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The UConn Huskies take on the Villanova Wildcats. Check out our college basketball odds series for our UConn Villanova prediction and pick. Find out how to watch UConn Villanova.
The Villanova Wildcats have begun to make real noise in the Big East. The Wildcats have Justin Moore, their best player, performing at an elite level six weeks after returning to the lineup in mid-January. Moore basically needed a full month to catch up with the speed of the game and with the nuances of playing within this particular Big East Conference alongside a new group of teammates. Moore has soared in recent weeks. Accordingly, Villanova has scored big wins at Xavier and at home against Creighton. The Wildcats look extremely dangerous heading into the Big East Tournament, where they will be a major candidate for a bid thief, a team with no at-large opportunity which can swipe an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Kyle Neptune hasn't had a great season to be sure, but he looks a lot better with Moore playing elite basketball. Villanova has found a groove and hopes it can sustain it for another full week. This game against UConn could very easily be a Big East Tournament preview.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the UConn-Villanova College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: UConn-Villanova Odds
UConn Huskies: -2.5 (-110)
Villanova Wildcats: +2.5 (-110)
Over: 138.5 (-115)
Under: 138.5 (-105)
How To Watch UConn vs. Villanova
TV: Fox
Stream: Fox Sports app
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. PT
*Watch UConn-Villanova LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why UConn Could Cover the Spread
This is a game the Huskies are going to get up for. They know Villanova could be a threat at the Big East Tournament, so they will try to send a message to their opponent across the way. UConn is playing for something very significant in this game and in the next week at the Big East Tournament: a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament. UConn wants that No. 4 seed to get a better early-round draw and validate the work this team did in the nonconference portion of the season. Coach Dan Hurley is a very good defensive coach. He gets his UConn players to work very hard at the defensive end of the floor. This team will have a plan for Justin Moore. It will not make it easy for Villanova to score. The Huskies will get the Wildcats involved in a rockfight instead of allowing Nova's offense to flow freely. UConn will dictate the tempo of the game and play this contes the way it wants to. Moreover, the spread is small. UConn doesn't have to win this game decisively; winning by three points would be enough to cover.
Why Villanova Could Cover the Spread
The Wildcats are an in-form team. They are rolling, as are the Big East champion Marquette Golden Eagles. Villanova's recent high-quality wins have sent a statement to the rest of the Big East. This is the team no one else in the conference wants to face at the Big East Tournament.
If you look at Villanova's full season, you will note that even before Justin Moore started to play at an elite level, the Wildcats were losing very close games to other top-tier Big East opponents. The supporting cast on this roster, led by Cam Whitmore, was improving even before Moore hit his peak. Now that Moore is locked in and thriving, Villanova is exponentially better, and it is showing on the court. Playing at home on Senior Night, Nova should deliver a strong performance.
Final UConn-Villanova Prediction & Pick
Stay away from this game. Villanova is playing great, but UConn is a very tough and formidable squad. It's too close to call.
Final UConn-Villanova Prediction & Pick: Villanova +2.5
