UConn Basketball odds outlook: Big East Championship, National Championship betting predictions

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UConn Basketball odds outlook: Big East Championship, National Championship betting predictions

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The UConn Huskies won its fifth National Championship last season in dominant fashion, winning each NCAA Tournament game by double digits. Dan Hurley and Co. are in the mix to repeat last season’s spectacular run, and you can wager on UConn’s future betting odds with up to $4,900 in sportsbook promo code bonuses.

Read our review of the best college basketball betting sites to get ready for the 2023-2024 season.

The Huskies are No. 6 in the AP Top 25, the school’s best preseason ranking since 2011-2012. Along with other top-tier programs, Hurley is tasked with integrating returning players, recruits, and transfer portal players into his system to match last season’s unforgettable run.

The Huskies lost 62% of its scoring production in the offseason, including the two leaders in points per game. Starters Adama Sanogo, Jordan Hawkins, and Andre Jackson are now in the NBA, and role player Nahiem Alleyne joined Rick Pitino at St. John’s.

UConn benefits from returning a handful of players that will shoulder more responsibility this season. That includes Tristen Newton and Alex Karaban, who scored the third and fourth-most points per game, respectively, along with Donovan Clingan, who blocked 1.8 shots per game in only 13 minutes a night.

Clingan, a 7-foot-2 sophomore, has the potential to be UConn’s biggest star after getting limited playing time behind Sanogo. The Bristol, Connecticut native ranked eighth in minutes played but averaged seven points and five rebounds.

Mix the veteran players coming back to Storrs with high-level transfers and freshmen looking to make an impact, and UConn fans have a lot to look forward to in 2023-2024.

The Huskies were a perfect 17-0 against non-conference opponents a season ago but had a .650 winning percentage against the Big East. Hurley’s squad must improve against conference foes to become Big East Regular-Season champions.

The only team with better odds to win the Big East Regular-Season Championship is Marquette at +280, and it’s seemingly a three-team race between UConn, Marquette, and Creighton (+300).

Five-star freshman guard Stephon Castle may take some time to get his feet wet in the college game but projects to be a one-and-done NBA Draft lottery pick in 2024. At 6-foot-6, 215 pounds, the Georgia native’s size will be a problem defensively for Big East opponents.

Castle was a shooting guard in high school but could run UConn’s offense as the season progresses. His exceptional athleticism and size make him hard to defend, especially in transition.

Kansas, Duke, Purdue, Kentucky, and Michigan State are the only schools with better odds to win the NCAA Tournament.

The Huskies are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back National Championships since Florida in 2006 and 2007. Only seven programs in the history of college basketball have repeated as National Champions.

UConn is in a great position to be the eighth thanks to its returning players and newcomers with high upside.

Hurley hit a home run in the transfer portal with guard Cam Spencer from Rutgers. The fifth-year player was seventh in 3-pointers made per game, sinking 43% of his shots from deep.

Spencer also averaged two steals per game, making him an asset on both ends of the court.

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