College basketball picks: Providence-UConn prediction, odds, spread for February 22

The Providence Friars take on the UConn Huskies on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. The game tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Let's take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.

Providence vs. UConn odds

Spread: UConn -7.5
Over/Under: 142.5
Moneyline: Providence +275, UConn -330

Wednesday's Big East showdown between Providence and UConn finds both teams sitting at 20-7 overall, though the Friars own the superior conference record (12-4 versus 9-7). However one looks at the matchup, it holds significant importance and intrigue for both programs.

Since the start of February, Providence has dropped only two of its five games. One of those losses saw the Friars take the No. 16 Xavier Musketeers to overtime before ultimately falling 85-83. The other defeat came at the hands of the 16-12 St. John's Red Storm, a capable but less imposing program. During that stretch, Providence took out the No. 18 Creighton Bluejays in double overtime, cementing the Friars as a force.

Meanwhile, the favored Huskies have dropped two of their last three games against ranked opponents. Those two games came against the aforementioned Xavier and Creighton. UConn's lone top-25 victory during that stretch came over Marquette, helping explain the spread of Wednesday's game.

The Pick: Providence +7.5

The Friars have held their own against top competition of late while the Huskies have faltered against a similar slate of opponents. Giving Providence this many points provides a decent margin for error, though an outright victory seems very much on the table.

  
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