UConn vs Villanova on Saturday will go a long way toward deciding the Big East women’s basketball regular-season championship for the 2022-23 season. It’s also the only meeting of ranked teams on the day in the sport.
Sportsbooks are confident in the Huskies getting the season sweep over the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon. If these teams deliver a repeat of their first game, there could be some opportunity for bettors on the total.
UConn vs Villanova details
Following are all the particulars for bettors fans heading into a game between the top two teams in the current Big East standings.
- Tip-off: 2:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Feb. 18
- Venue: Finneran Pavilion, Villanova, PA
- Broadcast: FOX
- Streaming: FOXSports Go or live streaming products that carry FOX
- Previous matchup: Sunday, Jan. 29, at UConn, 63-58 Huskies over Wildcats
- Team records: UConn 23-4 (15-1 Big East). Villanova 23-4 (14-2 Big East)
- Last games: UConn; 62-60 win vs Creighton on Feb. 15. Villanova; 73-57 win at St. John’s on Feb. 15
- Series history: UConn 40, Villanova 7. UConn has won the last two games and nine of the last 10
- Notable injuries: Paige Bueckers, UConn (out)
The lines on Saturday afternoon
As of 1 p.m. ET, legal Canadian and US sportsbooks are offering action on this contest.
| Sportsbook | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetRivers/PlaySugarhouse Sportsbook | UConn -6 -115 Villanova +6 -115 | Over 134.5 -115 Under 134.5 -115 | UConn -235 Villanova +165 |
| Caesars Sportsbook | UConn -5 -110 Villanova +5 -110 | Over 133.5 -110 Under 133.5 -110 | UConn -220 Villanova +180 |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | UConn -5.5 -110 Villanova +5.5 -110 | Over 131.5 -110 Under 131.5 -110 | UConn -215 Villanova +185 |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | UConn -5.5 -120 Villanova +5.5 -110 | Over 134.5 -110 Under 134.5 -110 | UConn -260 Villanova +180 |
Handicapping UConn vs Villanova
Back on Jan. 29, No. 14 Villanova was just 10 minutes away from securing what would have been the biggest win of its season to date. A road win over No. 6 UConn would not only have put the Wildcats in the driver’s seat for the regular-season conference title but probably have catapulted Villanova into the top 10 of the rankings as well.
A fourth-quarter comeback by UConn dashed those hopes, however. Since then, the Wildcats have won five games in a row. Prior to that loss on the Huskies’ court, Villanova was on a nine-game winning streak. There are two ways to perceive those facts; either the Huskies are Nova’s kryptonite or the Wildcats are primed to get over the hump Saturday.
Either way, bettors should note that UConn has dropped two of the five games it has played since that win over Nova. This is not one of the untouchable teams of Huskies lore that could dispatch the opposition by 20 points on cruise control.
The six-point spread is appealing due to the presence of Villanova’s brightest star. In terms of having the firepower to contend, the Wildcats’ Maddy Siegrist leads the nation in scoring at almost 30 points per game. On the other hand, Siegrist’s contributions represent almost 41% of Villanova’s average scoring.
To cover in this one, UConn simply needs to keep Siegrist from taking over the game and have their usual day on their home court. The total could bear some intrigue here. The first meeting of these teams produced just 121 points. The Huskies are slightly more stingy defensively in their familiar surroundings, too.
