There are plenty of good NCAA basketball matchups on Saturday, but I have chosen to write about Providence at Connecticut because this series has been so one-sided lately … in favor of the Friars!
No. 2 UConn no doubt will open as a sizable favorite on WagerWeb.com on Saturday morning, and the Huskies have won eight games in a row since suffering their lone loss. Connecticut is poised to take over the No. 1 spot in the polls for the first time since 2006. But, boy, have they had trouble with Providence, which has been a pleasant surprise in the Big East this year.
Under new coach Keno Davis, the Friars have won four straight games when playing at UConn (either in Hartford or Storrs) and three in a row in this series overall. The Huskies haven’t beaten the Friars in Storrs since Feb. 6, 1996. UConn has not defeated the Friars at home since a 67-56 victory on Feb. 5, 2002.
“I would say we’re a confident group going in but we’re not over-confident,” Davis said. “You don’t look at UConn’s team and think that you deserve to go in there and win.”
“It’s payback,” Huskies senior Jeff Adrien said. “It’s one of the teams we haven’t beaten since my freshman year and we have to get it. We can’t overlook Providence.”
Plus, Providence is playing well, having hit 10 three-pointers in a win over Syracuse on Wednesday that has the Friars off to their best Big East start (6-2) since 2000-01. UConn has lost only 13 of the 77 Big East games it has played in Gampel since the building opened (not that PC cares) and has won 11 straight games there overall.
Senior swingman Weyinmi Efejuku leads four Providence players averaging in double figures at 13.4 points a game – the Friars are second in the Big East in scoring. That win over Syracuse was the school’s first over a ranked team this year, and PC has have won three in a row following losses to Georgetown and Marquette.
Providence defeated UConn 85-76 on March 6 of last season behind 26 points from Efejuku. PC hasn’t been ranked since 2004 but will be with a victory.
UConn freshman point guard Kemba Walker, the team’s fifth-leading scorer at 9.8 points per game, missed practice Thursday with a sprained knee but expects to play. The Huskies, by the way, have a huge game with Louisville on Monday night looming as well.
NCAA basketball Betting at WagerWeb.com
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