The Providence Friars (21-10, 13-7 Big East) and #11 UConn Huskies (24-7, 13-7 Big East) battled twice this season, with the home team winning both times.
Providence won the first meeting 73-61 over the Huskies. The end of the season wasn’t kind to the Friars though, as they dropped three of their final four games, which included their only two home losses of the season. They went 1-2 on neutral courts this season.
UConn got payback by beating Providence the second time, on February 22, 87-69. The Huskies had a shaky January but finished the season as strong as they started it. Wins in their last five games propelled them to the four-seed in the Big East. They are 3-0 on neutral courts ahead of this matchup.
Home court advantage is gone, and a Big East title is on the line. Let’s see how the Providence Friars and UConn Huskies will fare in the Garden.
Providence vs. UConn Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Providence | +7.0 (-110) | Over 143.5 (-110) | +250 |
| UConn | -7.0 (-110) | Under 143.5 (-110) | -300 |
Providence vs. UConn Match Details
Fixture: Providence Friars @ UConn Huskies
Date and Time: Thursday, March 9, 2023, 2:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Madison Square Garden
Providence vs. UConn Key Stats
Providence’s five games to finish the year did not go according to plan.
Let’s start with the defense, which allowed 80.6 points per game in those contests, significantly more than their season average of 71.3 points per game. Their foes hit 49.7% of their field goals and 42.2% of their threes during the stretch. They fell from #20 to unranked because of it.
Their offense was in line with their stellar performance all season. This year, Providence shot 35.5% from distance and 46.0% overall. They averaged 78.5 points per game. All of those numbers were top-five in the Big East.
UConn had a dominant season on both ends of the floor. On offense, they averaged 79.0 points per game on 45.9% shooting. They also shot 35.6% from beyond the arc as a team. The Huskies pulled down 13.4 offensive boards per game this season, the fifth-most in the nation.
On the defensive end, the Huskies held opponents to 64.8 points per game this season. Their foes only shot 40.8% from the floor and 29.7% from three-point range. Those numbers all led the Big East, and are among the best in the nation.
Providence vs. UConn Betting Prediction
Providence’s struggles down the stretch and struggles away from home, they’re 6-8 in non-home games, don’t give me much confidence in how they’ll fare tonight. The Friars are facing a UConn Huskies team that is among the best in college basketball on both ends of the court. Defensively, UConn has a significant edge, and offensively, they also have slightly better numbers.
Unless Providence figures out how to consistently produce outside of Rhode Island, they won’t fare well in the Big East Tournament. Take the UConn Huskies to win and cover tonight.
