The No. 6 UConn Huskies host the Seton Hall Pirates on Saturday in a Big East college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 12:00 p.m. ET in Storrs, Connecticut.
The Huskies are listed as 14.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 127.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this Big East college basketball matchup.
UConn vs. Seton Hall prediction, preview
The UConn Huskies are back to being the best team in the Big East. They rank No. 6 in the nation and just defeated St. John’s to truly assert themselves atop the league. After a down year last season, Dan Hurley’s group is once again a national title contender. They are led by a veteran trio of Solo Ball, Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. The Huskies are incredibly well-balanced, with five different scorers averaging double figures this season. However, where this group really thrives is on the defensive end of the floor. The Huskies rank ninth in the nation in defensive rating and are allowing only 65.1 points per game. This team is incredibly disciplined and almost never beats itself, which will make them a hard out come March.
Seton Hall is in fourth place in the Big East. There is a big gap between the top three, UConn, St. John’s and Villanova, and the rest of the league. However, Seton Hall is the best team on that second tier. The Pirates are in desperate need of one more big win in these final weeks, however. They are currently in the “Next Four Out,” meaning there are at least four teams between them and a spot in the NCAA Tournament according to Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology. Luckily for Seton Hall, two of its final three games come against UConn and St. John’s. A win in one of those games would likely push them into the March Madness field. Seton Hall is elite on the defensive end of the floor. Their issue all season has been putting the ball in the basket.
UConn vs. Seton Hall pick
My best bet for this game is for Seton Hall to cover as 14.5-point underdogs. This could be a sleepy spot for UConn. The Huskies just got major revenge over St. John’s, a game they desperately wanted to win. Following that up with a noon local tip as 14.5-point favorites could lead to a sluggish start for UConn. Meanwhile, Seton Hall is desperate to win this game and show that it’s worthy of the NCAA Tournament. This should be a lower-scoring game, with the total listed at 127.5 points. These are the two best defensive teams in the Big East, with Seton Hall allowing 64.5 points per game and UConn allowing 65.1 points per game.
Not only do both teams play good defense, but both teams play very slowly. UConn ranks 311th in the country in adjusted tempo, and Seton Hall ranks 283rd. Seton Hall can look lost against teams that push the tempo and want to run them out of the gym. However, they will be comfortable playing at Connecticut’s pace, despite not being as talented. The Pirates’ strong defense and methodical approach make it hard to blow them out. In Seton Hall’s nine losses this season, not a single one has come by more than 12 points. The first time these teams played, Seton Hall kept it within five points at home. On this trip to Storrs, the Pirates should keep it within 14.5 points against UConn.
