San Diego State vs UConn Predictions & Game Preview- April 3, 2023 | March Madness 2023

The NCAA Tournament is nearly in the books, and it is down to San Diego State and UConn to decide which will etch its name on the trophy. The championship matchup is set to tip off at 9:20 p.m. EST to put a proper finish to a thrilling March Madness.

San Diego State (32-6) is coming off an exciting buzzer-beating victory over Florida Atlantic. It was the Aztecs' second consecutive one-point victory. They are known for their defense as Florid Atlantic is the only team to crack 70 points against them in the tournament so far.

In the season as a whole, they have allowed just 63.1 points per game, which is the 25th-best rate in the country, and hold opponents to the third-best 3-point shooting at just 28.2%.

On the offensive side of the ball, San Diego State has a well-rounded attack with eight different players averaging 5.9 or more points per game. The Aztecs dig deeper into their bench when making substitutions than most teams at this stage of the tournament. They are effective in transition and will look to get out in the fast break often.

They will be facing off against UConn (30-8), which is coming off another convincing win, 72-59 over Miami in the Final Four. The Huskies have cruised through the tournament with the 13-point victory being their closest game during March Madness.

UConn has a well-rounded team that can win in a variety of ways. It averages 78.6 ppg, which is the 30th-best rate in the country, and allows just 64.3 ppg, which is the 34th-best rate. The Huskies are the 10th-best rebounding team, have the fourth-most assists per game in the nation and possess the 15th-best 3-point percentage allowed.

Adama Sanogo headlines their team and averages 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. His 6-foot-9 frame and active motor will provide a challenge for San Diego State as Sanogo has been crucial to UConn's success all season. Jordan Hawkins also provides a nice balance on the perimeter and averages 16.2 points per game while shooting 38.6% on 3-pointers.

San Diego State vs. UConn Prediction

UConn enters the matchup as a 7.5-point favorite and San Diego State as +300 underdogs. The over/under sits at 132.5 in the matchup.

San Diego State has had an impressive run and has not been given the respect it deserves throughout the postseason. However, there is a bit of quality that UConn possesses that the Aztecs lack.

Expect San Diego State to make its presence felt early on and keep the defensive pressure high. If the Aztecs are able to do this throughout the matchup, the game will remain close. Count on this to remain the case for most of the first half but for a run from UConn to blow the game open and be too much for San Diego State to match.

UConn can find offensive success and has more ways to win than San Diego State, and the Aztecs will be unable to keep pace with the Huskies' scoring. It will be an interesting clash of styles, but count on UConn's offensive ability to make a difference in the matchup and for the program to move to 5-0 all-time in national championship games.