Miami Hurricanes vs. Texas Longhorns: Elite Eight Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 3/26/2023

NCAA Tournament: Elite Eight, Midwest

Time: 5:05 p.m. ET

Venue: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO

Where to watch: CBS

DraftKings: Texas -4

BetMGM: Texas -4

Caesars: Texas -4

Miami: 28-7

Texas: 29-8

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Right now, we have a 9 and a 4. We’re guaranteed a 5 or a 6. Could the Miami Hurricanes just create the most chaotic Final Four we’ve ever seen? If they can beat the Texas Longhorns in the Elite Eight in the Midwest Region on Sunday.

 

It’s been a wild situation with this tournament as is. But the fact that no No. 1 seeds are going to play for a championship doesn’t just mess up my bracket, but everyone else’s bracket known to man in this situation. But a Hurricanes win over the No. 2 Longhorns would create the most fun Final Four we’ve ever seen, and it could set us up for a potential Battle for Florida in the national title. Give it to me, basketball gods.

 

Miami is coming off a dominant 89-75 win over the No. 1 Houston Cougars in the Sweet 16. All five starters scored in double figures, including 26 points from Nijel Pack and 20 from Isaiah Wong for Miami, who shot 51.7 percent from the floor over the top dogs in the Midwest.

 

“I wanted to be part of something special, something great,” Pack said. “We're doing something special right now.”

 

The Hurricanes have scored over 80 in back-to-back games, a sign of what made them so dominant in the regular season. They score a ton of points, the clear opposite of what made Virginia and Duke so boring. But now they get a chance to really write a script and give Jim Larranaga a chance to become a living legend as he deserves to be.

 

But standing in their way is a Texas team that has somehow overcome adversity with a bizarre coaching change mid-season to be one win away from their first Final Four in 20 years. Texas is coming off an 83-71 win over Xavier to continue a wild ride for the Big 12 champions.

 

Tyrese Hunter led the way with 19 points, Marcus Carr had 18 and Sir’Jabari Rice had 16 in 22 minutes to pace Texas in the win over the Musketeers.

 

“Their guard play is really good,” interim coach Rodney Terry said. “They share the basketball really well. Their interior players played really well against a really physical Houston team. Nothing but respect for Coach Larrañaga and what he has been able to do over the course of his career. His teams just win. We know we have our hands full.”

 

This is going to be a fun matchup of good offenses and quality defenses. Miami is close to 80 points a game while Texas is a shade under 78. Both clubs have given up just 66 points per game. In short, enjoy this one.

 

I just want all the chaos as it pertains to the Final Four. I’ve enjoyed Miami all year long, and that win over Houston was convincing enough to make me think they can do it again. Miami 84, Texas 79

PG: Nijel Pack

SG: Isaiah Wong

SF: Wooga Poplar

PF: Jordan Miller

C: Norchad Omier

PG: Marcus Carr

SG: Tyrese Hunter

SF: Sir'Jabari Rice

PF: Christian Bishop

C: Timmy Allen