Maui Invitational - Championship
Tip-off: Wednesday, 10:00 p.m. ET
Line: Arizona -4.5, Total: 125

Two top-15 teams battle in the Maui Invitational Final on Wednesday night as No. 3 Arizona takes on No. 15 San Diego State.

Arizona (2-2 ATS) had a tough matchup on Tuesday night, having to hang on at the end to defeat 9-point underdog Kansas State by four points, 72-68. The Wildcats were hurt as freshman star Stanley Johnson picked up his fourth foul early in the second half, but guys like Gabe York and T.J. McConnell made the big plays late to secure the victory. San Diego State (3-1 ATS) got a ton of easy baskets on Tuesday night, as the Aztecs shot 59% from the field a rolled past Pittsburgh 74-57 to reach this championship game. These two schools played twice last season, with Arizona winning both of them, including a 70-64 victory in the Sweet 16. PF Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 15 points and six rebounds in that game to help the Wildcats overcome a four-point halftime deficit. Arizona also won at San Diego State on Nov. 14, 2013 by a score of 69-60 by holding the Aztecs to 36% FG and outrebounding them 39 to 28.

Which school will capture Wednesday's Maui Invitational championship? For the latest college basketball picks, check out The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks. The experts have begun the 2014-15 season with a bang, posting a collective 76% ATS mark (38-12) in Best Bets through Monday. All five experts are 60% ATS or better on Best Bets, led by StatFox Gary's astounding 9-1 ATS mark. StatFox Dave and StatFox Zach are 8-2 ATS, StatFox Scott is 7-3 ATS, and StatFox Brian is 6-4 ATS to open the season.

San Diego State opened the season with a paltry 61.0 PPG on 35.8% FG in its first three games, all at home, but the offense has picked up the pace in the Maui Invitational with 83.0 PPG on 52.7% FG. The team defense has been pretty strong all season, allowing only 55.6 PPG on 34.6% FG. Leading the way for the Aztecs is PF Winston Shepard (11.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG), who is becoming the player many people expected him to be. One thing he needs to do is be more selective on his shooting. He is at his best when he is attacking the rim and looking for his teammates, but sometimes he settles for the contested three-point shot. However, he is hitting 43% from deep early in the season. SG Aqeel Quinn (10.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG) and SF J.J. O’Brien (10.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.8 APG) are two guys who can put some points in the basket, but are also going to provide a physical presence on the team. The Aztecs don’t have a team that will go out and score 80 or 90 points, as they would rather be in a low-scoring matchup, kind of like their Wednesday opponent.

Arizona has been good on offense this season with 75.8 PPG on 50.0% FG, but the defense is what carries this team. In their five wins, Wildcats opponents are scoring only 59.6 PPG on 39.8% FG. PF Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (13.8 PPG, 67% FG, 6.4 RPG) is an extremely difficult matchup with his great size (6-foot-7, 215 pounds), versatility and athleticism. In Tuesday's game against Kansas State, he made his presence felt on the glass with eight rebounds and three blocks. The Wildcats are a very deep team, with many players being capable of having big scoring nights. Guys like SF Brandon Ashley (14.0 PPG, 56% FG, 4.0 RPG) and swingman Stanley Johnson (12.6 PPG, 49% FG, 5.6 RPG) are two guys that can score in many different ways. At 6-foot-7, 245 pounds, Johnson is built more like a pro than an 18-year old. He had a tough game against Kansas State on Tuesday, as foul trouble plated a big role in that game. The leader on the team is senior PG T.J. McConnell (7.6 PPG, 6.8 APG, 5.2 RPG), while SG Gabe York (7.8 PPG) is maybe the lone guy on the team that is a consistent 3-point shooter. He has struggled early (33% threes), but made 39% of his long-range tries last season, and when Arizona needed some points against KSU, York hit some big shots.