A crucial Big East showdown is set to take place this evening in Omaha. #2 UConn (20-1, 10-0) is on track for another terrific season under head coach Dan Hurley. The Huskies, looking for their third national title in four years, have what it takes for a deep postseason run. Creighton (12-9, 6-4) needs a resume booster in order to earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. Still, this is a matchup the Blue Jays have done surprisingly well in before.
UConn enters tonight as 7.5-point favorites (-112) over Creighton. The total is set at 143.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here’s a college basketball pick, preview and prediction for Saturday’s game between the Huskies and Blue Jays.
UConn vs. Creighton prediction, preview
Following a slight drop-off last season, the Huskies are back in full force. This is arguably the most talented team of the Hurley era, which is saying something. UConn wields a lethal trio of upperclassmen, each with plenty of experience. It starts with Alex Karaban, now in his fifth year with the program. Through 21 games, the forward is averaging 13.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He’s joined by guard Solo Ball (14.8 PPG) and fellow senior Tarris Reed (14.5 PPG). In the backcourt, Silas Demary and freshman standout Braylon Mullins have impressed. It’s worth noting that the latter is questionable to play tonight due to a concussion.
The real strength of this roster comes on the other end of the floor. Per KenPom, UConn owns college basketball’s fifth-best adjusted defensive efficiency (92.5). One of the nation’s slowest paces on offense turns most outings into low-scoring, grind-it-out affairs. Intense, high-pressure situations tend to favor veteran teams. The Huskies are defeating opponents by an average margin of 14.4 points per game, 20th-best in the sport. However, they’ve won each of their last four contests by single digits.
UConn poses a significant challenge for any school in the country. That’s especially true for a Creighton team that has struggled with consistency. The program has gone 4-4 over its last eight games. During that stretch, the Bluejays have earned an impressive road win at Villanova and disappointing losses to Providence and Marquette. At this point, it’s difficult to know which team will show up on any given night.
With that being said, this is still one of the more talented Big East squads. Head coach Greg McDermott always seems to get the best out of his guys, especially on offense. This year’s Bluejays fit the bill; they rank 57th on KenPom in adjusted offensive efficiency (118.7). Josh Dix (12.3 PPG), Jasen Green (10.7 PPG) and Austin Swartz (11.9 PPG) are all talented floor-spacers. In fact, the latter leads the Big East with a 39% completion percentage from three-point range. As a unit, Creighton ranks 21st in the nation with 29.4 shot attempts per game from deep.
UConn vs. Creighton pick, best bet
The Bluejays, for all their flaws, have been quite competitive in this spot before. Over the last five meetings between these teams in Omaha, Creighton has come out on top four times. The one loss, which came last season, was only by four points. As great as UConn is, they’ve played in a few nail-biters over the last two weeks. The status of Mullins is also something to monitor before tip-off. Another intense Big East affair wouldn’t come as a surprise tonight.
