March Madness Round 1: UAB vs San Diego State Betting Analysis & Score
San Diego State Ready To Start Another NCAA Run With Win Over UAB
UAB vs San Diego State Final Score
The NCAA Tournament a season ago was full of upsets and lower seeds advancing, including San Diego State getting to the national title game. That experience is going to be a big factor in the UAB vs San Diego State betting analysis for these teams’ first-round NCAAB matchup Friday in the East Region.
The Aztecs may have finished fifth in the Mountain West Conference this NCAAB season, but they have the experience of that deep run to fall back on as they start another quest for a Final Four.
UAB is back in the Big Dance after a year’s absence and hoping to pull an upset like it did in 2015, when it upset third-seeded Iowa State, one of the most celebrated NCAA Tournament scores in school history.
But the Blazers aren’t expected to repeat that feat, with San Diego State favored by 6½ points to advance to the second round. The over/under for the contest has been set at 139½ points.
UAB vs San Diego State 
Day/Time:
Records: UAB (23-11)/San Diego State (24-10)
Location: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Wash.
Streaming: TNT
Aztecs Looking For Some Consistency
Our UAB vs San Diego State betting analysis begins with the lack of consistency for the Aztecs over the last few weeks. San Diego State has dropped three of its last five contests heading into the Big Dance and hasn’t put together more than two wins in a row since early January.
Not playing to their potential could spell trouble for the Aztecs, though coach Brian Dutcher usually is able to get the best out of his squad.
The Blazers come in red hot, having won five straight, including three consecutive victories in the American Athletic Conference tournament to take that title as a No. 4 seed.
Their win over Temple in the title game was on its way to being one of the most lopsided NCAA basketball scores of the conference tournament season until UAB let off the gas with a 16-point halftime lead.
LeDee’s Play Will Lead SDSU
The Aztecs have one of the hottest NCAAB players in the game right now in, senior forward Jaedon LeDee. He leads the team with 21.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on the season, but he’s upped his output of late, averaging 27.0 points in the team’s three games in the Mountain West tournament.
San Diego State doesn’t have a ton of scoring, with only guard Reese Walters (10.1 points) averaging in double-digits other than Ledee. To that end, LeDee must keep his hot scoring for the Aztecs to live up to the college basketball predictions for this contest.
Defense The Key For UAB’s Chances
Looking at these two college basketball teams, our UAB vs San Diego State betting analysis is focused on the defensive end for the Blazers. UAB allowed 75.2 points per game and forced 11.5 turnovers per contest this season. The Blazers must be focused on improving those numbers a bit against an SDSU team that can get on a roll.
The team’s focus will be LeDee, but the Aztecs’ role players can’t get open looks because of too much attention paid to the San Diego State star. If UAB is going to stay in this one, it starts on the defensive end.
Experience Factor Will Spell Victory For Aztecs
With all the factors there are to consider in our UAB vs San Diego State betting analysis, the Aztecs’ experience of last year’s run to the national title game is going to be the biggest.
While UAB is looking for its first Big Dance victory in nearly a decade, San Diego State is used to the big stage and won’t be overwhelmed in this one. We like the Aztecs to pull away late to cover the 6½-point spread, with the final score going over the 139½-point total.
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