After an incredibly entertaining tournament, the NCAA men’s basketball national title will be on the line Monday night as the No. 5 San Diego State Aztecs (32-6) take on the No. 4 Connecticut Huskies (30-8) at NRG Stadium, with tipoff scheduled for 9:20 pm ET.
The Huskies are heavy favorites entering this one. They are -345 to win, while the Aztecs’ moneyline sits at +270. The spread features San Diego State as a 7.5-point underdog (-118), and the over/under for total points is 132.5.
Aztecs Look For Victory As Underdogs
Despite wins over No. 1 Alabama (71-64), No. 6 Creighton (57-56), and No. 9 Florida Atlantic (72-71), the Aztecs still come into this game as major underdogs. However, head coach Brian Dutcher won’t let this affect his players, as they will definitely be up for the challenge Monday.
San Diego State relies on one of the best defenses in the nation. They currently rank 23rd in the country, allowing opponents an average of 63.3 points per game.
On offense, San Diego State isn’t quite as elite, ranking 175th in the nation and averaging just 70.8 points per game. Don’t let that fool you, though, as the Aztecs can still put pressure on the offensive side.
Senior guard Matt Bradley leads the way for San Diego State, averaging 12.7 points per game. He is also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Other contributors include Darrion Trammell (9.7 points, 3 assists), Lamont Butler (8.7 points, 3.3 assists), Jaedon LeDee (7.9 points, 5.3 rebounds), and Micah Parrish (7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds). Butler’s clutch jump shot allowed the Aztecs to take down FAU in the Final Four. The Aztecs have eight players averaging 5.9 points or more this season.
Huskies Try To Remain Perfect in Championship Game
The Connecticut Huskies have made it to the national championship game four times, and they are a perfect 4-0 in that time. They won in 1999, 2004, 2011, and, most recently, 2014. On Monday, they will look to pick up their fifth championship and first under head coach Dan Hurley.
To get to this point, the Huskies have dominated their opponents. Their closest margin of victory has been 13 points, and that was their most recent victory over No. 5 Miami in the Final Four.
Adama Sanogo led the way with a double-double in that victory, as he had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Hawkins, battling illness over the weekend, added 13 points in the win.
Sanogo and Hawkins have led a Huskies team that ranks 21st in scoring all season. In 38 games, Sanogo is averaging 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds. In 36 games, Hawkins is putting up 16.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Defensively, the Huskies rank 30th in the nation, allowing opponents an average of 64.3 points per game (59.3 over their last three contests).
Take Connecticut To Win, San Diego State To Cover
Having won every game by double digits thus far, it is hard to describe how exceptionally the Connecticut Huskies have played all tournament long. They can get it done on both sides of the floor with elite offense and defense.
Still, San Diego has shown that it is scrappy and won’t be intimidated by anyone. Not only did they take down the nation’s top-ranked team in Alabama, but they didn’t let a 14-point deficit deter them in the Final Four, fighting back in the second half to ultimately win the game over FAU.
Despite their success, the Aztecs may struggle to keep up with Connecticut. Still, a single-digit e margin of victory wouldn’t be surprising.
Expect Connecticut to win, but take the Aztecs +7.5 (-118).
