Former Big East rivals reunite in the 2023 Final Four when the Connecticut Huskies and Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes square off in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at NRG Stadium in Houston. UConn was a founding member of the original Big East Conference in 1979, which became the American Athletic Conference in 2013. In 2020, the program joined the new Big East. This season the Huskies (29-8) tied for fourth during the regular season. Meanwhile Miami was a member of the Big East from 1991 through 2004 before joining the ACC. This year the Hurricanes (29-7) tied for first during the regular season.
Tipoff is scheduled for 8:49 p.m. ET on CBS. The Huskies are favored by 5.5 points in the latest UConn vs. Miami odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 149.5. Before locking in any Miami vs. UConn picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Div. I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the Final Four of the 2023 NCAA Tournament 85-54 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also went 6-1 on top-rated picks during the first two weeks of March Madness. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UConn vs. Miami and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the Final Four 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Miami vs. UConn:
- UConn vs. Miami spread: Huskies -5.5
- UConn vs. Miami over/under: 149.5 points
- UConn vs. Miami money line: Huskies -250, Hurricanes +205
- CONN: The Huskies rank second in the country in rebound margin (9.4 rebounds per game).
- MIA: The Hurricanes are 11th in the country in free throw percentage (78.0).
- UConn vs. Miami picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why UConn can cover
UConn has a force in the paint in Adama Sanogo. A 6-foot-9, 245-pound junior from Mali, Sanogo leads the conference in scoring (17.1 points per game) and ranks fifth in rebounding (7.5). For his efforts this season he was named to the all-Big East first team.
In addition, the Huskies do an excellent job at defending the 3-pointer. UConn allows opponents to shoot just 29.7% from beyond the arc, which leads the conference and ranks 12th in the country. That defense will be needed on Saturday against a Miami team that leads the ACC in 3-point percentage (36.9). See who to back at SportsLine.
Why Miami can cover
Miami has a playmaking guard in Isaiah Wong. A 6-foot-4 junior from Piscataway, N.J., who has the ability to beat defenders off the bounce, Wong averages a team-high 16.2 points per game, while shooting 38.1% from the 3-point line. For his efforts this season he was named the ACC Player of the Year.
In addition, Miami is an excellent free throw shooting team. The Hurricanes have shot 78.0 from the free throw line this season, which ranks 11th in the country. In the team’s Elite Eight victory over Texas, they made 28-of-32 free throws (87.5%), including 25-of-27 (92.6%) in the second half. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Miami vs. UConn picks
The model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 149 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UConn vs. Miami? And which side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.