On Saturday evening, the Florida Atlantic Owls and San Diego State Aztecs meet on the hardwood for the first time since 2002. The matchup is the third all-time meeting between the programs with sky-high stakes in the 2023 Final Four. The winner will advance to face either UConn or Miami for the national title game on Monday, and NRG Stadium hosts this game in Houston. FAU is 35-3 after 11 straight wins, while San Diego State is 31-6 overall and 14-1 in the last 15 games.
Tipoff is at 6:09 p.m. ET in Houston on CBS. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Aztecs as 2-point favorites, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 130.5 in the latest Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State odds. Before locking in any Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and best bets from SportsLine expert Bob Konarski.
A high-volume, highly-profitable bettor, Konarski's relentless research has helped him be profitable in many sports. In the 2021-22 CBB season, he went 849-587-17 (58%), netting over 200 units for his followers. In the 2021-22 NBA season, he went 209-153-3 (+49.6 units). And in the 2022 MLB season, he finished 463-355-5 (plus 93.09 units). Konarski's college basketball expertise has been on full display lately. He is on an amazing 25-13 run in college basketball picks, returning nearly $1,100 to $100 players. Anyone who followed him saw some huge returns.
Now, Konarski has set his sights on FAU vs. San Diego State and just locked in his picks and Final Four 2023 predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Now, here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for San Diego State vs. FAU:
- San Diego State vs. FAU spread: SDSU -2
- San Diego State vs. FAU over/under: 130.5 points
- San Diego State vs. FAU money line: SDSU -140, FAU +118
- FAU: The Owls are 7-3 against the spread in the last 10 games
- SDSU: The Aztecs are 8-2 against the spread in the last 10 games
- San Diego State vs. FAU picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Florida Atlantic can cover
FAU is known for its highly efficient offense, but the Owls are also stout on defense. Dusty May's team is allowing opponents to shoot only 39.1% from the field in the last three NCAA Tournament games, and Florida Atlantic is in the top 25 of the country in defensive efficiency. Opponents score only 95.1 points per 100 possessions against Florida Atlantic, and the Owls are in the top 20 of the country in field goal percentage allowed (40.2%) and 2-point percentage allowed (44.8%).
Florida Atlantic is also above-average in 3-point defense (32.0%) with an outstanding 74.8% defensive rebound rate. Opponents average only 15.3 free throw attempts per game against the Owls, and Florida Atlantic is No. 2 in the country in assist percentage allowed (35.2%) this season. Opponents average only 8.2 assists per game against Florida Atlantic, and San Diego State's offense has a vulnerability inside the arc with only 49.0% shooting on 2-point attempts. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why San Diego State can cover
San Diego State brings impressive depth and experience to the table. The Aztecs have eight players averaging more than six points per game, headlined by Matt Bradley as the most prominent scoring option. San Diego State is a veteran team with 105.9 points per 100 possessions and a 31.7% offensive rebound rate this season, and Florida Atlantic has rim protection questions that come along with a paltry 6.9% block rate.
On defense, San Diego State is incredibly tough and well-coached under Brian Dutcher, with elite metrics to boot. The Aztecs are giving up only 94.1 points per 100 possessions for the full season, and San Diego State held Alabama and Creighton to just 60 points per game and 35.7% shooting from the field with more turnovers (11.5 per game) than assists (9.5 per game) in those two matchups. San Diego State is No. 2 in the country in 3-point defense with opponents making only 27.8% of long-range attempts, and the Aztecs are well above-average in turnover creation rate (19.2%), block rate (12.0%), steal rate (10.2%), assist prevention (10.6 per game) and free throw prevention (15.8 attempts allowed per game) this season. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State picks
Konarski has analyzed this matchup and while he's leaning Under on the point total, he has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
Who wins Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Konarski's Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State picks, all from the expert who is crushing college basketball, and find out.
