by Chuck Sommers
Sunday, Mar 20, 2022
NCAA Tournament - Second Round (Midwest Region)
Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
Where to watch: truTV
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Auburn -7
BetMGM: Auburn -7.5
Caesars: Auburn -7.5
Season record
No. 10 Miami: 24-10
No. 2 Auburn: 28-5
It's been a profitable month for Al McMordie on the college hardwood, going 71-53-2 over the last month and reeling in a profit of $12,660. March is here, and the madness is underway. Have you filled out your brackets, and do you have the fire ready for when they go up in smoke? You need to make sure you have the right picks on your side to cash in big this month. Catch Al's plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers
Miami - Auburn preview and analysis
Miami analysis
Man, I love the Miami Hurricanes and you should, too. Just when it seems like those boys have reached a ceiling, they come back and do some shocking stuff like beating the USC Trojans in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Hurricanes are in the second round after defeating USC 68-66 on Friday to set up what is going to be a fun matchup with Auburn. Miami got two free throws from Charlie Moore with three seconds left to pull off the mild upset against the once-considered favorites in the country.
Moore finished with 16 points, and Isaiah Wong had a team-high 22 points on 7 of 12 shooting and made 8 of 9 from the free-throw line.
The Hurricanes have been a fun team all year. I go back to that win over Duke earlier in the year to see that this team has the ability to hang around with some of the top teams. What they did against USC was really remarkable. Despite the Trojans shooting 48 percent from the floor, what really turned the tide was holding Isaiah Mobley to just 11 points on 3 of 11 shooting. The big man had eight assists, but he was held to a low in scoring that proved to be the Achilles heel.
But this Miami team has had a strong offense all year long at 74.6 points per game with a stingy defense at 66 per game. But Miami has shown to be hot-and-cold in what kind of team shows up. Whether they can do that against Jabari Smith is the main question. But it'll be a fun thing to watch.
Auburn analysis
All eyes paying attention to the SEC now turn the attention to the Auburn Tigers. Kentucky is gone, other teams are gone, as well. If you're looking for a team that's trying to take through this tournament filled with upsets and everything of the like, Auburn has to be considered the favorite right now.
The Tigers got off to a strong start with an 80-61 win over Jacksonville State to make easy work of the No. 15 seed. Jabari Smith did lead the way with 20 points and 14 rebounds, one of four starters to score in double figures. Big man Walker Kessler had 13 points, 10 rebounds and an eye-popping nine blocks.
“We have No. 10 and you don't,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said with a smile, referring to Smith.
“I was ready to play since the buzzer sounded in Tampa,” Smith said, referring to the SEC regular-season champs' first-round loss to Texas A&M in the conference tournament.
When you're talking the Tigers, their greatest strength is the frontcourt between Smith and Kessler. One has the inside-out game that can translate into something major to an NBA future at some point. Right next to him is Kessler who can do his thing offensively, but having that security blanket to block shots. It's that kind of combo that's a championship-caliber.
Prediction
This is going to be a fun matchup with defenses that will be physical and athletic, and a lot of talent on display. But I like the favorite for this one, as Auburn has to seem like the odds-on favorite to win the championship right now, and I'm of the mindset this group has what it takes. Auburn has got the inside track right now, and I'd be shocked if they didn't deliver. Auburn by 12
Betting trends
The over is 11-3 when Miami plays neutral-court games the past three seasons.
Miami is 10-3 ATS in March over the past three seasons.
Auburn is 37-30 ATS as a favorite over the past three years.
Projected starting lineup
Miami:
PG: Charlie Moore
SG: Isaiah Wong
SF: Kameron McGusty
PF: Jordan Miller
C: Sam Waardenburg
Auburn:
PG: K.D. Johnson
SG: Zep Jasper
SF: Allen Flanigan
PF: Jabari Smith
C: Walker Kessler
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Miami Hurricanes - Auburn Tigers prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily college basketball projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
