Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Connecticut Huskies, XL Center, Hartford, CT
Tuesday, January 11, 2011, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN Full Court
Opening Line: UConn -12
Current Line: UConn -11.5
Opening Total: 122
Current Total: 135
Money Line: UConn -700 / Rutgers +550
The eighth-ranked Connecticut Huskies (12-2, 1-2 Big East) have completely dominated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-5, 1-2) in the past and will be going for their 10th straight victory in the series when they meet on Tuesday. The Huskies (-11.5) are 17-1 all-time against the Scarlet Knights and will look to even their conference record following losses in two of their first three league games.
UConn has dropped both of its Big East road games but is coming off a huge non-conference victory away from home on Saturday. The Huskies topped Texas 82-81 in overtime despite trailing 37-32 at halftime and shooting just 38.1 percent from the field. Leading scorer Kemba Walker was one of six players on his team who failed to shoot better than 50 percent from the field – making only 8 of 27 shots – but still managed to hit the game-winning shot with five seconds left in the extra session en route to 22 points and nine rebounds against the Longhorns.
Two of Connecticut’s last three games have gone to OT, including the team’s last home game against South Florida on December 31. The Huskies shot poorly in that game too, making 21 of 56 from the field (37.5 percent), including 2 of 14 from 3-point range. In fact, Walker has shot just 35 percent from the field in the last four games while averaging a little over 21 points on almost 24 shots per game.
The best strategy for Rutgers might just be to let Walker get his points and hold the rest of the Huskies in check. The Scarlet Knights used a similar plan in an 85-72 win over Providence on Saturday. They surrendered a game-high 29 points to Marshon Brooks but held the rest of the Friars to just 25.5 percent shooting to earn their first Big East win of the season and snap a three-game losing streak. The team had reeled off a six-game winning streak prior to their recent skid.
Rutgers is just 1-6-1 against the spread in its last eight lined games though and has covered only one of the past seven meetings with UConn. The Huskies have struggled at home with a 3-7 ATS mark in their last 10 games there but have gone 7-2 ATS in their past nine overall. The OVER has also cashed in Connecticut’s last four games along with two of three for the Scarlet Knights after five consecutive UNDERs.
Now that you have read this Big East college basketball betting preview featuring the UConn & Rutgers, check out the NCAA basketball odds on this and all the games to compare the best lines at multiple sportsbooks.
