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The ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic Owls will take on the fifth-seeded San Diego State Aztecs on Saturday as they battle for a spot in the 2023 NCAA Tournament national championship game. This is the first Final Four appearance for both schools. The Owls (35-3, 18-2 C-USA), making just their second NCAA Tournament appearance, advanced with a 79-76 win over Kansas State in the Elite Eight. The Aztecs (31-6, 15-3 Mountain West), making their 15th tournament appearance, including their third in a row, slipped past Creighton 57-56 in the Elite Eight.

Tipoff from NRG Stadium in Houston is set for 6:09 p.m. ET on CBS. FAU is limiting their opponents to 40.2% shooting from the floor, 18th-best in the nation, while San Diego State limits foes to 40.8% shooting from the field, 35th-best. The Aztecs are 2-point favorites in the latest Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 130.5. Before locking in any San Diego State vs. Florida Atlantic picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Div. I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the Final Four of the 2023 NCAA Tournament 85-54 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also went 6-1 on top-rated picks during the first two weeks of March Madness. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on FAU vs. San Diego State and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the Final Four 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for San Diego State vs. FAU:

  • Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State spread: San Diego State -2
  • Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State over/under: 130.5 points
  • Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State money line: Florida Atlantic +118, San Diego State -140
  • FAU: The Owls are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games overall
  • SDSU: The Aztecs are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven Saturday games
  • Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why San Diego State can cover

Senior guard Matt Bradley helps power the Aztecs. He is averaging 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 37 starts on the year. Bradley has been a consistent scorer for San Diego State, reaching double-figure scoring in 25 games. In the first round win over Charleston, he scored 17 points, had seven rebounds and four assists. He scored 10 points in the second-round win over Furman.

Senior guard Darrion Trammell has been a big part of the Aztecs' success. He was dominant in the Sweet 16 win over Alabama. In that game, he scored 21 points and had five rebounds. In the past three NCAA Tournament games, he is averaging 15.3 points. In the Elite Eight victory over Creighton, he scored 12 points and added five rebounds. For the season, he is averaging 9.9 points, 3.1 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals. See who to back at SportsLine.

Why Florida Atlantic can cover 

The Owls have three players scoring in double digits, including sophomore center Vladislav Goldin. He was nearly unstoppable against Kansas State in last Saturday's Elite Eight matchup. He scored 14 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and had two assists and blocks. Goldin, who averages 10.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks, has reached double-figure scoring 19 times in 38 games.

Freshman guard Nicholas Boyd has come up big at times for Florida Atlantic. He had 12 points and eight rebounds in a Sweet 16 victory over Tennessee, while grabbing seven rebounds and scoring four points in the Elite Eight win over Kansas State. Boyd averages 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 37 games. He has been red hot from 3-point range, connecting on 39.3% of his shots from beyond the arc. See who to back at SportsLine.

How to make San Diego State vs. FAU picks

The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 137 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.

So who wins FAU vs. San Diego State? And which side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.