Miami (OH) vs Toledo Odds, Spread & Picks (March 9)
By Robert Duff in College Basketball
Published:
- The Toledo Rockets are 12.5-point favorites over the Miami (OH) Redhawks in their opening-round MAC Tournament game on Thursday, March 9
- Top-seeded Toledo is 15-0 straight up in the last 15 games
- See the Toledo vs Miami (OH) odds and predictions
The Toledo Rockets (25-6, 19-11 ATS) rocketed to the top of the MAC standings right off the bat. It’s been a much more difficult climb for the Miami (OH) Redhawks (12-19, 14-13-1 ATS). However, of late, the Redhawks look to finally be making progress.
Miami is arriving at the MAC Tournament having posted one-third of the school’s wins this season over the past five games, going 4-1 straight up. That might seem impressive, until a glance at Toledo’s slate of games is showing that the Rockets are soaring along on a nation-best 15-game win streak.
Oddsmakers certainly aren’t putting much stock in Miami’s sudden surge. Toledo is set as 12.5-point favorites in this game. The Rockets are 17-9 against the spread as a betting favorite this season.
Miami (OH) vs Toledo Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami OH Redhawks | +12.5 (-110) | +800 | O 157.5 (-110) |
| Toledo Rockets | -12.5 (-110) | -1250 | U 157.5 (-110) |
Regular-season champions of the MAC three years running, in the past two seasons Toledo made an early exit in tournament play. Toledo is the +180 second betting choice in the opening MAC Tournament odds. Miami is a +13000 long shot. Kent State is the +170 chalk to take the tourney and in fact are set as the #13 seed in the Midwest Region in the projected March Madness bracket. Toledo is given a betting line of +100000 in the March Madness odds.
Tip-off for this game is set for 11:00 am ET on Thursday March 9 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The game is being streamed by ESPN+.
Odds as of March 8 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Redhawks vs Rockets Betting Trends
The people aren’t sold on the Miami turnaround, either. In the college basketball public betting splits, Toledo is drawing 85% of handle and 67% of bets in spread action. Moneyline splits are showing 71% of handle and a whopping 98% of bets supporting the Rockets.
Surprisingly when it comes to the total, the people are leaning toward the under. It’s grabbing 54% of handle and 82% of bets. Miami has gone under in four of the past five games. However, Toledo has gone over in five of its last six games.
Rockets Are a Potent Club
Toledo is the #2 scoring offense in the nation. The Rockets are scoring 85.7 points per game. That’s second only to Gonzaga (87.5).
𝗠𝗔𝗖 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥
🔵 7th Rocket to win POTY
🟡 No. 2 in MAC with 19.4 ppg
🔵 Top 15 nationally w/ 5.9 apg & 3.1 A/TO ratio
🟡Floor general#TEAMTOLEDO #ONLYUS 🚀🏀👏 pic.twitter.com/EnuVFmpSgx— Toledo Men's Basketball (@Toledo_MBB) March 8, 2023
Amazingly, the Rockets have achieved this without placing a single player among the NCAA’s top 30 scorers. Junior guard Rayj Dennis, the MAC Player of the Year, leads Toledo and is 35th in the nation. He’s averaging 19.4 points per game. Forwards JT Shumate (16.5) and Setric Millner Jr (15.9) and guard Dante Maddox Jr (11.9) are also accounting for double digits per game.
Five Rockets players are hitting at better than 40% from beyond the arc, led by Maddox (46.3%). Toledo is leading the MAC in points, field goal percentage (49.6%) and three-point efficiency (40.5%).
RedHawks Heating Up at Right Time?
It wouldn’t be March without college basketball upsets. Is Miami poised to be engineering one? Well, much like Miami in the MAC Tournament, that seems a long shot.
The Redhawks were 6-12 in MAC regular-season play. They are 0-10 SU in the last 10 against Toledo and 1-5 ATS over the past six meetings.
March Madness!!! Let’s go!! Cleveland bound this week for the MAC tournament. #MarchHawks pic.twitter.com/GSBiivUM9I
— Coach Rob Summers (@RobSummers33) March 6, 2023
Miami is led by guards Mekhi Lairy (17.4 ppg) and Morgan Safford (15.2), as well as forward Anderson Mirambeaux (14.2). The Redhawks are fourth in the MAC in offense, scoring 75.3 ppg. But they’re seventh in defense, allowing 73.5 ppg.
Miami OH vs Toledo Prediction
Their recent past history has left some bettors reluctant to back the Rockets in the MAC Tournament. However, doubting that Toledo will get past Miami seems to be pure folly. The Rockets whipped the Redhawks 89-71 on Feb. 14.
Of Miami’s four recent wins, only one came against a school with a winning record.
Pick: Toledo Rockets -12.5 (-110)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
