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Get to know the weirdest Final Four ever 🔥
Inside, find all you need to know for tonight's games!
Kate Magdziuk
April 01, 2023
Happy Saturday, sports fan!
Or should I say, happy Final Four to those who celebrate?
We’re approaching the end of March Madness, with the winner of the Big Dance set to cut down the nets Monday night. But before we get there, we must make our way through the Final Four, tipping off tonight!
Let me catch you up on the wild ride that has been March Madness so far:
Not a single No. 1 seed made the Elite Eight for the first time in NCAAM Tournament history.
Heading into the Final Four, UConn is the odds favorite to win the men’s tournament (-125).
According to the NCAA, just six total brackets correctly predicted this year’s Final Four, where not a single 1, 2 or 3 seed made the cut!
Betting Academy reminder 💡 Minus odds (-) indicate an outcome likely to happen, while plus odds (+) indicate a less likely outcome.
When: Saturday, April 1 at 6:09 p.m. ET
How to watch: CBS, or live stream using CBS or Paramount+
What to know about FAU
FAU is the biggest underdog remaining in the tournament, having entered the field of 68 as the No. 9 seed in the East Region.
Before 2023, they’d had just one previous trip to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament… EVER. Their last trip to March Madness was back in 2002, where they entered as a No. 15 seed and lost to No. 2 Alabama.
They could have had an opportunity to relive that FAU-Alabama matchup in this year’s Final Four… if Alabama had made it past the Sweet 16. 🫢
They’re the underdog in this matchup, as they have been throughout this entire tournament. A bet on the Owls to advance to the championship game is a risky one, but for every $10 you bet, you’d win $12.20 in profit, plus your $10 back!
Read more about the Owls. 👇️
What to know about San Diego State
They knocked off No. 1 seed Alabama to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. Then, they knocked off No. 6 Creighton to make it to the Final Four for the first time in program history. Next stop — championship game?
Defense is where it’s at for this squad! They enter this game as KenPom’s 4th most highly ranked team in terms of defensive efficiency, having held Alabama (the 7th highest scoring offense this year on a points-per-game basis!) to a mere 64 points.
FAU has advanced with the help of some excellent three-point shooting… but SDSU could put all of that to an end today, ranking top-three in defending the three-point shot!
They’re the odds favorite to win this game on FanDuel Sportsbook. This means a bet on them is considered less risky… though that also means a bet on them is less profitable. Less risk, less reward.
Read more about the Aztecs here. 👇️
When: Saturday, April 1 at 8:09 p.m. ET
How to watch: CBS, or live stream using CBS or Paramount+
What to know about Miami
Their head coach, Jim Larrañaga, is one of the most endearing head coaches in all of college basketball. Gaming Society contributor Dan Treadway wrote all about how this man has melted his ice-cold heart and why he’s impossible to root against here.
Larrañaga is seeking a trip to the Naismith Hall of Fame, but some have dismissed him as a candidate due to the fact that he has yet to win a national championship. That could all change this year.
2023 marks the team’s sixth trip to the tournament in Larrañaga’s 12 years as a head coach and the school’s first-ever trip to the Final Four.
Read more about the Hurricanes here.👇️
What to know about UConn
UConn is the current favorite to win the entire tournament at -125. Prior to the start of the first round, they were tied with Texas and Gonzaga for the seventh-best odds to win.
UConn’s women’s team has won 11 NCAA women’s basketball championships, while the men’s UConn team has four national titles. This year, the women’s team fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sweet 16.
Actor Bill Murray is a huge UConn fan and will be at the game, with his son working as an assistant coach for the Huskies. According to CT Insider, two of his favorites on the team include forward Adama Sanogo (leads team in points and rebounds per game) and guard Andre Jackson Jr. (who leads the team in assists per game).
Read more about UConn here.👇️
