MARCH MADNESS BAD BEATS BLOG: Favored UConn cruises to easy cover

The NCAA Tournament wraps up tonight with an unexpected matchup.

No. 5 seed San Diego State, the first team from the Mountain West to reach the national title game, takes on heavily favored No. 4 Connecticut in Houston. The Huskies opened 66-1 at BetMGM, while San Diego State was 80-1 to start.

We’ll be following all the action. Refresh this blog throughout the game to track bad beats, movement on the live betting line, props, halftime bets and much more.

UPDATED

8:55 p.m.: That’s it for tonight. Thanks for reading all through March Madness.

Here are the prop grades for the national title game:

Team totals: San Diego State under 62 (59), Connecticut over 69 (76).

First team to score 10+ points?: San Diego State +135.

First team to score 20+ points?: Connecticut -185.

San Diego State props: Matt Bradley under 12½ points (8), under 3½ rebounds (3); Darrion Trammell over 9½ points (13); Lamont Butler over 8½ points (13), under 3½ assists (2); Jaedon LeDee under 7½ points (7); Keshad Johnson over 6½ points (14), under 4½ rebounds (4); Micah Parrish under 6½ points (0); Nathan Mensah under 5½ points (1), over 5½ rebounds (6); Aguek Arop under 4½ points (0).

Connecticut props: Adama Sanogo over 16½ points (17), over 8½ rebounds (10); Alex Karaban under 7½ points (5), over 4½ rebounds (5); Joey Calcaterra over 4½ points (6); Tristen Newton over 9½ points (19), under 4½ assists (4); Andre Jackson Jr. under 6½ points (3), under 6½ rebounds (3), over 4½ assists (6); Donovan Clingan under 5½ points (4); Jordan Hawkins over 14½ points (16, over on two free throws with 1:07 left); Nahiem Alleyne over 4½ points (6).

8:51 p.m.: Adama Sanogo is named the tournament’s most outstanding player to cash at -140.

8:43 p.m.: Here are the betting results for the national title game:

— Connecticut 76, San Diego State 59

Full-game winners: Connecticut -7, over 130½, Connecticut -370 ML

First-half winners: Connecticut -4, under 60½ (UConn 36-24)

Second-half winners: Connecticut -1, over 70 (UConn 40-35)

8:36 p.m.: FINAL. No. 4 Connecticut 76, No. 5 San Diego State 59. Tristen Newton finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists to help the Huskies win their fifth national championship and cover as 7-point favorites.

Adama Sanogo had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and teammate Jordan Hawkins added 16 points for UConn, which pulled away with a late 9-0 in the second half after the Aztecs got as close as 60-55 with 5:19 remaining.

The Huskies won all six games in the NCAA Tournament by double digits.

Keshad Johnson led San Diego State with 14 points. Darrion Trammell and Lamont Butler each had 13 points, but the Aztecs struggled to finish against UConn’s interior size.

The game went over the total of 130½.

8:27 p.m.: UConn answers and takes control with a 9-0 run. The Huskies lead San Diego State 69-57 with 1:55 left. The total of 130½ looks like it will go over.

8:19 p.m.: UConn’s guards appear to be wearing down against the pressure from San Diego State. But the Huskies lead 63-55 at the 3:52 mark of the second half and are -2000 on the live line, San Diego State +1000.

8:10 p.m.: San Diego State went on a 9-0 run to get as close as six points and trails UConn 58-50 with 6:58 left. The backdoor is starting to creep open. UConn is -900 on the live line (San Diego State +575), spread -8½, total 138½.

8:05 p.m.: Lamont Butler goes over 8½ points with a 3-pointer for San Diego State. Joey Calcaterra answers with a 3-pointer of his own to go over 4½ points on his player prop.

8:03 p.m.: For San Diego State, Keshad Johnson is over 6½ points on his prop. Nathan Mensah is over 5½ rebounds.

For UConn, Tristen Newton is over 9½ points and Nahiem Alleyne is over 4½ points.

7:59 p.m.: This is an important sequence coming up for San Diego State, which trails UConn 49-36 at the under-12. UConn is -3000 on the live line (San Diego State +1200), spread -14½, total 131½.

7:47 p.m.: San Diego State is still struggling to finish around the rim and trails UConn 43-32 at the under-16 timeout. UConn is -1600 on the live line (San Diego State +850), spread -12½, total 132½.

7:31 p.m.: Almost time for the second half. UConn is -1300 on the live line (San Diego State +750), spread -13, total 130½.

7:26 p.m.: None of the player props we are tracking have gone over yet. A few are close, though.

7:22 p.m.: Second-half line: Connecticut -1, total 70.

7:12 p.m.: HALFTIME. No. 4 Connecticut 36, No. 5 San Diego State 24. The Aztecs picked the wrong time to have one of their long scoring droughts, going more than 11 minutes without a field goal, and the Huskies covered as 4-point favorites.

Tristen Newton led UConn with nine points to go with four rebounds and two assists. Adama Sanogo had seven points and six rebounds as eight players scored for the Huskies.

Darrion Trammell had seven points to pace San Diego State. But the Aztecs shot 28.6 percent from the field (8-for-28).

The half stayed under the total of 60½ as UConn missed three shots near the rim in the final seconds.

7:03 p.m.: San Diego State finally made a basket after more than 11 minutes, but UConn is lighting up the Aztecs in transition and leads 36-20 with 2:55 until halftime. UConn is -2500 on the live line (San Diego State +1100), spread -15½ (-115), total 133½.

6:51 p.m.: The San Diego State shooting slump is now over 9 minutes (0 for its last 12) and the Aztecs trail 22-12 at the under-8 timeout.

6:46 p.m.: San Diego State has missed its past 10 shots and doesn’t have a field goal in almost eight minutes. UConn leads 20-12 with 8:50 left in the first half and is -700 on the live line (San Diego State +475), spread -10½, total 128½.

6:38 p.m.: UConn has settled in and is on an 8-0 run to lead San Diego State 14-10 with 11 minutes left in the first half. Connecticut is -500 on the live line (San Diego State +375), spread -9½, total 129½.

6:27 p.m.: San Diego State is off to a solid start after hitting a couple of 3s. The Aztecs lead UConn 10-8 at the first media timeout. Connecticut is -260 on the live line (San Diego State +210), spread -5½, total 136½.

6:26 p.m.: Matt Bradley sinks a turnaround jumper and San Diego State wins the race to 10 points and cashes that prop at +135. The Aztecs lead 10-6 early.

6:20 p.m.: UConn closed -7, total 130½ at Westgate SuperBook.

6:18 p.m.: It’s almost time for tipoff in the national title game.

5:45 p.m.: UConn down to -6½ at BetMGM. The total is now 130½ at Circa Sports and the Westgate SuperBook.

5:18 p.m.: From South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews:

5:15 p.m.: An update from Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito: “Best case is SDSU plus the points and under. Worst case is UConn and over. Ticket counts are as follows: 58% of the tickets are on UConn. 75% on the over 132.”

5:08 p.m.: Here is the latest from Westgate SuperBook director John Murray via text message: “There was sharp money on the Aztecs at +7.5. … We will be rooting for UConn due to our overall futures positions but ideally we would like to see the Aztecs cover.”

5 p.m.: A collection of big bets from various sportsbooks:

4:30 p.m.: Here are the props we’re tracking for tonight’s game:

No. 5 San Diego State (+310) vs. No. 4 Connecticut (-7, 131, -370), 6:20 p.m. (line at Westgate SuperBook)

Team totals: San Diego State 62, Connecticut 69.

First team to score 10+ points?: San Diego State +135, Connecticut -155.

First team to score 20+ points?: San Diego State +165, Connecticut -185.

San Diego State props: Matt Bradley 12½ points (under -120), 3½ rebounds (over -125); Darrion Trammell 9½ points (under -115); Lamont Butler 8½ points (over -120), 3½ assists (under -145); Jaedon LeDee 7½ points; Keshad Johnson 6½ points (under -120), 4½ rebounds; Micah Parrish 6½ points; Nathan Mensah 5½ points (under -120), 5½ rebounds (over -130); Aguek Arop 4½ points (over -120).

Connecticut props: Adama Sanogo 16½ points (under -120), 8½ rebounds (under -135); Alex Karaban 7½ points (over -130), 4½ rebounds; Joey Calcaterra 4½ points (under -120); Tristen Newton 9½ points (under -120), 4½ assists (over -115); Andre Jackson Jr. 6½ points (-120), 6½ rebounds (under -120), 4½ assists (over -135); Donovan Clingan 5½ points (over -120); Jordan Hawkins 14½ points (over -120); Nahiem Alleyne 4½ points (over -130).

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.