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The Connecticut Huskies look to earn their fifth national championship since 1999, but first since 2014, when they battle the Mountain West champion San Diego State Aztecs in Monday's 2023 NCAA Tournament national championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston. The Aztecs (32-6, 15-3 Mountain West), who had never advanced past the Sweet 16 until this season, are making their 15th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Huskies (30-8, 13-7 Big East), who were bounced in the first round of the last two tournaments, are taking part in their 36th tournament. UConn won the only previous meeting between the teams.

The game will tip off at 9:20 p.m. ET on CBS. San Diego State is allowing 63.1 points per game, while UConn is giving up 64.3. The Huskies are 7-point favorites in the latest San Diego State vs. UConn odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 132. Before making any UConn vs. San Diego State picks, be sure to see the NCAA national championship game predictions from SportsLine's Larry Hartstein.

A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. He also has been SportsLine's most profitable college basketball expert. In his last 194 college basketball picks, he has gone 110-83-1, which translates to a $1,875 return for $100 bettors.

Now, the expert has his sights on San Diego State vs. UConn and locked in his NCAA national championship game picks. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for UConn vs. San Diego State:

  • San Diego State vs. UConn spread: UConn -7
  • San Diego State vs. UConn over/under: 132 points
  • San Diego State vs. UConn money line: San Diego State +275, UConn -350
  • SDSU: The Aztecs are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games 
  • CONN: The Huskies are 5-0 ATS in the 2023 NCAA Tournament
  • San Diego State vs. UConn picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why San Diego State can cover

Junior guard Lamont Butler has had a solid NCAA Tournament, reaching double-digit scoring in two tournament games. In the Elite Eight win over Creighton, he poured in 18 points, while grabbing two rebounds. He had 12 points, six assists and six rebounds in the second-round victory over Furman. In 38 games, including 37 starts, he averages 8.7 points, 3.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 25.9 minutes of action.

Senior forward Jaedon LeDee is also a big part of the Aztecs' success. He is coming off a 12-point and six-rebound effort in the comeback win over Florida Atlantic in the national semifinals. He had 12 points and six rebounds in the Sweet 16 victory over Alabama. In 38 games, including one start, LeDee averages 7.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and nearly one assist per game. See which side to back at SportsLine.

Why UConn can cover

UConn is flying high in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, especially on the offensive end. The Huskies are shooting 49.5% from the floor and 40.3% from 3-point range in five tournament games, generating 20.2 assists and 10.2 offensive rebounds per contest. That leads UConn to a point differential of +20.6 points per game, and Adama Sanogo is leading the way. The talented big man is averaging 20.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while shooting 68.2% from the floor in the tournament, and Sanogo is a high-end contributor to an offense that is scoring almost 1.15 points per possession this season. 

UConn dominates the offensive glass, ranking No. 2 in the country in grabbing 38.6% of missed shots, and the Huskies are also in the top five nationally with 17.7 assists per game. With that top-end offense coupled with a defense that holds opponents to 0.94 points per possession and only 40.1% shooting in 2022-23, UConn is the favorite for a reason. See which side to back at SportsLine.

How to make San Diego State vs. UConn picks

For Monday's matchup, Hartstein is leaning Over on the total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. See what it is at SportsLine.

Who wins San Diego State vs. UConn? And which side of the spread hits hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the San Diego State vs. UConn spread you need to jump on Monday, all from the expert who's on a 110-83 roll on his college basketball picks.