Miami vs. Drake: 2023 NCAA Tournament Best Bets & Picks
March Madness is officially here! The 2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket has been announced, and the teams are lining up for the Big Dance. Let’s take a look at the early odds, preview, and predictions for the 2023 NCAA Tournament Round 1 game: Miami vs. Drake.
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2023 March Madness Odds, Preview & Predictions: Miami vs. Drake
Miami vs. Drake Odds, Spread & Match Up Overview
- Miami Spread: -3.5
- Drake Spread: +3.5
- Miami Moneyline: -165
- Drake Moneyline: +140
- Game Over/Under: 147.5
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Miami 2023 NCAA Tournament Betting Preview
After reaching the Elite 8 last year as a 10-seed, Miami has quietly put together another solid season, led by Isaiah Wong and a top-25 offense. Wong, Norchard Omier and Nijel Pack make up a solid offensive trio.
What this team lacks is size, ranking outside the top 200 in average height. Going up against physical, big teams — like Florida State, for instance — might cause problems for these Hurricanes, who never seem to know how to shut the door with a lead against their opponents. Their sub-100-ranked defense is not promising for Final Four hopes, and neither is their lowly ranked interior defensive shooting percentage.
Since 2012, no team ranked outside the top 50 in adjusted defensive efficiency has made the Final Four. That is troubling for the Hurricanes. But they almost did it last year with a similar makeup. Jim Larranaga is one of the most experienced coaches in the field. I see Miami as one of the most matchup-dependant teams in the tournament, so tread lightly.
Drake 2023 NCAA Tournament Betting Preview
If you’re looking for a hot team entering March Madness, the Drake Bulldogs might be the best option. Not only did they finish the year going 13-1, but they rank in the top 15 on Bart Torvik over the last month of play. The Bulldogs have been handling their opponents with ease of last, and ran through the Missouri Valley Conference, winning by double digits in each contest. Head coach Darian DeVries lead a defense first team that eliminates opponents on the glass, allowing no easy looks. If opponents get looks inside the arc, it won’t be near the rim, as the Bulldogs rank in the top 25 at limiting opponents looks from near-proximity. Offensively, Drake can shoot from beyond the arc with their trio of shooters – Tucker DeVries, DJ Wilkins, and Sardaar Calhoun. They take care of the ball well, but don’t get offensive boards at a high clip. If they are off in any game then they can’t look elsewhere all too often, giving them a bottom 300 consistency ranking in the nation. Going against opponents in the tournament can lead to a major upset or a 20-point loss for Drake. But they are playing hot and if they can keep up their recent play, we might just be calling them Cinderella here soon.
Miami vs. Drake 2023 NCAA Tournament Predictions
If you're looking for a potential 5-seed vs. 12-seed upset to pencil into your bracket. This matchup between Miami and Drake could be one to circle. The Hurricanes are a terrifically fun team to watch and captured the ACC regular season crown. But the Bulldogs out of the Missouri Valley are game to pull off an upset, hence why this spread opened at Miami only as 3.5-point favorites. Drake is a top-50 team per BartTorvik and is rated as the 15th-best team in the country over their last 10 games. The Bulldogs are the oldest team in the country and have five seniors that play significant minutes, so they shouldn't balk under the bright lights of the big dance. Perhaps most importantly is that Drake is capable of shutting down the potent Hurricanes offense. Drake ranks 35th in 3-point defense and 63rd along the interior, which is critical against a 'Canes offense that's 42nd and 21st in those respective categories. Drake can also limit Miami's second chance opportunities, as they rank third in defensive rebounding. Offensively, the Bulldogs are no slouch either. They shoot 36.7% from 3-point range, take care of the ball and can score inside as well. They have the goods against a susceptible Miami defense that ranks 220th in effective field goal percentage and does nothing well defensively besides avoid fouling. This Hurricanes team has been a delight to watch, but Drake is a live underdog.
Miami vs. Drake 2023 NCAA Tournament Picks
Drake +3.5
More Round 1 & First Four Betting Picks & Predictions
South
- #16 Texas A&M-CC vs. #16 Southeast Missouri St. (First Four)
- #8 Maryland vs. #9 West Virginia
- #5 San Diego St. vs. #12 Charleston
- #4 Virginia vs. #13 Furman
- #6 Creighton vs. #11 NC State
- #3 Baylor vs. #14 UC Santa Barbara
- #7 Missouri vs. #10 Utah State
- #2 Arizona vs. #15 Princeton
East
- #8 Memphis vs. #9 Florida Atlantic
- #5 Duke vs. #12 Oral Roberts
- #4 Tennessee vs. #13 Louisiana
- #6 Kentucky vs. #11 Providence
- #3 Kansas State vs. #14 Montana State
- #7 Michigan State vs. #10 USC
- #2 Marquette vs. #15 Vermont
West
- #1 Kansas vs. #16 Howard
- #8 Arkansas vs. #9 Illinois
- #5 Saint Mary’s vs. #12 VCU
- #4 UConn vs. #13 Iona
- #11 Arizona State vs. #11 Nevada (First Four)
- #3 Gonzaga vs. #14 Grand Canyon
- #7 Northwestern vs. #10 Boise State
- #2 UCLA vs. #15 UNC Asheville
Midwest
- #1 Houston vs. #16 Northern Kentucky
- #8 Iowa vs. #9 Auburn
- #5 Miami vs. #12 Drake
- #4 Indiana vs. #13 Kent State
- #11 Mississippi State vs. #11 Pitt (First Four)
- #3 Xavier vs. #14 Kennesaw State
- #7 Texas A&M vs. #10 Penn State
- #2 Texas vs. #15 Colgate
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