The Connecticut Huskies and Auburn Tigers have yet to suffer a defeat, but only one team will progress in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
No. 19 Auburn is currently ranked higher than No. 22 UConn, but it’s the current underdog to secure the win. NCAA basketball odds have the Huskies as -2½ favorites, which is a fair line given their record.
Huskies Stats Read Well
One of the most impressive teams has been the UConn Huskies, who are 4-0 against inferior opponents, but the statistics are impressive.
They average 92 points per game on offense and allow just 51.3, which puts fear into the eyes of the Tigers. They have shot the ball better than 50 percent, and they are averaging more rebounds, assists and steals than Auburn.
Having the fourth-best offense and fifth-best defense wins you plenty of games, so bettors should be confident with the Huskies.
Those numbers can be inflated due to the level of opposition, but Long Island (93-40) and Coppin State (89-54) is a fair form guide.
It’s not a surprise to see the sportsbook in favor of a Huskies win. They are a proud basketball team and are led by forward Adama Sanogo, who is averaging 15.8 points.
Most of his looks are around the rim, but shooting at 66.7 percent is excellent, and his free throw percentage of 87.5 percent is admirable.
There is no standout player for UConn, but it plays well as a team and bettors should respect its chances on Wednesday.
Tigers Handling Easy Teams
Much like UConn, this is the first big test for the Auburn Tigers.
They had a tough game against South Florida in a 58-52 win. A tight game could hold them in good stead against the Huskies.
Despite being down 33-26 at the half, the Tigers rallied on the back of 15 points from K.D Johnson and 13 from Zep Jasper. A 15-0 second-half run was enough for the Tigers to secure the win.
They were the -12½ favorite entering the game, so it was a disappointing result for bettors, but an incredible comeback all the same.
Johnson is their leading scorer with 15 points per game. He hasn’t fully hit his straps, but he’s a work in progress.
“K.D. is important to us,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told ESPN. “K.D. has got the ability to do things against the best players on our schedule. He’s got that level, and we needed some of that tonight. I want more and more from him as the season goes on. He’s a dangerous man out there.”
Betting online markets have the Tigers as underdogs, but it wouldn’t take much money for those markets to firm.
Huskies vs Tigers Pick
The Huskies are a team worth following and we think they will handle the Tigers in a close contest.
It’s tough to overlook the offensive and defensive statistics of the Huskies, and we weren’t impressed with the Tigers’ recent win over the South Florida Bulls.
Giving away a halftime lead won’t be easy to recover from against the Huskies, who should have the class edge and cover the spread.
