— Sunday, March 20th Miami (FL) Hurricanes @ Auburn Tigers
The 10th seeded Miami Hurricanes square off with a tough two seeded Auburn Tigers team that has held their own this season. The Hurricanes survived their own storm in round one with some lackluster shooting and poor rebounding numbers.
The Tigers have a tough test ahead of them, even though they won their first game of the tournament by 19 points. This matchup will likely be close, as both teams have similar averages within their respective tough conferences.
Venue: Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Date: 7:45 PM ET March 20, 2022
Coverage: truTV
Tigers a Toss Up Pick for Spread
The Tigers have gone 0-7 in their last seven games against the spread when following up a straight-up win. As impressive as they looked in their opening-round victory, they have been volatile.
They simply overmatched and overwhelmed Jackson State, winning the rebound battle and holding them to 61 points on 30 percent shooting. It really showed that they were a 15 seed team, unlike others in the tournament.
Auburn has great size, especially from Jabari Smith (17.1 team leader in points per game and seven rebounds per game) and Walker Kessler (11.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg, and 4.5 blocks per game). With the two of them creating havoc down low, it will be hard to overlook their dominance.
All the Tigers need now is for their guards to continue their positive streak of play. They have been somewhat shaky in their last ten games, ultimately causing games to end in negative results.
Miami’s Struggles Could Haunt Them
Miami had somewhat of an upset victory against USC, finishing the game 68-66. They had one of the worst shooting performances this season, as they went 1-14 from three-point land. In addition, they were demolished on the boards.
This team typically shoots above 30 percent from three and even shot 35 percent against Duke in a loss. They were able to overcome adversity with steady ball movement and constant pressure on the Trojans. That pressure, by the way, led to 18 turnovers and arguably is the main reason why they won.
The Hurricanes have some of the worst rebounding and defense this season, ranking 144th in the nation for overall efficiency. If they get hot from three, the rebounding can be overlooked just a tad.
Both their poor shooting and forced turnovers will likely not happen again, but they must try to remain focused. If they can limit their own turnovers and get excellent results from Kameron McGusty, Isaiah Wong, and Charlie Moore, then they have a shot at winning this matchup.
Miami Hurricanes vs Auburn Tigers Betting Analysis
- Miami Hurricanes +7.5 (-110). Money Line (+270)
- Auburn Tigers -7.5 (-110). Money Line (-300)
- Total Points 144.5 Over (-110). Under (-110)
The Tigers average nearly 80 points per game and allow 61. The Hurricanes have that margin a little close together at 75.6 points per game and allow 66. The Tigers should be able to control the boards with ease and dictate their own pace with excellent defense carrying them to victory.
Betting Pick: Tigers-7.5 (-110) or -300 straight up
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