The Connecticut Huskies face a tough Cincinnati Bearcats squad in the second round of the West Region today with UConn favored by 4.5 points at some shops.
UConn cruised over Bucknell in its first game while Cincy handled Missouri as a 6 seed.
Most bettors are giving the Huskies an experience and talent edge but many bracketeers were giving the Bearcats the upset possibility of reaching the Round of 16. The best UConn line was -3.5 at Sportsbook earlier Saturday, while Sportsbook had the best Cincy number at +4.5.
View Cincinnati vs Connecticut Odds and Stats.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Huskies - Bearcats odds would favor the Huskies if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Connecticut is rated No. 13 in the current Odds Shark poll, while Cincinnati is at No. 35. Mathematical models based on recent stats and predictive formulas point to a 77-75 win for the Bearcats.
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Connecticut's No. 58 nationally ranked offense (73.6 points per game) against a Bearcats defense that sits as the No. 10 at 59.3 PPG. The Huskies have been averaging 43.5% from the field, less than the Bearcats have managed so far this season (43.8% on average).
Defensively, Cincinnati features the nation's No. 21-rated defense on the road, allowing 63.2 points per game. Connecticut, meanwhile, comes in at No. 82 nationally in scoring at home.
In their last action, Cincinnati was a 78-63 Sportsbook at home against Missouri. They covered the 1–point spread as favorites. The Bearcats got 18 points from Yancy Gates as Cincinnati ran past Missouri 78-63 on Thursday at Verizon Center.
Last time out for Connecticut, they were an 81-52 Sportsbook as they battled Bucknell. They covered in the match as a 10.5-point favorite.
Cincinnati Bearcats Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
After a win are 5-5
Connecticut Huskies Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 10-0
After a win are 6-4
A few Bearcats at Huskies trends to consider:
Connecticut is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Connecticut is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Connecticut's last 6 games when playing Cincinnati
