The Northwestern Wildcats (22-11) travel to face off against the Connecticut Huskies (32-3) on Sunday, March 24th. This game will be played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and televised on truT. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:45 ET.
Northwestern Wildcats vs Connecticut Huskies
The Northwestern Wildcats Are Coming Off A Win
Northwestern heads into tonight’s game as a 14.5-point underdog, and they have gone 6-9 in that role this season. The Wildcats have had a solid season, going 22-11 overall and 12-10 in the Big Ten.
On the road, Northwestern has gone just 5-8 this season, and they come in with an average scoring margin of -3.2 points per game away from home. For the year, they have gone 17-4 at home, and they are currently on a two-game losing streak.
Northwestern has been a solid team against the spread this season, going 18-14-2. Their road ATS mark is 7-5-1, and they have gone 3-0 vs. the spread in their last three road games. As the underdog, the Wildcats are 9-6 this year and have gone 2-1 vs. the spread in their last three games as the underdog.
So far this season, the over/under record for Northwestern games is 19-15. The average scoring total in their games is 142.3 points per game, and today’s over/under line of 135.5 is lower than the average OU line in their games (137.4). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 with an average scoring total of 143 points.
The Connecticut Huskies Are Coming Off A Win
Connecticut comes into this game as the heavy favorite, as they have been favored in all 35 games they have played this season. They have a record of 33-2 when favored, and they are 23-0 at home this season.
Overall, the Huskies are 32-3 on the season, and they are currently riding a nine-game winning streak. In their last game, they beat Stetson by a score of 91-52.
As the favorite this season, UConn has gone 22-12-1 vs. the spread. Their home ATS record is 14-9 and over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Huskies are 8-2.
So far this season, the over/under record for Connecticut is 18-18. The average scoring total in their games this year is 146.9 points, which is slightly higher than the average over/under line of 145.3. Today’s over/under line is 135.5, and so far, 25 of their games have finished with more points than that. Over their last three games, their over/under record is 1-2, and the average scoring total in those games is 152 points.
Northwestern Offense Breakdown
The Wildcats’ offense wrapped up their last game with 77 points, aligning closely with their current season average of 73.7 points per contest. Boo Buie is leading the team in scoring at 19.2 points per contest. Brooks Barnhizer has also been a key contributor with a PPG average of 14.6 going into the game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boo Buie (G) | 19.2 | 3.4 | 5.0 |
| Brooks Barnhizer (G) | 14.6 | 7.4 | 2.7 |
| Ryan Langborg (G) | 12.2 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
Connecticut Offense Breakdown
Connecticut is fresh off a strong offensive showing, putting up 91 points versus Stetson. This output is higher than their season-average of 81.5 points per game. For the season, the Connecticut offense has been one of the more efficient shooting teams in the NCAA with a field goal percentage of 49%. So far, they have hit 58% of their looks from inside the arc, and are averaging 8.8 made three’s per contest.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tristen Newton (G) | 15.2 | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Cam Spencer (G) | 14.5 | 4.5 | 3.6 |
| Alex Karaban (F) | 13.9 | 5.0 | 1.4 |
Northwestern Team Defense
At this time, the Wildcats’ defense is positioned 90th in the country, permitting 68.9 points per game. In today’s game, the Northwestern defense will be looking to once again do a good job defending the three-point line, as they gave up just 5 three-pointers while giving up 65 points.
Connecticut Team Defense
Coming into today’s game, the Connecticut defense is giving up an average of 64.8 points per contest. Against Stetson, the Huskies’ defense gave up 52 points and did a good job not fouling. For the game, Stetson only made 8 free-throws.
Wildcats vs Huskies Trends
- When looking at their past three road matchups, Northwestern has an ATS record of 3-0 while averaging 64 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
- Connecticut has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 71 points per game while allowing 70. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
- In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Wildcats have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their ATS record was 4-1 in these scenarios.
- In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Huskies have a strong straight up record of 5-0. In addition, their ATS record was 4-1 in these scenarios.
Wildcats vs Huskies Prediction
For a point-spread bet in this Huskies vs. Huskies matchup, we’re leaning towards the Huskies at -14.5. Although our projections show the Huskies winning 75-69, we suggest placing your bet on the Wildcats for the point-spread.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 135.5, and our model predicts the Wildcats and Huskies to score a combined 144 points. We recommend betting on the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:March 23, 2024 Connecticut Huskies, Northwestern Wildcats