- UAB Blazers vs San Diego State Aztecs is set to take place in Spokane, WA, on Friday, March 22
- The 5-seed Aztecs are 6.5-point favorites to advance past the 12-seed Blazers
- Read on for the latest UAB vs SDSU odds, props, and picks for Friday morning’s first-round March Madness matchup
Don’t let their conference record fool you: the San Diego State Aztecs (24-10, 13-19-0 ATS) are ready to head back to the Final Four. In their way? The UAB Blazers (23-11, 20-12-1 ATS) fresh off a shock American Athletic Conference tournament championship.
I’ll admit, a ten-loss season is a let down after coming just short of a national championship. But when you realize the Aztecs won 24 games against a 9th-ranked SOS in the 4th toughest conference, you’ll see why they’re again a threat to make it to the third weekend.
They’ll be up against it when they face Alabama-Birmingham. All the Blazers happened to do this season was win the AAC tournament in their first season in the conference. With quality wins this season against Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, and Maryland, the Blazers will be ready for SDSU.
The 5-seed Aztecs are just -6.5 favorites going into a Friday morning matchup against the 12-seed Blazers. Tip-off is set for 1:45 pm ET at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, WA.
UAB vs San Diego State Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAB Blazers | +6.5 (+100) | +220 | Over 139.5 (-105) |
| San Diego State Aztecs | -6.5 (-120) | -275 | Under 139.5 (-115) |
With moneyline odds at -275, San Diego State are favorites to advance past Alabama-Birmingham. The winner of this first-round matchup in the East Region will face the winner of #4 Auburn Tigers and #13 Yale Bulldogs.
The point total for Blazers/Aztecs is at a low 139.5. San Diego State games stayed under 140 points in 17 of 34 games this season. In contrast, UAB hit 140 points or more in 28 of 34 games, but won all 6 games when staying under 139.5.
Odds as of March 21 at BetMGM Sportsbook. Lock in the BetMGM promo code before betting on UAB vs San Diego State.
UAB vs San Diego State Team Stats
| 104th | NET Ranking | 20th |
| 0-4 | Quadrant 1 Record | 4-9 |
| 7-3 | Quadrant 2 Record | 6-1 |
| 106th | KenPom Ranking | 19th |
| 59th (113.7) | KP Adj Off Efficiency | 55th (113.8) |
| 199th (107.2) | KP Adj Def Efficiency | 8th (93.7) |
| 154th (67.8) | KP Adj Tempo | 266th (66.0) |
| 98th (+4.77) | KP Strength of Schedule | 16th (+11.54) |
| 131st (+2.22) | KP Non-Conference SOS | 9th (+10.91) |
| 258th (32.6%) | 3P% | 314th (31.3%) |
| 74th (74.6%) | FT% | 112nd (73.3%) |
| 66th (77.8) | PPG | 151st (74.6) |
| 278th (75.2) | Opp PPG | 36th (66.6) |
UAB Blazers Steal a Bid in Their First Season in the AAC
With a debut American Athletic Conference season to remember, the UAB Blazers return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.
A member of Conference USA since 1996, the Blazers were one of six teams that made a move to the AAC in 2023. Despite the new surroundings and opponents, UAB met preseason conference expectations by finishing fourth.
However, a NET ranking of 105th had the Blazers’ postseason firmly planted in the NIT. Unless they could win the conference tournament, of course.
So what do the Blazers do? They capture the AAC championship and the league’s automatic bid that goes with it.
The team thrived in the conference tournament, with double-digit wins over Wichita State, regular season champs South Florida, and surprise finalist Temple. Not having to face CUSA nemesis Florida Atlantic was just a cherry on top.
Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg was a double-double machine in the conference tournament, averaging 15.0 PPG and 13.7 RPG over the three games. Over the course of the season, Lendeborg scored a double-double on nineteen separate occasions.
In a strange twist, after avoiding one Final Four team in their conference tournament, the Blazers will face another one in their March Madness opener.
San Diego State Looking for Back-to-Back Final Four Runs
It’s fair to say the battle-tested San Diego State Aztecs are ready to run it all the way back to the Final Four.
Returning four seniors from a team that came up just short of a national title in 2023, the Aztecs are back in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year and their fifth appearance in seven seasons under coach Brian Dutcher.
You’d be forgiven to think SDSU took a step back this season, going off their 11-7 conference record alone, but you’d be silly to do so.
The Mountain West was a foreboding gauntlet in 2023-24. As a whole, the conference holds the 4th-best SOS (per RPI), comfortably placing six teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Though the Aztecs would finish fifth in the MWC, they nearly captured their second-consecutive conference tournament championship, falling just short in the final to the New Mexico Lobos. With four Quad 1 wins and only one bad loss at UNLV, San Diego State could be on the verge of back-to-back Final Fours.
The Aztecs boast threats at either end of the court with seniors Jaedon LeDee and Lamont Butler.
After getting mostly bench minutes on their Final Four run last season, LeDee emerged as big threat in the post this season, putting up a conference-leading 21.1 PPG before being named to the Mountain West All-Conference First Team.
Leading the defensive front is Butler, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after being named to the All-MW Defensive Team for the second consecutive year.
UAB vs San Diego State Player Props
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Three-Pointers Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alejandro Vasquez (UAB) | 10.5 (Ov -140 | Un +110) | 3.5 (Ov -140 | Un +110) | OFF | 1.5 (Ov +135 | Un -175) |
| Darrion Trammell (SDSU) | 8.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 2.5 (Ov -180 | Un +140) | 4.5 (Ov -110 | Un -120) | 1.5 (Ov +105 | Un -140) |
| Efrem Johnson (UAB) | 10.5 (Ov +100 | Un -130) | 2.5 (Ov +114 | Un -145) | OFF | 1.5 (Ov +140 | Un -180) |
| Eric Gaines (UAB) | 12.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 3.5 (Ov -145 | Un +114) | 5.5 (Ov +140 | Un -180) | 1.5 (Ov +140 | Un -180) |
| Jaedon LeDee (SDSU) | 20.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | 7.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | OFF | 0.5 (Ov +130 | Un -166) |
| Lamont Butler (SDSU) | 11.5 (Ov +100 | Un -130) | 3.5 (Ov +105 | Un -135) | 2.5 (Ov -145 | Un +114) | 1.5 (Ov +175 | Un -230) |
| Micah Parrish (SDSU) | 9.5 (Ov -115 | Un -115) | 4.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | OFF | 1.5 (Ov -105 | Un -125) |
| Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB) | 13.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | 10.5 (Ov -130 | Un +100) | 2.5 (Ov +110 | Un -140) | OFF |
Blazers/Aztecs college basketball player props taken from DraftKings on March 21st.
UAB vs San Diego State & Prediction
With two teams similar in offensive efficiency, I’ll instead look to defensive metrics to sort this one out. In doing so, I would lean towards San Diego State to win outright.
The Aztecs are one of the slower-tempo teams in the country, which should frustrate UAB to no end, particularly because of SDSU’s defensive prowess. UAB will find their buckets nonetheless, just less than what they’re accustomed to, but so will SDSU.
I’m confident the Aztecs will win, but I feel like it will be a defensive slugfest. That’s why I’m leaning towards UAB, but only to cover.
UAB vs San Diego State picks:
- UAB +6.5 (+100)
- Over 139.5 (-105)
- Jaedon LeDee over 20.5 points (-120)
On March 22, college basketball fans will be treated to an exciting matchup between the UAB Blazers and the San Diego State Aztecs. Both teams have had successful seasons so far, with UAB boasting a record of 25-7 and San Diego State sitting at 23-8. As the two teams prepare to face off in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, bettors are eagerly analyzing the betting odds, prop bets, and predictions for this highly anticipated game.
According to the latest betting odds, the San Diego State Aztecs are favored to win this matchup. The Aztecs are currently listed as 5.5-point favorites, with an over/under set at 134 points. This indicates that oddsmakers believe San Diego State has a slight edge over UAB in this contest.
In addition to traditional betting options, there are also a variety of prop bets available for this game. Prop bets allow bettors to wager on specific outcomes or events within the game, such as which player will score the most points or whether the total number of points scored will be odd or even. Some popular prop bets for this matchup may include predicting the total number of three-pointers made by each team or guessing the final margin of victory.
When it comes to predictions for this game, it is expected to be a closely contested battle between two evenly matched teams. UAB has a strong offense led by standout guard Jordan Walker, who is averaging 16.7 points per game this season. On the other hand, San Diego State boasts a stout defense that ranks among the best in the nation, allowing just 60.2 points per game.
Ultimately, this game could come down to which team can impose their will on the other. If UAB can push the pace and get their offense going early, they could pull off an upset. However, if San Diego State is able to control the tempo and play lockdown defense, they should be able to come out on top.
In conclusion, the March 22 matchup between UAB and San Diego State promises to be an exciting game for both fans and bettors alike. With competitive betting odds, a wide range of prop bets, and predictions pointing to a close contest, this game is sure to be one to watch during March Madness.
