The time has finally come for a new champion to be crowned in college basketball with the NCAA Men’s Final Four matchups set and ready to go. In the first duel of the final stage before the championship game, No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic squares off with SDSU in a battle of two teams that are looking to make history and deepen their tournament runs. In the other contest of the day, UConn has its sights set on its first title game appearance since 2014. Meanwhile, Miami has also made its first Final Four appearance in school history, but the Hurricanes are not done yet with a squad that has fought through adversity at many turns this season. In many ways, this field represents one of the most wide-open ones in recent memory with no number one seeds present and it being anyone’s game.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to expect from each team along with predicted winners for each matchup and more notes about NCAA basketball wagering.
| NCAA Basketball Final Four Games | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAU vs. SDSU | SDSU -1.5 | -115 | -115 | -115 |
| UConn vs. Miami | UConn ML | -245 | -245 | -245 |
The number one squad out of Conference USA (C-USA), the Owls have put together a magnificent tournament run, stunning many observers on the way to the Final Four. After a fantastic regular season that featured an 18-2 record in conference play, FAU has fought off all comers in the tournament. Following a classic battle against the Kansas State Wildcats, with the Owls winning 79-76, the Owls have easily made the deepest run in school history with their lone tournament appearance coming back in 2002. In their latest victory, guard Alijah Martin was magnificent with 17 points and multiple highlight reel plays. His backcourt mate, Johnell Davis, leads the team in points at 13.9 ppg.
Coming off a thrilling victory over the Creighton Bluejays in the Elite 8, 57-56, the Aztecs are headed to their first Final Four in school history. In a back-and-forth affair, Lamont Butler led SDSU with 18 points and was very effective during this game, scoring eight field goals on 11 attempts. The champions of the Mountain West Conference, the Aztecs have had a marvelous run in the tournament, knocking off not only Creighton but also the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, Alabama. While SDSU knocked off some lower seeds in the tournament (Furman and Charleston), they also did so effectively, winning comfortably in both contests.
Prediction: Another excellent matchup, the Aztecs are riding high on a confidence wave and are a balanced veteran team that should outlast the resilient Owls.
A squad from the very strong Big East, the Huskies are a team that has been able to string together some of the most impressive wins in the tournament. Coming off an absolute thrashing of Gonzaga, 82-54, the Huskies have yet to meet their match this year, winning all their NCAA Tournament games by double-digits. Indeed in that matchup against the Bulldogs, guard Jordan Hawkins was excellent with 20 points en route to a second-half demolition. Pairing with forward Adama Sanogo (17.1 ppg and 7.5 rebounds per contest), the Huskies have a strong duo that can tangle with all the squads at the top given their battle-tested conference schedule.
Another thrilling contest in the Elite 8, Miami has already made history this year, notching the school’s first Final Four appearance in school history with their win over Texas, 88-81. Like SDSU, the Hurricanes knocked off a No. 1 seed in the Houston Cougars in the Sweet 16 and have been rolling since. While they trailed Texas for a solid portion of their contest together, the Canes rallied and were able to pull away in the final minutes and score the win. Guard Jordan Miller was electric in the win over the Longhorns, pouring in a game-high 27 points along with being perfect from the field, notching seven field goals and 13 made free throws.
Prediction: In a battle of two dynamic teams, the upstart Hurricanes will finally meet their match in the Huskies as UConn punches its ticket to the national championship.
Once you are all dialed in regarding the NCAA Final Four men’s basketball games, make sure to tap into the other great resources SBS has rolled out for you. For instance, for anything and everything pertaining to college basketball, our NCAAB betting sites rundown is a must-read resource as it pertains to college basketball this season and beyond. That said, with the championship game almost here, the SBS March Madness betting strategy guide is great to have on hand so you can take home the championship gold like the final four teams are vying for. Finally, given the high stakes of the tournament at hand, what better place to peruse than the SBS VIP sports betting sites breakdown which covers all the perks of VIP sports wagering.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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