The 2023 NCAAB tournament has reached the Final Four stage and there are some huge shocks for fans looking to see the best college basketball team crowned.
The San Diego State Aztecs will face off with the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first semi-final before the UConn Huskies clash with the Miami Florida Hurricanes for a place in the final on Monday night.
We'll take a look at both games and provide you with our best free NCAAB picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash during the big final weekend of the season.
Learn more about how to bet on NCAAB here.
San Diego State Aztecs vs Florida Atlantic Owls - Saturday April 1st 2023, 17:09 ET
NCAAB Final Four picks: San Diego cover the spread
If you believe a favorite will win, you should absolutely be willing to lay two points, since there have only been a handful of one-point games in the tournament and that is the situation here. It's a very close game on paper, but with the Aztecs coming in as favorites I'm willing to bet they get it done by at least two possessions.
Considering there were very few teams who expected either of these teams to be involved in the tournament at this stage, you can expect big nerves from both sides and that is likely to mean shooting will suffer.
The Aztecs' ability to run the Owls off the three-point line could be the difference in this one so it makes sense for us to side with San Diego to grind out a win. Nathan Mensah should hold his own against Vladislav Goldin down low and while it won't be a blowout, they should have a lead at the end to be able to cash this bet.
Check out our review for BetUS sports betting here.
NCAAB Final Four picks: Back the Unders
The only Aztecs game this tournament to land over 130 points was their upset win over Alabama, which had one of the nation’s best offenses all season involved.
I like Johnell Davis, who leads the FAU offense, and Alijah Martin has been a great No. 2 option. B when you consider SDSU’s defense, the nervousness both sides will be feeling in the game, and the depth perception, it would be a major surprise to see either team hit 70 points during the game.
The ninth-seeded Owls are 35-3 and showing the world how underrated they were entering the tournament, but the Aztecs only have six losses this year and they are playing extraordinary defense, allowing just 57.25 points per game during the tournament and no more than 64 in any game.
Everything points to the unders landing here, and at almost even money it's a great value bet.
Check out our review for BetOnline sports betting here.
UConn Huskies vs Miami Hurricanes - Saturday April 1st 2023, 19:49 ET
NCAAB Final Four picks: Back the Overs
If the Huskies are able to win as many people are expecting them to, then it means they will have found a way to keep the Hurricanes’ fifth-ranked offense in check. We just saw UConn hold Gonzaga to 54 points, which was particularly impressive because the Zags had just scored 79 points vs UCLA’s elite defense.
It also helps that UConn plays at a slow pace, ranking 164th in this category. Look for Adama Sanogo in particular to put an end to Miami’s offensive outburst during this surprising run.
As well as keeping their offense in check, they should be able to expose them defensively too if they play to their capabilities. The Hurricanes just allowed 81 points to Texas in a game where the Longhorns shot 50% from the field and managed ten three-pointers. UConn is dangerous from beyond the arc, averaging 9.1 threes per game this year and if they give up that many looks then they'll be punished.
If Miami wins this game, it’s likely a high-scoring matchup. We’ve seen the Huskies get strong guard play in the last two rounds, with Jordan Hawkins scoring 20 or more points during this stretch. So the likelihood here is that the over lands in an entertaining, but one-sided win for UConn.
NCAAB Final Four picks: UConn cover the spread
UConn has been dominant during the NCAA Tournament 2023. The Huskies have won their four games by an average of 22.5 points. They are the 10th team in tournament history to have won each of its first four games by at least 15 points.
In addition, UConn is an elite rebounding team. The Huskies rank second in the country in rebound margin (9.4 rebounds per game) and star man Adama Sanogo leads the team and ranks fifth in the Big East in rebounding (7.5 per game).
It's also impossible to ignore that they have been the best team in the tournament too, without a doubt.
Sharpshooter Jordan Hawkins has all really stepped up his play and will be a tough matchup for this Hurricanes team, and is a big reason why UConn come into this game as a large five-and-a-half point favorite.
Considering they've won every game so far by triple this margin and their averages this season would have UConn winning the game by 6.5 points (78-71.5), it seems like good value to grab.
