Final Four Determined

AuthorAuthor

Zach Beier & Chubbs Scheffler
March 27, 2023

Good morning,

Let’s dive in…

Developing Stories 📰

The NCAA Final Four men's tournament has been set after qualifying games played Sunday Saturday's first game will be just the second Men's Final Four matchup ever between non-major conference opponents, the San Diego State Aztecs will play the Florida Atlantic Owls April 1 after defeating the Creighton University Bluejays 57-56. San Diego State is playing in the Final Four for the first time in program history, and it's the Mountain West's first Final Four team. This isn't an attractive offensive team but this is SDSU's 10th appearance in the past 13 NCAA Tournaments. FAU was picked to finish fifth in the Conference USA preseason poll but defied expectations by winning the league's regular season and tournament titles under fifth-year coach Dusty May. FAU finished above .500 in each of May's first four seasons but never reached 20 wins. Now, the Owls are headed to the Final Four with 35-3 record.

The University of Miami Hurricanes will play the University of Connecticut Huskies after beating the University of Texas Longhorns 88-81. For San Diego State, Florida Atlantic and Miami, it is the first time in the schools' history their men's basketball teams have been to the Final Four. UConn won its first four games in the Big Dance by 15 points or more, becoming just the third team this century to accomplish that feat. Between UConn's 88-65 win over Arkansas and Saturday's 82-54 beatdown of Gonzaga, UConn is the first team since Kentucky in 1996 to win its Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games by 20 or more points. Miami is undersized but doesn't mind a bit. The Hurricanes have elite guards and a dynamic small-ball big man in Norchad Omier. He's among a group of four Miami players averaging 13 or more points per game. Isaiah Wong is the leading scorer and a familiar face in his fourth season as a key player for the 'Canes. The Final Four games will be aired on CBS at 6:09 p.m. ET (SDSU vs. FAU) and 8:49 p.m. ET (Miami vs. UConn). Only one team gets to cut down the nets in Houston on April 3.

Headlines 🚨

Lebron James returns to the Lakers after missing 13 games for a foot injury.

Luka Doncic is facing a one-game suspension after being called for his 16th technical foul of the season.

Top Yankees prospect Anthony Volpe makes Opening Day roster and will start at shortstop.

Kyle Wright headed to Injured List; Braves Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd will rotate in Wright’s spot.

Rookie OF Jordan Walker makes Cardinals Opening Day roster.

Sean Payton says the Broncos will not be trading Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton.

The Panthers agree to deal with WR DJ Chark.

Top Ohio recruit Jordan Marshall chooses Michigan as his future program.

Michigan and Quinnipiac secure their spot in the Frozen Four hockey.

Pastrnak reaches 50-goal mark as Bruins win seven straight games.

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

🏀 Mavericks at Pacers

  • The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games at home

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games when playing Dallas

🏀 Bucks at Pistons

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games

  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games at home

🏀 Rockets at Knicks

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games on the road

  • Houston is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against New York

  • New York is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston

  • New York is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Houston

🏀 Suns at Jazz

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games on the road

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 7 of Utah's last 8 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games at home

🏀 76ers at Nuggets

  • Philadelphia is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Denver

  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing on the road against Denver

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 5 games

  • Denver is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home

🏀 Timberwolves at Kings

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games on the road

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games

🏀 Pelicans at Trail Blazers

  • New Orleans is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Portland

  • The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Portland's last 7 games when playing New Orleans

  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of Portland's last 8 games

🏀 Bulls at Clippers

  • Chicago is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

  • Chicago is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

  • LA Clippers is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago

  • LA Clippers is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing Chicago

🏒 Canadians at Sabers

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games on the road

  • Montreal is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Buffalo

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Buffalo's last 6 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 9 of Buffalo's last 11 games at home

🏒 Panthers at Senators

  • Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Ottawa

  • The total has gone OVER in 7 of Florida's last 8 games

  • Ottawa is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ottawa's last 5 games at home

🏒 Red Wings at Islanders

  • The total has gone UNDER in 14 of New Jersey's last 19 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders

  • New Jersey is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games when playing NY Islanders

  • NY Islanders is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Jersey

  • NY Islanders is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against New Jersey

🏒 Kraken at Wild

  • Seattle is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road

  • The total has gone OVER in 7 of Seattle's last 9 games

  • The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Minnesota's last 19 games at home

  • Minnesota is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games at home

🏒 Avalanche at Ducks

  • Colorado is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing on the road against Anaheim

  • Anaheim is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games

🏒 Oilers at Coyotes

  • Edmonton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona

  • Edmonton is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

  • Arizona is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home

  • Arizona is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 games

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

🏀 NBA

47% of bets and 70% of money is on OVER 233 MIL at DET

47% of bets and 61% of money is on DEN -5.5

43% of bets and 76% of money is on NOP -10.5

31% of bets and 59% of money is on UNDER 226.5 NOP at POR

57% of bets and 72% of money is on SAC -4

47% of bets and 66% of money is on UNDER 239 MIN at SAC

33% of bets and 82% of money is on UNDER 221 CHI at LAC

🏒 NHL

28% of bets and 63% of money is on MTL +175

33% of bets and 65% of money is on NJ +1.5

23% of bets and 42% of money is on MIN -1.5

61% of bets and 89% of money is on OVER 6.5 COL at SEA

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Injury Report 🏥 via ESPN

DAL (PG) Luka Doncic | Questionable

DEN (G) Collin Gillespie | Out - Lower Leg

DEN (F) Jack White | Out

DEN (SF) Micheal Porter Jr | Questionable - Heel

DET (SG) Alec Burks | Out - Foot

DET (SF) Bojan Bogdanovic | Out - Achilles

DET (PG) Cory Joseph | Questionable - Illness

DET (G) Rodney McGruger | Questionable - Foot

HOU (SF) Jae’Sean Tate | Questionable - Knee

IND (SG) Chris Duarte | Out - Ankle

IND (C) Myles Turner | Questionable - Back

IND (PG) Tyrese Haliburton | Questionable - Ankle

LAC (SF) Kawhi Leonard | Probable - Face

LAC (SG) Brandon Boston Jr | Out - Lower Body

MIL (C) Meyers Leonard | Out - Calf

MIL (PF) Goran Dragic | Probable - Knee

MIL (PF) Jae Crowder | Probable - Calf

MIL (PF) Giannis Antetokounmpo | Probable - Knee

NYK (G) Trevor Keels | Out - Foot

NYK (PG) Duane Washington Jr | Out - Hip

NYK (PG) Jalen Brunson | Questionable - Hand

PHI (PG) James Harden | Questionable - Achilles

PHI (C) Joel Embiid | Questionable - Calf

PHI (SF) Danuel House Jr | Questionable - Shoulder

PHX (C) Deandre Ayton | Probable - Hip

POR (PG) Damian Lillard | Questionable 

POR (C) Jusuf Nurkic | Questionable 

SAC (PG) De’Aaron Fox | Questionable - Hamstring

UTA (PG) Collin Sexton | Out - Hamstring

UTA (SF) Rudy Gay | Out - Back

UTA (PG) Jordan Clarkson | Out - Finger

UTA (PF) Lauri Markkanen | Questionable - Finger

Picks 🔒

Utah Jazz +225 | The Suns are 15-23 on the road and have dropped 4 straight road games. The Jazz are 2-0 ATS against the Suns this season. Both previous meetings were 1-point wins by the home team.