NCAAB: #5 San Diego State vs #1 UConn Odds, and Picks (Mar 28)

• San Diego State dominated Yale in the 2nd round, storming past them to win 85-57.
• UConn continued to roll against Northwestern, winning 75-58, and making the Sweet 16.
• These two teams last met on April 3, 2023, in the Championship, which UConn won 76-59.

The NCAA Tournament has reached the Sweet 16! Let’s take a look at this matchup between the San Diego State Aztecs and the UConn Huskies. This game features a rematch of last season’s national title game, with an Elite 8 berth on the line for the winner.

How to Watch

• TBS

Preview

San Diego State made the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive tournament, marking the first time they did so since 2014-15. They draw a brutal matchup against the #1 overall seed UConn Huskies, but also gain an opportunity for revenge in the process. The Aztecs fell to the Huskies in the National Championship Game last season, and now have a chance to avenge that loss by knocking this year’s UConn team out. They’ll need their stifling defense to be firing on all cylinders to have a realistic chance.

UConn is aiming to become the first repeat NCAA Champions since the Florida Gators nearly 20 years ago. They face a rematch of last year’s championship against what will certainly be a highly motivated San Diego State team. While the Aztecs are strong enough defensively to pose a challenge to UConn, the Huskies have been in a league of their own once again this season. They are one of just two remaining teams with a top-10 ranking in both offense and defense, and lead in virtually every ranking metric.

Prediction

Having a rematch of a championship game in the next year’s tournament is exactly what the committee had in mind when they placed San Diego State and UConn in the same region. Both teams are as good as they were last year, despite some roster turnover. I see this game being a bit closer than the title game was, but ultimately it’s hard to imagine the Huskies losing here. That being said, San Diego State’s stringent defense should keep the score low enough to have a chance at covering the spread.

NCAAB Picks:

• UConn 76, San Diego State 67 (SDSU +10.5)