UConn vs. Providence prediction, odds, time: 2023 college basketball picks, Feb. 22 best bets by proven model
The eyes of the Big East will be on Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday evening with a high-profile matchup in front of a national audience. The No. 20 Providence Friars visit Storrs, Connecticut to take on the No. 18 UConn Huskies for the second time this season. Providence won the first battle at home in January, and the Friars are 20-7 overall and 12-4 in Big East action. UConn is 20-7 overall, 9-7 in the Big East, and 13-2 in home games in 2022-23.
Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists UConn as a 7.5-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 142 in the latest Providence vs. UConn odds. Before you make any UConn vs. Providence picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 16 of the season 71-42 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Providence vs. UConn and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for UConn vs. Providence:
- Providence vs. UConn spread: UConn -7.5
- Providence vs. UConn over/under: 142 points
- Providence vs. UConn money line: UConn -345, Providence +270
- PROV: The Friars are 12-4 against the spread in Big East games
- UCONN: The Huskies are 6-10 against the spread in Big East games
- Providence vs. UConn picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Providence can cover
Providence has a top-flight force in Bryce Hopkins, who leads the team with 16.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while making more than 39% of his 3-point attempts. The Friars have a top-20 offense in the country on a per-possession basis, and Providence is securing more than 35% of missed shots on the offensive glass. Providence leads the Big East in free throw creation rate while making 75.3% of free throw attempts, and the Friars are above-average in 2-point shooting and ball security.
On the defensive side, Providence is in the top three in the Big East in efficiency, and the Friars lead the conference in allowing 27.6% from 3-point range. Providence has a stellar 75.6% defensive rebound rate to go along with an 11.2% block rate in Big East play, and UConn does a poor job at taking care of the ball on offense. The Huskies commit a turnover on 18.7% of offensive possessions, potentially fueling Providence's transition attack.
Why UConn can cover
UConn's offense is led by two tremendous forces in Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins. Sanogo leads the team with 16.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, and he is shooting 58.3% from the field and 39.0% from beyond the 3-point arc. Hawkins adds 16.3 points per game on 39.2% 3-point shooting, and UConn ranks in the top 12 of the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency. No team in the country has a better offensive rebound rate (38.2%) than UConn, and the Huskies rank in the top 10 with 17.0 assists per game.
UConn has a strong shooting profile that includes 52.4% inside the arc, 35.2% from 3-point range and 74.6% at the free throw line, with the Huskies also landing above the median in free throw creation rate. UConn is also facing a Providence defense that is conservative by nature, ranking outside the top 250 nationally with a 16.4% turnover creation rate.
How to make Providence vs. UConn picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 145 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
