Published Mar 19, 11:42pm ET by
Gabriel Kozlow - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 19, 11:42pm ET
Updated Mar 19, 11:44pm ET
The final game of the first round will feature the Miami Hurricanes taking on the Missouri Tigers in St. Louis. The matchup will pit Mark Mitchell of the Tigers against Malik Reneau of the Hurricanes to determine who moves on to the Round of 32.
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| MIAMI HURRICANES | -130 |
| MISSOURI TIGERS | +110 |
Missouri enters with competitive March Madness odds and fits the profile of a dangerous No. 10 seed. They have appeared in the tournament more than 28 times and have reached the Elite Eight multiple times. The Tigers ended the season with a 20-12 record in SEC play.
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The Tigers will look to push the pace, while Miami will rely on its defense to control the tempo. That should put Mark Mitchell in the spotlight, as he looks to play to his strengths and deliver the kind of stat line Missouri will need.
The Miami Hurricanes ended the season with a quarterfinal loss to Virginia in the ACC Tournament. Nonetheless, they had a successful season, finishing 25-8 and earning a No. 7 seed in the tournament. This marks their 14th March Madness appearance, as they look to match their best-ever result, a Final Four run in 2023.
Malik Reneau will lead the way offensively after averaging 18.8 points per game on 54.9% shooting. Miami will also look for a rebounding edge from Ernest Udeh, who averaged 9.3 rebounds per game, including 3 offensive rebounds per game.
Miami is a -1.5 point favorite in this matchup, with the over/under set at 146.5. The Moneyline is -130 for the Hurricanes and +110 for the Tigers. Historically, No. 10 seeds win about 39% of the time against No. 7 seeds, so an upset is certainly possible.
The Hurricanes improved significantly this season, finishing with 18 more wins than they had last year. Miami also appears to be the more balanced team, with several players capable of stepping up on any given night. We believe Miami will prevail and advance to the next round.
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Pick
Miami Hurricanes (-130)
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