respectively.
The point total for San Diego State vs. Florida Atlantic is listed at 131.5 across all four sportsbooks with slight odds differences among them.
According to BetMGM’s John Ewing, here is some betting data for the matchup as of March 31:
Updated San Diego State-Florida Atlantic betting at @BetMGM@Aztec_MBB open -1.5, now -2.5
▪️ 60% of bets, 75% of money on SDSTTotal open 131.5, no movement
▪️ 52% of bets, 46% of money on Over@FAUMBB open +105, now +130
▪️ 64% of bets, 31% of money on FAU— John Ewing 🦁 (@johnewing) March 31, 2023
Additionally, FAU +130 is the most popular Final Four bet with San Diego State moneyline (-155) two spots behind.
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San Diego State vs. Florida Atlantic Final Four Prediction
All good things must come to an end, as the saying goes, and I believe this will be the end of Florida Atlantic’s run.
The Aztecs’ defense will be the difference-maker in this one, as San Diego State ranks 4th in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency metric and has allowed the 24th-fewest points per game in the country at 62.9. Just one team has scored more than 60 points against the Aztecs throughout March Madness — No. 1 Alabama, which put up 64.
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San Diego State is also elite at defending the three ball, allowing the second-lowest three-point shooting percentage in the nation.
In Florida Atlantic’s last game, it defeated Kansas State by only three points while out-rebounding the Wildcats 44-22 and committing 22 turnovers. The Owls won’t be able to dominate the glass in the same way against San Diego State and if FAU’s turnover woes show up again, this game could get out of reach and fast.
San Diego State vs. Florida Atlantic Best Bet: San Diego State -2.5
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