The third-seeded UConn Huskies (23-8) and second-seeded Villanova Wildcats (24-7) square off in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament Friday. Tip-off in this marquee matchup will be at 9 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in New York. Below, we look at the UConn vs. Villanova odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
No. 20 UConn took down Seton Hall 62-52 in the quarterfinals Thursday for their first win of the tournament. The Huskies covered the spread comfortably as 4.5-point favorites. It was their second win in three games against Seton Hall this season, and they were led by G Tyrese Martin and G R.J. Cole, who scored 17 points each in the victory.
No. 8 Villanova won in a much narrower fashion to advance to the semis as it beat St. John’s 66-65. It was The Wildcats’ third straight win, though they’re only 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games. G Caleb Daniels led the way with 19 points, while G Collin Gillespie dropped 14 and had 6 rebounds. Villanova trailed by 17 points at one point in the game, making the victory their largest comeback of the season.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
UConn at Villanova odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:13 a.m. ET.
- Money line: UConn +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Villanova -150 (bet $150 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): UConn +2.5 (-122) | Villanova -2.5 (-112)
- Over/Under (O/U): 131.5 (O: -116 | U: -117)
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UConn at Villanova odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
UConn 63, Villanova 60
Money line
UConn is a team equipped for a deep run in the tournament this March, as are the Wildcats. However, this is a tough matchup for Villanova because of UConn’s length and athleticism. They split the season series 1-1, with UConn winning the last meeting 71-69 at home Feb. 22.
I like UCONN (+110) to win outright as underdogs on a neutral floor.
Against the spread
Villanova is 1-0-2 ATS against UConn since the start of the 2020 season. The Wildcats are favored in this game but they’re coming off an emotional, close win over St. John’s in a game in which they didn’t play particularly well and very easily could’ve lost by double-digits.
Take UCONN +2.5 (-122) to cover.
Over/Under
The Huskies may have struggled from the field a little bit against Seton Hall, but they were dominant defensively and held the Pirates to only 18 first-half points. With the way they’re playing on that side of the ball, contesting a good portion of their opponents’ shots, Villanova is unlikely to reach their average of 73.5 points per game.
I like the UNDER 131.5 (-117) Friday after Thursday’s totals went way under for both teams.
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