March Madness Round 64 Lines: Drake vs. Miami Betting Preview

Every season, college hoops handicappers wait with bated breath to find out the 5-seed versus 12-seed matchups at the NCAA March Madness Tournament. This season is no different. Suspect 5 seeds in 2023 include Duke, Saint Mary’s, San Diego State, and Miami. Among the four 5 seeds, Miami might have the toughest assignment. How tough? Drake, the 12-seed, is a +2 underdog. Will Miami succumb to the 5 versus 12 curse?

We will now preview the game plus our betting prediction for this Round of 64 contest. Keep reading for college basketball betting lines, analysis, and a free pick for Drake vs Miami.

2023 March Madness Round of 64 Game
No. 12 Drake Bulldogs vs. No. 5 Miami Hurricanes Betting Preview

Drake of Missouri Valley meets Miami of Atlantic Coast in NCAA Tourney First Round
ATS Odds: Miami -4
Moneyline Odds: Drake +109 / Miami -133
Over/Under Odds: 146.5 -110
When: Friday, March 17 at 9:20 pm ET
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
TV / Streaming: TNT

Why Bet on No. 12 Drake against No. 5 Miami?

Led by guard Tucker DeVries, the Drake Bulldogs aren’t just a good offensive team. The Bulldogs are also one of the top defensive teams at the 2023 March Madness Tournament.

Drake holds opponents to less than 65 points per. Opposing players shoot a paltry 41.2% from the field and a ridiculously low 31% from three.

To put that into perspective, Drake is only 3% points off what 1-seed Houston allows from behind the arc. Drake’s defense should ensure the Bulldogs keep pace with the Hurricanes.

Drake Bulldogs Offensive Averages

Points/G: 75.6
FG %: 46.6
3PT%: 36.8
FT %: 77.5
Rebounds/G: 33.6

Drake Bulldogs Defensive Averages

Points/G: 64.8
FG %: 41.2
3PT%: 31.0
FT %: 70.0
Rebounds/G: 29.8

Why Bet on No. 5 Miami versus No. 12 Drake?

Miami Hurricanes was one of the best teams in one of the top conferences in the nation. The Atlantic Coast Conference was so deep this season that preseason number one North Carolina failed to attract a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Hurricanes had a lot to do with UNC’s failure to make it to the Big Dance. Miami swept the Tar Heels. The Hurricanes also beat Big East squad Providence, Virginia, and Duke during the regular season.

Miami Hurricanes Offensive Averages

Points/G: 79.6
FG %: 48.5
3PT%: 37.2
FT %: 78.0
Rebounds/G: 32.1

Miami Hurricanes Defensive Averages

Points/G: 71.7
FG %: 44.8
3PT%: 33.1
FT %: 74.7
Rebounds/G: 28.8

Florida Atlantic vs Memphis Betting Trends

Bulldogs are 8-1 ATS in their last 9
Drake is 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games
Hurricanes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games
Miami is 15-5 ATS in their last 20 games following an ATS loss
Under is 8-2 in the Hurricanes’ last 10 games at a neutral site

Miami Hurricanes vs Drake Bulldogs Betting Odds and Prediction

These are two very good basketball teams, which is why going against either is tough. But it’s apparent that Drake is in better form than Miami.

The Hurricanes are 0-4 against the spread in their last 4 games. Yes, Miami usually bounces back after an ATS loss. The latest loss, though, happened against Duke 78-85 in the ACC Tournament.

In their game before, Miami almost lost to Wake Forest. So the Hurricanes are on a down trend while Drake has won 13-of-14. The Bulldogs win this straight up.

March Madness Round of 64 Pick: Drake +109 | Bet Miami vs Drake Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game