The No. 20 Providence Friars go for a third straight win and try to stay in the race for the Big East top spot when they face the No. 18 UConn Huskies in a key conference clash on Wednesday night. Providence is coming off a win at home against Villanova on Saturday and sits in second place in the Big East college basketball standings. They are 1.5 games behind first-place Marquette.
UConn has won four of its last five games, including a home win over Seton Hall on Saturday, but is in fifth place in the conference, 2½ games behind the third-place tie between Xavier and Creighton. In a tight race at the top of the conference, these teams are playing in one of the more important NCAA basketball games today, so let’s take a closer look at this contest and determine the best Providence vs UConn picks to make.
Providence Friars vs. UConn Huskies Odds
The home-standing Huskies are considered the favorites in this one, according to the NCAAB odds. This gives the Friars seven points on a point-spread bet. You can get either side of this wager at -110 odds.
If you prefer your NCAAB picks to be on the moneyline, you can get UConn at -310, while Providence is listed at +256. The over/under for this game is set at 142½ points, with either bet on that listed at -110.
Providence Friars vs. UConn Huskies Information
Providence Friars vs UConn Huskies
Location of the Game: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT.
Date and Time: Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 6:30 PM ET.
How to Watch: FS1
Providence Friars vs. UConn Huskies Analysis
Providence Friars Performance Recap and Analysis
The friars have been a different team at home as opposed to playing on the road this season. The Friars are 15-0 in games played in their home arena but just 5-7 in any other venue.
A look at the Providence Friars stats shows sophomore forward Bryce Hopkins leading the way in both scoring (16.9 points) and rebounding (9.3). He’s averaging 22.6 points over the last three games and is considered one of the top college basketball players in the Big East Conference.
Sophomore Devin Carter is another dangerous offensive weapon for the Friars, averaging 13.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per contest. He had 25 points and eight rebounds in a double-overtime victory over Creighton on Feb. 14 and is also a force on the defensive end, averaging 1.1 blocks and 1.7 steals per game.
Providence Friars Key Injuries
The Providence Friars have been lucky with injuries this season, with only freshman guard Quante Berry listed on the college basketball injury report. Berry has been out with an unspecified injury since January.
Providence Friars Betting Trends to Know
- Providence is 15-4 against the spread in its last 19 games.
- The Friars are 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games on the road.
- The under is 4-1 in Providence’s last five contests against a team with a winning record
UConn Huskies Performance Recap and Analysis
Making UConn Huskies picks has been an up-and-down affair this season, as the team has been a little inconsistent in its play. The team started off with 14 straight wins, then lost five of their next six before turning it around and going 5-2 over the last seven contests to make itself one of the top March Madness picks from the Big East again.
The Huskies have a pair of top scorers that are going to factor into any Providence vs UConn picks you make. Junior forward Adama Sanogo leads the way with 16.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, shooting 58.3% from the floor.
Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins is right behind Sanogo, averaging 16.4 points per contest. Hawkins is coming off a team-high 20 points in a win over Seton Hall, his sixth game of 20 or more points in the last nine outings.
UConn Huskies Key Injuries
UConn does not have many injuries to deal with currently, with forward Richie Springs the only player not available for Wednesday’s contest. Springs has been out since late January with a leg injury.
UConn Huskies Betting Trends to Know
- UConn is 0-5 against the spread in its last five Wednesday games.
- The over is 4-1 in the Huskies’ last five games against teams with a winning percentage over .600.
- The home team is 9-2 against the spread in the last 11 meetings between these teams.
Providence Friars vs. UConn Huskies Betting Picks
Moneyline
Providence has not played well when games on its NCAAB schedule are away from home. The Friars are one of those NCAA basketball teams that struggles to get road wins, which isn’t good against a team like the Huskies that plays well at home (13-2 this season). Look for UConn to pick up another home win in this one.
Spread
Betting against the spread, however, isn’t so easy. Providence may lose on the road, but getting blown out isn’t that common. The Friars’ last four road losses came by a total of 21 points, so we like them to keep this one close to the end.
Over/Under Total
When making your Providence vs UConn picks, the over is a good way to go here. Both teams averaging more than 78 points a game, and they should be scoring more than they did in the first meeting, a 73-61 Providence win in early January when UConn was struggling.
Providence Friars vs. UConn Huskies Score Predictions
- Big East Pick: UConn Huskies 79, Providence Friars 76
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