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It's the New England Big East rivalry for the first time this season when the Providence Friars visit the UConn Huskies. It is time to continue our men's college basketball odds series with a Providence-UConn prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
Providence took care of business on Saturday when they defeated Ed Cooley and Georgetown in his return. The Friars have won three straight games since going on a four-game losing streak in Big East play. The Big East is still wide open if any team can catch the Huskies this season, and an upset win in this game will go a long way to making that a reality for the Friars.
UConn is showing no signs of slowing down since obtaining the No.1 rank in the nation. They've won eight straight games since dropping their first Big East game against Seton Hall. The Huskies have a perfect record at home, winning all 11 games so far this season.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Providence-UConn Odds
Providence: +12.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +680
UConn: -12.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -1100
Over: 140.5 (-110)
Under: 140.5 (-110)
How to Watch Providence vs. UConn
Time: 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Providence Will Cover The Spread/Win
Providence will need a near-flawless defensive effort to cover the spread in this game. They have the personnel to do it, as they rank 48th in scoring defense, allowing just 66.1 points per game. It won't be easy to slow down the No.1-ranked team at home, but if any team can do it in the Big East, it is the Friars.
Why UConn Will Cover The Spread/Win
UConn's defense at home is a scary proposition for any team visiting Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. They rank 24th in the nation, allowing just 64.2 points per game. At home, that number drops to 59.2 points per game, while Providence's offense also scores four fewer points on the road. Providence is one of the worst three-point shooting teams, ranking 245th. They score 74.2 points per game on average, good enough for 182nd. The only area where UConn struggles on defense is defending the three-point line, but with Providence's issues from there, UConn shouldn't have any problems.
Another issue for UConn is their propensity to send opponents to the free-throw line. This is a reason for their 12-8 record against the spread, as they allow teams to get back into games with free throws and three-point shooting. However, Providence ranks in the bottom third for free-throw shooting, eliminating their ability to capitalize from the line and beyond the arc.
Teams have had difficulties on offense against Providence this season, but UConn should be able to do enough to cover the spread. Providence has a hard-working defense, but UConn ranks tenth in field goal percentage and 59th in three-point percentage. They are 28th in scoring offense, averaging 82 points per game. That number rises to 87.2 when they are on homecourt.
Final Providence-UConn Prediction & Pick
This game will be a defensive battle, as both teams rank in the top 50 in scoring defense. There may not be many points scored in this game, which opens up a good possibility for the under to hit. It isn't fun to back the favorite and the under concurrently because you are rooting for them to score enough points to get above the number. This can put you in a challenging spot where you can't afford a team to score any more points because the over will hit, but you need them to score more to cover the spread. However, that may not be the case in this game. Providence is coming off a mentally tiring game during the return of Ed Cooley, while UConn beat Xavier by 43 points in their previous matchup.
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Final Providence-UConn Prediction & Pick: UConn -12.5 (-120), Under 140.5 (-110)
