UConn vs Villanova Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for December 28 (Huskies Defend Home Court in Big East Victory)

UConn vs Villanova Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for December 28 (Huskies Defend Home Court in Big East Victory)

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UConn vs Villanova Game Info

  • 2022-23 NCAA Basketball Regular Season Game
  • No. 2 UConn (13-0, 2-0 Big East) vs. Villanova (7-5, 1-0 Big East)
  • Date: Wednesday, December 28, 2022
  • Time: 6:30 PM ET
  • Venue: XL Center -- Hartford, Connecticut

The 2022-23 college basketball season continues on Wednesday with a thrilling matchup between the No. 2 UConn Huskies and Villanova Wildcats. UConn overcame a late deficit to beat Georgetown, 84-73, in its most recent game. The Huskies' 13-0 start is their best mark since the 1998-99 season.

Meanwhile, Villanova took care of business in a 78-63 win over St. John's last Wednesday to earn its fifth straight victory. Eric Dixon shined with a team-high 18 points (7-of-16 shooting) to go along with 6 rebounds and 2 assists. The Wildcats have seemingly found their groove after a rough 2022 start.

UConn vs Villanova Odds & Spread

UConn enters this contest as heavy favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 6:30 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 136.5 points, which is about average compared to Wednesday's projected totals.

UConn vs Villanova Betting Trends

  • UConn's record against the spread is 11-2-0.
  • As 12.5-point favorites or more, the Huskies are 5-2 against the spread.
  • Out of 13 UConn's games so far this year, eight have hit the over.
  • Villanova has four wins in 12 games against the spread this year.
  • Villanova has played 12 games this season, and seven of them have gone over the total.
UConn Rank UConn AVG Villanova AVG Villanova Rank
17th 83.6 Points Scored 71.6 195th
12th 58.6 Points Allowed 67.1 140th
35th 36.8 Rebounds 29.8 305th
60th 10.5 Off. Rebounds 6 345th
26th 9.7 3pt Made 9.2 40th
6th 19.3 Assists 12.1 274th
140th 12 Turnovers 8.8 3rd

UConn vs Villanova Prediction & Pick

Big East college basketball fans had this matchup circled on their calendars before the season got underway, but they likely thought Villanova would be the favorite. UConn's surprising rise in the AP Poll can be attributed to their elite ability to rebound the basketball and force turnovers on defense.

The Huskies rank second in the country when it comes to total rebounding percentage (57.3%) and tied for 32nd when it comes to opponent turnovers per game (16.2). They also roster stellar depth as six different player are averaging over 9.0 points per game. That will come in handy on Wednesday.

Villanova has gotten the upper hand in this rivalry as of late, but I expect UConn to be fired up and ready to exact revenge.

Final Score Prediction: UConn: 79 | Villanova: 64

UConn vs Villanova Best Bet

Villanova may be finally winning some games, but it important to keep in mind that the Wildcats are a dismal 4-9 against the spread (ATS) in its last 13 games. They are not blowing opponents out when they are supposed to or keeping scores close as an underdog. Siding with the Huskies is the move.

UConn is a reliable 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games and has already covered spreads of 18.5 points, 33 points and 40 points this season. The Huskies never take their foot off the pedal and enter this one knowing that a big win could possibly catapult them to No. 1 in the AP Poll. They roll at the XL Center.

Bet: UConn Huskies -12.5 (-104)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.