The No. 1 seeded UConn Huskies clash with the ninth-seeded Northwestern Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, as we make our best Northwestern vs. UConn prediction and best bet based on the best March Madness odds.
Following a narrow victory over FAU in the first round, the No. 9 seed Northwestern Wildcats (22-11) face a tough challenge against the No. 1 seed UConn Huskies (32-3) in the NCAA Tournament's second round. The matchup is set to tip off at 7:45 p.m. ET at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised on truTV.
UConn is coming off a thunderous 91-52 win over the Stetson Hatters in Round 1, and the Huskies are 14-point favorites over the Wildcats in the second round and remain prohibitive favorites by the latest Final Four odds. Despite the thrilling overtime win over the Florida Atlantic Owls, it will be tough for the Wildcats to spring the huge upset over t he reigning champions.
As part of our March Madness predictions, here is our best Northwestern vs. UConn prediction and college basketball picks (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Northwestern vs. UConn odds
Northwestern (9) vs. UConn (1) prediction: East Region
Best odds: -105 via bet365
Buie scored 22 points in Round 1 against the Owls despite shooting just 8-of-20 (40%) from the floor. Even with the poor shooting, it still marked his third consecutive 20-point game and his fourth in five tries.
However, it was also just the third time this season that Buie topped 17 points while shooting 40% or worse from the field. And he'll have a tough time clearing that mark against UConn.
Buie's stat line benefited from overt ime, as well, as he scored four points in the extra period. This game likely won't have five additional minutes, and the Huskies are one of the best defensive teams in the nation, allowing just 64.1 points per game while ranking 11th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
The Huskies have held seven of their last eight opponents to 67 points or fewer. They're also allowing opponents to shoot just 31.4% from beyond the arc this season. If Buie can't hit deep shots, there's no way he is going over this total on Sunday.
As of Saturday afternoon, only bet365 and FanDuel have a total set for Buie. While both have the number at 17.5, they disagree on whether the Over or Under should be favored. FanDuel has the price for the under set at -130, while bet365 has the price for the under set at -105.
Because we think Buie is going to struggle, there is no reason to wait for better value than what is being offered by bet365.
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Northwestern vs. UConn spread & Over/Under analysis
The Huskies opened as 12.5-point favorites, and the spread has quickly moved in their favor across our best sports betting sites. Now, every major sportsbook has them favored by 14 or 14.5 points. Though only 54% of wagers back the Huskies to cover, this spread could continue to grow before tip-off, even if it stops at 15 or 15.5.
The total for this game opened at 135.5. The number has stayed there or moved up to 136 at each of our five best sportsbooks. With 68% of wagers currently backing the over, we could see this number to rise before tip-off. However, the public may be wrong about how this game is going to go, especially after the Wildcats scored just 58 points in regulation against the Owls.
Northwestern vs. UConn game info
- When: Sunday, March 24
- Tip-off: 7:45 p.m. ET
- Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
- How to watch: truTV
Northwestern-UConn prediction made Saturday at 9:58 a.m. ET
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