The top team in the Big East takes the court as UConn visits Georgetown. It is time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a UConn-Georgetown prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
UConn is the number-one ranked team in the nation. They come into the game sitting at 21-2 on the year, and 11-1 in conference play. The first loss of the year came against a fifth-ranked Kansas team as they fell by four. They would go on to beat North Carolina and Gonzaga after that before losing their Big East opening. They fell on the road to Seton Hall by 15. Since then, it has been dominating. They have won 11 straight games, with five of them decided by more than ten points.
Meanwhile, Georgetown enters the game sitting at 8-14 on the year, with just one conference win. After losing their first three conference game, all by ten or more points, Geoergetown got their first conference win over DePaul. It was a tight game though, with Georgetown winning 68-65. Since then, thye have lost seven straight, but some of the match-ups have been close. They lost by just four the first time they faced Seton Hall and by six last time out. They also fell by just one to Xavier. Georgetown also has faced UConn already this year, losing by 12, but coming into the game as 21-point underdogs.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: UConn-Georgetown Odds
UConn: -17.5 (-102)
Moneyline: -3000
Georgetown: +17.5 (-120)
Moneyline: +1200
Over: 144.5 (-115)
Under: 144.5 (-105)
How to Watch UConn vs. Georgetown
Time: noon ET/ 9:00 AM PT
TV: FS1
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why UConn Will Cover The Spread/Win
UConn comes in ranked third in KenPom's adjusted ratings this year. They are third in adjusted offensive efficiency this year while sitting 14th in adjusted defensive efficiency. They are 26th in the nation in points per game this year, while sitting ninth in the nation in effective field goal percentage. UConn has been a great shooting team inside the arc, sitting seventh in the nation in two-point field goal percentage this year.
UConn has been led by the combination of Cam Spencer, Alex Karaban, and Tristen Newton this year. Newton leads the team in points per game this year, coming into the game with 15.6 points per game on the season. Further, he leads the team in assists with 5.6 per game on the season. Spencer is second on the team in points, coming in with 15.5 points per game on the year, while also having 3.2 assists. Karaban has the best shooting percentage of the group, coming in with 14.2 points per game while shooting 52.0 percent from the floor.
UConn sits 49th in the nation in rebounds per game, but they are 14th in the nation in offensive rebound percentage while sitting 48th in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage this year. This is led by Newton, who comes in with 6.7 rebounds per game this year, still, most of his are on the defensive end. The major offensive rebounding threat is Donovan Clingan. He comes in with 6.5 rebounds per game, with nearly three rebounds per game being on the offensive side. Further, he scores 12.6 points per game, while shooting 64.4 percent.
On defense, UConn is eighth in the nation in points against per game this year. They sit ninth in effective field goal percentage this year as well. UConn forces people into the middle, where one of their big men often causes difficult shots this year. They are 12th in the nation in blocks this year and seventh in the nation in block percentage this year. Clingan leads the way here with 2.00 blocks per game this year, while Samson Johnson adds 1.1 blocks per game. Further, Cam Spencer has 1.5 steals per game this year.
Why Georgetown Will Cover The Spread/Win
Georgetown comes in ranked 179th in KenPom's adjusted efficiency rankings this year. They sit 98th in offensive efficiency while sitting 292nd in defensive efficiency. Georgetown is q98th in the nation in points per game this year, while sitting 159th in effective field goal percentage. Jayden Epps leads the way for Georgetown. He leads the team with 18.3 points per game this year but is shooting under 40 percent from the field this year. Further, Epps leads the way with 4.4 assists this year. Second on the team in points this year with Dontrez Styles, who comes in with 13.1 points per game this year, while shooting 43.2 percent this year. Georgetown also has Supereme Cook who has been solid shooting this year. He comes in with 11.3 points per game, while he is shooting 63.9 percent from the field.
Georgetown is 181st in rebounds per game this year, but they are 44th in the nation in offensive rebounding rate. Leading the way here is Supreme Cook. Cook comes into the game with 8.0 rebounds per game. Further, 86 of his 177 rebounds come on the offensive glass this year, which may account for his high shooting percentage on the season. Meanwhile, Dontrez Styles comes in with 5.9 rebounds per game this year, also with over a third coming on the offensive glass.
Georgetown is 264th in points per game against this year. One of the major issues is turnover margin. They average just 6.0 steals per game while forcing just 11.8 total turnovers per game, which is 181st in the nation this year. Further, Georgetown averages 12.7 turnovers per game this year, which is 248th nationally. Roman Brumbaugh comes in with 1.0 steals per game, but that is overshadowed by his 2.0 turnovers per game. The same is true for Jayden Epps, who has .9 steals per game but 3.6 turnovers to go with it.
Final UConn-Georgetown Prediction & Pick
Georgetown is bad, but they do a great job of covering the spread. They have covered in five of their last seven games, but they have struggled to cover at home. They have covered the spread at home just once in their last five home games. Meanwhile, UConn has covered just twice in their six games as a double-digit favorite in conference play. Neither of those games were on the road either.
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Final UConn-Georgetown Prediction & Pick: Over 144.5 (-115)