The UConn Huskies are in Providence, Rhode Island, to face the Friars at 7:00 p.m. ET. UConn has a 14-1 record and is ranked No. 4 in the latest AP Poll. Providence is 8-6 in its first 14 games but is coming off a 77-71 victory against the St. John’s Road Storm. UConn is 4-0 in Big East play while Providence is 1-2 in the conference. Recently, this has been a one-sided matchup with UConn winning the previous six matchups against Providence.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, UConn is a -9.5-point favorite while the over/under is set at 152.5 points. Here is my best bet for tonight’s UConn vs. Providence matchup.
UConn vs. Providence (7:00 p.m. ET)
Since losing to Arizona 71-67 on November 19, UConn has gone on a dominant streak. The Huskies have won 10 consecutive games, with their last four coming against Big East opponents. UConn is ranked seventh on KenPom with the third-best defensive rating and 23rd offensive rating. They have allowed 67 or fewer points in their previous four games. Also, 73 points is the most UConn has allowed during its current win streak.
UConn only has three players averaging double-digit points per contest this season, but each one also brings valuable veteran experience. Solo Ball leads the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game, while Tarris Reed Jr. totals 13.9 points and 7.7 boards per contest. The Huskies have six players averaging at least eight points and have many capable contributors.
On KenPom, Providence is 64th with the 44th-best offensive rating and 133rd-best defensive rating. The Friars are coming off a win over St. John’s, but lost their previous four games against high-level opponents. Jason Edwards averages 17.9 points to lead Providence in scoring. Providence has a guard-heavy rotation with four of its top six scorers being in the backcourt.
UConn has won four straight games by at least 11 points and has won 10 of its 14 contests this season by over 10.5 points. In this game, UConn has a mismatch with Tarris Reed, who should be able to dominate a weak Providence frontcourt. UConn has a championship pedigree, and currently looks like a team that can beat anyone. Until proven otherwise, UConn is in an excellent position to continue to dominate the Big East.
