Northwestern vs. UConn March Madness Preview and Prediction
In the No. 9 vs. No. 1 matchup in the NCAA Tournament East Region, the Northwestern Wildcats face the Connecticut Huskies in second-round action.
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How to Watch Northwestern vs. UConn
When: 7:45 pm ET on Sunday, March 24th
Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York
Watch: TruTV
Odds for Northwestern vs. UConn
(odds current at time of publish)
Spread: UConn -13
Total: 136.5
DraftKings Betting Splits | Live College Basketball Odds | Northwestern vs. UConn Matchup
East Region No. 9 Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern is a scary team to face in the tournament, as they’re loaded with guards that can really score. Boo Buie is at the forefront of all of it, as he’s a lead guard that is fearless as an off-the-dribble shooter. He never hesitates to pull the trigger, even from Steph Curry range. And if he gets hot, there’s not much the other team can do. Leaving him means not paying enough attention to guys like Brooks Barnhizer and Ryan Langborg. The Wildcats’ biggest weakness is that they’re a little undersized. That’s why they’re a poor rebounding team. And that makes them vulnerable if they get a bad matchup. Teams with size and toughness can give them trouble.
East Region No. 1 UConn Huskies
Last year’s championship-winning UConn team finished the season third in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency and ninth in adjusted defensive efficiency. This year’s Huskies team has a nearly identical statistical profile. That gives UConn legitimate hope that it can be the first team to go back-to-back since Florida did it in 2006 and 2007. The Huskies are as well coached as any team in the nation, with Dan Hurley being a master motivator and an Xs-and-Os tactician. UConn also has two potential lottery picks in Stephon Castle and 7-foot-2 big man Donovan Clingan. On top of that, the Huskies have experienced players like Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban.
Northwestern vs. UConn Preview & Prediction
Northwestern caught fire in overtime in a win over Florida Atlantic in the first round. The Wildcats will need that to carry over into this meeting with the Huskies. Northwestern is a borderline top-five team in the nation when it comes to 3P%, and raining 3s is the team’s only chance of winning this game. So, look for Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg to let them fly here. The issue is that UConn is a top-15 team in terms of adjusted defensive efficiency, and the Huskies are right around the top 50 when it comes to 3P% defense and 3-point rate defense. UConn is going to do everything it can to run Northwestern off the line, and the Wildcats don’t have the type of shot-making required to do legitimate damage inside the 3-point line. They also don’t have anybody that can finish over Donovan Clingan.
Defensively, the Wildcats are a rock-solid team. They’re inside the top 50 in adjusted defensive efficiency and are capable of forcing a bunch of turnovers. However, Northwestern is going to be dealing with high-level talent at every single position. That’s going to be new for the Wildcats. This is also a team that doesn’t defend the 3-point line all that well. That’s trouble considering the Huskies shoot a lot of 3s and knock ’em down regularly. And if Northwestern does try to throw interesting looks at UConn, the Huskies will have an answer. Dan Hurley has emerged as the best coach in college basketball. He knows how to attack most defenses, and his players run actions that can carve teams up.
It’s just hard to see this being a close game, especially with it being played in Brooklyn. There’s a good amount of Northwestern fans in New York, but UConn fans always pack the house on the East Coast. So, the Huskies should have the crowd here.
This should also be a game that leans lower in scoring. UConn can execute at a high level offensively, but this is still a tough defensive team that plays at a slow pace on the other end of the floor. The Huskies are 325th in the nation in adjusted tempo. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are 341st in adjusted tempo. It’ll be hard for an Over to hit if both teams want this game to drag.
Estimated Score: UConn 73, Northwestern 61
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