UAB vs San Diego State Odds, Props & Picks (March 22)

• 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

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.

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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

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

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)