The Villanova Wildcats travel to Connecticut this Thursday to face the UConn Huskies, who will look to become the first team to beat Jay Wright’s team since November of last year. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Villanova Wildcats vs UConn Huskies NCAA College Basketball Game on January 28 2021
Where: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT
When: Thursday, January 28, 2021, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Villanova Wildcats (odds) vs. UConn Huskies (odds) – view all 2021 NCAAB lines
TV Broadcast: FOX Sports 1
Betting on the Villanova Wildcats (odds)
Record: 10-1 Overall / 5-0 Conference
After getting a scare in their 76-74 home win over the Seton Hall Pirates on Jan. 19, the Wildcats mustered a much more convincing win over the Providence Friars on Jan. 23, also at home, to the tune of a 71-56 score. Four Villanova starters scored in double figures against the Friars, led by Connor Gillespie, who had 15 points to go with five rebounds and six assists. Villanova shot just 38.1 percent from the field and 28.0 percent from deep against the Friars, but those ugly numbers were due to the Wildcats’ 27 percent shooting in the first half. They turned it on in the second half and never looked back. Villanova has one of the most efficient offenses in the league, as the team is fourth in adjusted offensive efficiency with 119.4 points per 100 possessions. Villanova is also known for its discipline and it shows in its 8.1 turnovers per game average, the best mark in the nation. Villanova is averaging 78.9 points per game while allowing only 66.7 points per contest.
Villanova is 4-1 against the spread in its last five games overall.
Betting on the UConn Huskies (odds)
Record: 7-3 Overall / 4-3 Conference
UConn, which has a game against the Butler Bulldogs this Tuesday before taking on the Wildcats, has lost its last two games, as of this writing. The Huskies lost to the St. John’s Red Storm at home on Jan. 18, 74-70, before falling short of upsetting the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha during a 74-66 loss on Jan. 23. UConn could have avoided those two losses had the team’s best player was available to play. James Bouknight, who leads the Huskies with 20.3 points per game, is out indefinitely after going under the knife to repair an elbow issue. While UConn definitely misses the scoring of Bouknight, the Huskies’ defense is what defines the team. UConn is allowing just 64.2 points per game with opponents shooting just 42.4 percent from the floor. Among all teams in the Big East, UConn owns the best adjusted defensive efficiency, with opponents scoring just 94.9 points per 100 possessions, per KenPom, as of this writing.
UConn is 6-4 against the spread in its last 10 games.
Writer’s Prediction
Villanova wins, 68-62.
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