Connecticut Huskies vs Villanova Wildcats Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Connecticut vs Villanova NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Villanova.

Connecticut vs Villanova Prediction

Looking to win big? The Huskies and Wildcats face off at 6:30 ET on FS1. The Wildcats are hosting the game at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, PA. Connecticut is favored by -1.5 in this Big East conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 147 points.

Connecticut vs. Villanova Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Connecticut Huskies at Villanova Wildcats
Where: Villanova at Finneran Pavilion
Date: Wednesday, January 8th
Betting Odds UCONN -1.5, UCONN -125 | VILL +103 O/U 147

Huskies Preview: Can The Huskies Secure a Win at Villanova?

Connecticut Huskies Recent Game/Games

Connecticut improved to 12-3 on the season with an 87-84 home win over Providence on Sunday. Despite being -14.5 favorites, the Huskies didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 171 went well over the O/U line of 136.5.

UConn mounted a comeback after trailing 39-27 at halftime, scoring 60 points in the 2nd half while allowing 45.

Huskies Offense Breakdown

Connecticut's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 87 points with a 56.2% field goal percentage. Their effective field goal percentage was even more impressive at 62.5%, thanks to 60% shooting on two-pointers (21/35) and 46.2% from beyond the arc (6/13). At the free-throw line, they connected on 84.4% of their attempts, going 27/32.

Jayden Pierre led the way with 24 points, while Hassan Diarra added 19 points and 8 assists. Wesley Cardet Jr. contributed 18 points, and Solo Ball chipped in 16. Aidan Mahaney was perfect from three, hitting both of his attempts and finishing with 15 points in just 20 minutes.

Huskies Team Defense

Connecticut's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 84 points on 56% shooting from the field. Opponents were particularly effective inside, hitting 60% of their two-point attempts (21/35).

From beyond the arc, the opposing team shot 46%, making 6 of 13 threes. Connecticut also sent them to the line 32 times, where they converted 27 free throws (84%).

Wildcats Preview: Does Villanova Stand a Chance at Home?

Villanova improved to 10-5 on the season with a dominant 100-56 win over DePaul on Saturday, January 4th. Playing at home, the Wildcats were -9.5 favorites and easily covered the spread. The game’s total points reached 156, surpassing the over/under line of 146.5.

Leading 48-32 at halftime, Villanova put the game away in the second half by outscoring DePaul 52-24.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Villanova's offense was on fire in their last game, putting up 100 points with a field goal percentage of 59.7% and an effective field goal percentage of 72.6%. They hit 16 of 27 three-pointers, shooting 59.3% from deep, and added 25 assists as a team.

Jordan Longino was perfect from beyond the arc, hitting all 5 of his attempts and finishing with 19 points on 7 of 9 shooting. Jhamir Brickus dished out 11 assists and knocked down 3 of 4 threes, while Eric Dixon led the team with 25 points.

Wildcats Team Defense

Despite Villanova's defensive struggles, they managed to hold their opponent to 56 points. However, they allowed a high shooting percentage, with the opposing team hitting 59% of their shots, including 60% from two-point range.

Villanova also gave up 16 threes on 27 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 59% from beyond the arc. They sent the other team to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 10 attempts. Villanova allowed 12 offensive rebounds in the game.

Huskies vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The Huskies are 2-1 ATS in their three last road games and 3-0 straight-up.
Across their last five home contests, Villanova has a 3-2 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 2-3, while averaging 76 points per game.
Through their last three games as the betting underdog, the Wildcats have a strong record vs the spread going 2-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 1-2.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Huskies have a straight up record of 7-3 and an ATS mark of 3-7.