The five-seed San Diego State Aztecs (24-10) take on the 12-seed UAB Blazers (23-11) in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. As part of the East Region, the game will take place in Spokane, Washington on Thursday at 1:45 PM ET. San Diego State made the NCAA Championship game last season and enters this year’s bracket with great March Madness experience and coming off another strong season.
UAB won the American Athletic Conference tournament championship in just its first year in the league to clinch its spot in the tournament. Will the Aztecs begin another march to the Final Four, or will UAB knock them out early?
San Diego State Aztecs vs. UAB Blazers Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| SDSU Aztecs | -6.5
-112 |
O 139
-110 |
-270 |
| UAB Blazers | +6.5
-108 |
U 139
-110 |
+220 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
San Diego State Aztecs vs. UAB Blazers Game Details
- Fixture: San Diego State Aztecs vs UAB Blazers
- Date and Time: March 22, 2024 @ 1:45 pm EST
- Location: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena; Spokane, WA
Apex Tale of the Tape
| SDSU Aztecs | Vs. | UAB Blazers |
| 24-10 | Record | 28-6 |
| 74.6 | Points Per Game | 77.8 |
| 44.0 | FG% | 45.1 |
| 31.3 | 3PT% | 32.6 |
| 38.1 | Rebounds Per Game | 38.1 |
| 66.6 | Points Allowed Per Game | 75.2 |
| 40.5 | Defensive FG% | 44.5 |
| 30.5 | Defensive 3PT% | 34.6 |
| 73.3 | FT% | 74.6 |
| 23.5 | Defensive Rebounds Against | 23.4 |
| 2-3 | Last 5 W-L | 5-0 |
| 69.9 | Team Pace | 71.8 |
Key Stats
San Diego State Aztecs
San Diego State is led by Senior Forward Jaedon LeDee. He leads the team in both scoring and rebounding with 21.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The TCU transfer is one of the four returning seniors from last year’s national runner-up team that lead the Aztecs in minutes played alongside Micah Parrish, Darrion Trammell, and Lamont Butler. Butler won Defensive Player of the Year in the Mountain West.
UAB Blazers
Junior Forward Yaxel Lendeborg was the AAC Tourney MVP and is the key to the UAB team. The American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year logs 2.1 blocks per game and is also an asset on offense. Lendeborg averaged a double-double on the season with 13.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. The Blazers’ second-highest scorer and assists leader is Junior Guard Eric Gaines.
Injury Report
San Diego State Aztecs
- None
UAB Blazers
- None
Game Prediction
San Diego State has one of the most experienced rosters in the bracket. The Aztecs enter the tournament led by four seniors all returning from last year’s unforgettable trip to the Final Four. While the UAB Blazers know how to score and could keep it close, San Diego State has the lock-down defenders and experienced ball handlers that make them hard to bet against in March. We’ll pass on the 12-5 upset here.
Final Pick
San Diego State -6.5, Under 139
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Daniel Willon is a sportswriter based in Southern California. A lifelong Chargers, Lakers, and UCLA fan, he’s covered everything from football to surfing. Follow him on X @dwillsports.
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