It’s the Midwest Regional Final for a spot in the Final Four as upstart Miami takes on blue blood Kansas.
Despite being underdogs in every matchup thus far, the Hurricanes have wreaked havoc on the bottom half of the region while the Jayhawks are the lone remaining top seed in the tournament. We take a look at this matchup and where we see value in college basketball odds:
Miami vs. Kansas Game Details
#10 Miami: 26-10 (14-6) | #1 Kansas: 31-6 (14-4)
Date: 03/27/2022 | Time: 2:20 PM ET | TV: CBS
Location: Chicago, Illinois | Venue: United Center
Miami vs. Kansas Odds
Moneyline: Miami +230 | Kansas -300
Spread: Miami +6.5 (-110) | Kansas -6.5 (-110)
Total: 147.5 Over -110 | Under -110
Miami vs. Kansas Analysis
The dream run of the tournament’s true Cinderella Saint Peter’s has overshadowed the success from Miami in the Midwest region.
The Hurricanes have reached the Elite Eight for the first time in program history as head coach Jim Larrañaga seeks the second Final Four appearance of his career. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks have won close ones against an easier path than most, with zero games against teams within KenPom’s top 30.
Miami’s elite guard play can keep them in this one. The backcourt trio of Kameron McGusty, Isaiah Wong, and Charlie Moore average a combined 45.7 points per game and should be able to play with a Kansas team that hasn’t looked all too convincing over its previous two tournament games, failing to cover the spread in each one.
The concern here is Miami’s defense. They rank outside of the top 100 in the nation in defensive efficiency per KenPom and likely looked better than it actually is against a poor Iowa State offense in the Sweet 16. But, their ability to carve up the top five defense of the Cyclones by shooting 46.4 percent from the field in the victory can’t be ignored. The Hurricanes are more than capable of hanging around on Sunday and covering this hefty number at the online sportsbook.
Miami vs. Kansas Prediction
The Play: Miami +6.5 (-110)