Missouri (10) vs. Miami (7) Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
The first round of the NCAA Tournament will be capped off by the final game on Friday night, which features the Missouri Tigers and the Miami Hurricanes. It is one of those tough-to-pick No. 7 vs. No. 10 matchups, and this West Region showdown is set for the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
This marks just the second head-to-head meeting between these two programs. They previously faced each other in round one of the 2002 NCAA Tournament, when Missouri prevailed 93-80 on its way to an Elite Eight Cinderella run as a No. 12 seed.
Missouri Tigers vs. Miami Hurricanes NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The No. 7 vs. No. 10 line is obviously one of the most competitive in the bracket on paper, and oddsmakers are treating this particular matchup as no exception. Miami is going off as a slight -1.5 favourite against the spread on the March Madness odds and -130 on the moneyline. Missouri is +110 to win outright. The game total is set at 147.5 points.
Missouri is 0-3 against the spread in its last three games and 0-5 ATS in its last five games played in March. Miami is 5-2 ATS in its last seven and 5-1 ATS in its last six away from home. Meanwhile, the Over is 6-3 in the Tigers’ last nine overall, but the Under has cashed in six of the Canes’ previous seven meetings with opponents from the SEC.
Missouri Tigers (10)
Fortunately for the 10th-seeded Tigers, they built a buffer for their NCAA Tournament hopes with some stellar results earlier in the season. Recently, however, Missouri has not played well. It comes in with a three-game skid, a slump that includes a 16-point loss to Oklahoma and an immediate exit from the SEC Tournament at Kentucky’s hands. Head coach Dennis Gates’ team is also 3-5 in its last eight games dating back to February 14.
The Tigers could get a boost from the potential return of senior Jevon Porter, who has been out with a leg injury since December. Porter, who averaged 16.2 PPG at Pepperdine in 2023-24, started six games for Missouri earlier this season.
Miami Hurricanes (7)
Unlike the Tigers, the seventh-seeded Hurricanes head into March Madness with plenty of momentum. They are 8-3 in their last 11 outings, a stretch that features top-25 victories over North Carolina and Louisville (in the ACC Tournament) plus a three-point loss to ACC runner-up Virginia. Miami has not lost to an opponent that did not make it to the Big Dance since January 31 (California).
What is generally considered to be key for success in the NCAA Tournament? Great guard play. The ‘Canes certainly have it in the form of senior Tre Donaldson, who averages 16.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per contest. Donaldson is not alone, either. Three other teammates are averaging at least 12.1 PPG (including forward Malik Reneau at 18.8 PPG).
March Madness Prediction: Who Will Win Missouri vs. Miami?
This should be a fun one. The Hurricanes are scoring 81.9 points per game, and the Tigers are not too far behind at 79.7. Defence and rebounding could be significant factors. Miami is top 85 nationally in scoring defence; Missouri is outside the top 200. Missouri is a decent rebounding team, but Miami is great – top 10 in the country in rebounding percentage.
The Tigers may have somewhat of a home-court advantage in St. Louis, but this is obviously a neutral-site game in reality, and the Hurricanes look like the superior side. Let’s go with Miami 78, Missouri 74.