UConn, Villanova Face Off In Saturday’s Top-Billed Game

Written By Derek Helling on February 18, 2023
odds uconn vs villanova women's basketball

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.

SportsbookSpreadTotalMoneyline
BetRivers/PlaySugarhouse SportsbookUConn -6 -115
Villanova +6 -115
Over 134.5 -115
Under 134.5 -115
UConn -235
Villanova +165
Caesars SportsbookUConn -5 -110
Villanova +5 -110
Over 133.5 -110
Under 133.5 -110
UConn -220
Villanova +180
DraftKings SportsbookUConn -5.5 -110
Villanova +5.5 -110
Over 131.5 -110
Under 131.5 -110
UConn -215
Villanova +185
FanDuel SportsbookUConn -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.

Photo by AP Photo/Michael Caterina/Jason E. Miczek/BetHer
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Derek Helling

Derek Helling is a lead writer for PlayUSA and the manager of BetHer. He is a 2013 graduate of the University of Iowa and covers the intersections of sports with business and the law.

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