UConn vs San Diego State: National Championship Odds, Info, & Prediction

We’re finally here – an unprecedented tournament is coming to a close on Monday night with what promises to be an intense championship game. We’ve witnessed major upsets, buzzer beaters, and powerful storylines, but now it’s time to crown a champion. UCONN enters as the eight-point favorites, the largest since they overcame a +9.5 point spread against Duke in 1999. The Huskies will attempt to win their third national championship in the last 12 years, while San Diego State prepares for their first-ever title game.

The Huskies have had one of the most dominant tournaments in recent memory leading up to the national championship. Although they ranked second in the country in average win margin this year (14.4 points), they have stepped it up to a new level, outscoring their opponents by 20.6 points a game. Their closest contest was their most recent 13-point win against Miami in the semifinals. They are just the sixth team ever to win their first five tournament games by 13 or more with four of the five previous teams eventually cutting down the nets. Neither the Hurricanes nor Gonzaga, Arkansas, Saint Mary’s, or Iona posed any challenge to Dan Hurley’s Huskies. Both their offense and defense have been doing the job, allowing no more than 65 points and scoring no less than 70 in tournament games. 

The Huskies have a deep squad with contributors from up and down their lineup. They have shooters, athletes, and height, led by Adama Sanogo. Sanago has been a physical force all season, averaging 17.2 points to go along with 7.6 rebounds per game. He has remained dominant throughout the tournament, leading UCONN with 21 points and 10 rebounds on 82% shooting in their semifinal win over Miami. Jordan Hawkins and Donovan Clingan have also been huge reasons for the Huskies’ success. They will need them all for one last game on Monday in order to secure the national championship.

In contrast to UCONN, the Aztecs have played in five hard-fought, close games. They have won back-to-back games by one point, including a buzzer-beater to advance them to the national championship. They mounted a late second-half comeback to get within striking distance before putting the dagger in FAU’s hopes for history. Although their superb defense has carried the load for the Aztecs for the most part, it was the team’s offense that came through when they needed them most, providing clutch buckets down the stretch.

Matt Bradley led the way for the Aztecs with 21 points and 6 rebounds on Saturday night. SDSU will need a repeat performance from Bradley and more of the same out of their supporting cast. They are a talented team that will need to play their best in order to stay with the Huskies. While the oddsmakers don’t believe in the Aztecs, you can be sure that they believe in themselves and will compete the entire way, ensuring a hard-fought game from start to finish.

The Huskies have had arguably one of the best tournament runs in history, dominating every round and there’s no reason to believe that will stop now. They are playing at an all time pace and although the Aztecs are a worthy opponent, we don’t believe they are the team to bring down the Huskies. We expect UCONN to bring home the national championship and cover the -8 point spread.