NCAA Tournament Best Bet: South Region – Michigan vs. UC San Diego – Thursday, March 20, 2025

The 12th-seed UC San Diego Tritons (30-4) and fifth-seed Michigan Wolverines (25-9) will compete in the South Region opening round of the Men’s Basketball Championship on Thursday, March 20 at 10:00 PM ET Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The Wolverines are slight favorites with a point spread at -2.5 (-110) at MyBookie.

UC San Diego Tritons Betting Preview

The Tritons have won their last 15 games, offering an exciting positive momentum into this upcoming matchup. Their recent successful encounter was a 75-61 performance over the UC Irvine Anteaters in the Big West Championship Final.

San Diego was down just two at the half, but offered up a strong second half on both ends of the floor to capture the lead for good. Hayden Gray led with 22 points and shot 80.0 percent from the field. In total, four players made it to double figures.

Offensively, the Tritons rank 44th in the country for producing 79.8 points a game. Their defense ranks sixth for allowing 61.6 points per matchup from opponents. While this looks appealing on paper, they will need to do this against better teams in the country.

The Tritons rank 59th for their adjusted strength of schedule and point margin totals overall. Their efficiency on offense per 100 possessions rank 13th, while their efficiency on the defensive end is the best overall.

Michigan Wolverines Betting Preview

The Wolverines are currently on a three-game win streak and are 3-2 in their last five. Their previous win was a 59-53 outing over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Tournament Final.

Wisconsin had a slight lead going into halftime, but the Wolverines sparked a good run early in the second to give them an edge. Vladislav Goldin and Tre Donaldson led with 11 points, as this was their only two players that reached double digits.

Michigan is averaging 78.3 points each battle, ranking 72nd. Their defense has held their opposition to 71.2 points each game, ranking 158th. This does not offer a lot of breathing room.

The Wolverines are ranked 20th overall for their strength of schedule and winning point margins. Per 100 possessions on offense, their efficiency ranks 117th. At the same rate on the defensive end, they rank 72

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

Check out the best UC San Diego Tritons vs. Michigan Wolverines betting odds, courtesy of MyBookie. Looking at market analysis, it shows the Wolverines having a 66.9 percent chance of winning.

The Tritons pose a real threat to the Wolverines, especially if they are doing the little things on both ends of the floor to make the biggest impact. The spread is interesting, especially since the Wolverines are arguably the better team. Michigan has great wins under their belt this season, so it is tough to go against them here.

Final Pick: Michigan Wolverines -2.5 (-110)