The Florida State Seminoles have been the giant slayers for two straight rounds in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. If they can pull one more upset, it’s on to the Final Four. The No. 9 seed Seminoles will face off against the No. 3 seed Michigan Wolverines in the Elite Eight on Saturday.
Michigan pulled off a miracle to remain alive in the second round but cruised last time out and will be the favorite in this contest against Florida State. Both the South and West Region have been full of surprises this season, with low seeds regularly beating superior foes.
The Seminoles would love to continue the trend with the upset in this matchup, but it won’t be easy.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the Staples Center at 8:49 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 24, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on TBS.
We'll have NCAA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NCAA Saturday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Michigan has been pitted as a 4.5-point favorite to capture this contest, and approximately 60 percent of the action is on the Wolverines to cover the spread. Florida State is the +170 underdog on the moneyline while Michigan is listed as the -200 favorite. The scoring total is set at 143 points and the “under” is the more popular choice.
Michigan is 31-7 straight up and 24-12-1 against the spread. The Wolverines have covered in seven of 10 attempts as the underdog on the year. Michigan is 17-10-1 against the spread as the favorite.
Florida State is 23-11 straight up and 18-13-1 against the spread. The Seminoles have covered in six of 11 attempts as the underdog on the year. Florida State is 6-2 on neutral floors.
Last Time Out
Michigan needed some missed free throws and a last-second three-pointer to stun Houston in the second round but had its way with Texas A&M last time out. The Wolverines jumped out to a 52-28 lead at the half and cruised to the 99-72 win. Michigan shot a crazy 62 percent from the floor in the contest as its offense was running on all cylinders. If the Wolverines play that well again the Seminoles will not have any chance of knocking them off.
Florida State beat top-seeded Xavier in the second round and then No. 4 seed Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday. The Seminoles took control of the game before halftime and then kept it up after intermission on the way to a 75-60 win. The defensive effort was quite impressive against a Gonzaga team which regularly scores 80 or more points in games.
Key Stat
12. That’s the number of wins in a row Michigan has put together heading into this one as it is arguably the hottest team remaining in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines knocked off Michigan State and Purdue to win the Big Ten tournament title and have now transferred that momentum to March Madness.
The Wolverines are just one win away from the Final Four, where they would again be the favorites to make the national title game as the West Region has a No. 9 seed and No. 11 seed facing off in the Elite EIght.
Free NCAA ATS Picks
The tournament has set up nicely for the Wolverines to make a deep run but they have to take care of business. This one won’t be nearly as easy as the Sweet Sixteen but Michigan should be able to pull out a close win in a defensive battle. The Seminoles are the choice to cover the NCAA basketball betting spread.
NCAA Odds: Michigan 66, Florida State 64
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