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March Madness is an exciting time, and we've reached the round of 32. On day two of the second round, the UConn Huskies (32-3) will face the Northwestern Wildcats (22-11). Set to take place at the Barclays Center, one of these teams is set to crack the Sweet 16.

With only three NCAA Championship tournament appearances in program history, the Wildcats will make their second straight Sweet 16 appearance. This will be their second straight trip to the second round for the UConn Huskies. A five-time NCAA Champion, the Huskies have their sights on repeating their 2023 title.

I had the pleasure of attending both Northwestern and UConn's first-round matchups in Brooklyn. And let me tell you, Northwestern plays tough, and their fans are passionate. Aside from that, they will give UConn a run for their money, and this matchup won't be a walk in the park for the Huskies.

Tonight, the UConn Huskies will match up against the Northwestern Wildcats, in Brooklyn New York. Slated to tip off at 7:45 p.m. ET, Connecticut is once again favored by 13.5 points.

The UConn Huskies remain the NCAA Champion favorites to win it all

The heavy favorites to win the NCAA championship at +250 odds, UConn flew by Stetson in the first round, 91-52. Well covering the 26.5-point spread, head coach Dan Hurley was given the opportunity to play his son Andrew Hurley. And of course, the crowd went wild, given Hurley averaged 1.5 minutes of playing time this season.

While the Huskies maintained a solid lead throughout the matchup, they managed to shoot effectively, 52.9 percent from the floor, and 37.5 percent from downtown. An all-around collaborative effort, all five starters finished with points in double figures, and Hurley was able to distribute heavy minutes to the bench.

What stood out to me was their defense, and that Stetson was held to 17-55 (30.9 percent) from the field. Yes, there's a large discrepancy between the two teams, however, Stetson didn't make it past the 55-point barrier mark.

With Yale's shocking victory over Auburn, the Huskies road to the final four just got slightly easier However, it's not a reason to let up on the gas.

Northwestern pulled off the upset over FAU

I'll be honest, the Northwestern vs. Florida Atlantic matchup was a bit of a snoozer, given that FAU managed a slight 20-19 lead at halftime. Sloppy in the first half, the Wildcats and Owls combined for 77 second-half points. And truly, Northwestern's Brooks Barnhize put up the layup with just nine seconds remaining to tie the game.

In overtime, Northwestern simply couldn't miss. Outscoring the Owls 19-7, the Wildcats shot 100 % from the floor, which propelled them to a 77-65 victory. As predicted, Northwestern covered the +3.5 point spread, and won the money line outright.

For the Wildcats, Ryan Langbord and Bo Buie combined for a total of? 49 points. Sure, the game was a bit sloppy, and Northwestern didn't shoot the most efficiently out of the gate. However, they laid it out all on the floor, and forced a heavy amount of turnovers. Buie collected five steals alone.

18-14-1 covering the spread of the season, the Wildcats had a tough first-round matchup. One year removed from the Final Four, FAU limited Northwestern to just 42 percent from the field. Their ability to crash the boards, stay physical, and get hot at the right time kept them alive in this game.

While they are one of the most elite perimeter shooting teams, can the Huskies shut them down? +20000 odds to win the NCAA tournament, the Wildcats are out for blood after losing in the second round last year.

ODDS ARE CURRENT AS OF MAR. 24, AT 12:00 P.M.

MARCH MADNESS: UCONN HUSKIES VS. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS FANDUEL ODDS FOR MAR. 24

MONEY LINE

• UCONN HUSKIES: -1400
• NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS:+800

SPREAD

• UCONN HUSKIES: -13.5 (-108)
• NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS: +13.5 (-105)

OVER/UNDER (TOTAL)

• OVER: 135.5 (-110)
• UNDER: 135.5(-110)

BEST MARCH MADNESS FANDUEL ODDS FOR UCONN HUSKIES VS. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS

• The UConn Huskies are 13.5-point favorites against the Northwestern Wildcats. FanDuel currently has the best odds at (-115).
• The Northwestern Wildcats are the underdogs by 13.5 to cover the spread tonight. Again, FanDuel currently has the best odds at -105 for Northwestern to cover the spread
• FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the best odds for the total, which is set at -110 for the under, and -110 for the over.

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UCONN HUSKIES VS. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS INJURY REPORT

UCONN HUSKIES INJURY REPORT

• None

NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS? INJURY REPORT

• ?Matthew Nicholson, C: Out (leg)
• Ty Berry, G: Out (knee)
• Parker Strauss, G: Out

UCONN HUSKIES? STATISTICS & BETTING TRENDS

*ATS = Against the Spread

*O/U = Over/Under

NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS STATISTICS & BETTING TRENDS

*ATS = Against the Spread

*O/U = Over/Under

Spread: UConn Huskies -13.5

• ?(-108) FanDuel

The UConn Huskies took care of business in the first round, dominating Stetson by a 39-point margin. As expected, they dropped 52 points in the first half. While UConn showed a full display of who they truly are, we can't forget who their opponent was. While I expect tonight's matchup to be fairly competitive, I'm taking the UConn Huskies to cover by 13.5 points tonight.

According to ESPN, UConn is predicted to win this game outright by 89.4 percent. With that said, no single matchup is guaranteed in March, and the -1400 money line is simply too risky for me. How can we forget when Purdue, the heavy favorites, was knocked off by no. 16 Fairleigh Dickson last year? To make a profit, you would need to wager a good amount to see a return on the money line.

UConn has been stellar both in the money line wins column, and covering in matchups. 23-12 against the spread this season, they covered in 8 of the last 10, and 4 of the last 5.? Second in the nation with a +17.6 point differential, they face Northwestern, who ranks no. 108 with +4.9.

Once again, on paper, these two teams aren't comparable. However, I'll repeat that it doesn't mean much when it comes to March basketball. UConn remains the top-ranked offensive unit in the country, and is stifling on the defensive end. While the talent gap was colossal, the Huskies held Stetson to just 3-20 from three-point range.

As mentioned in my previous articles, the Connecticut Huskies have one of the strongest starting units in the nation. Led by guard Tristen Newton, he's been the offensive catalyst, averaging 15.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. For a guard that flirts with triple-double type numbers, he was named AP All-American this week. With Donovan Clingan and Alex Karaban taking care of the frontcourt, Hurley plays a slightly smaller lineup with Stephon Castle, Newton, and Cam Spencer.

On the defensive end, this Connecticut team limits opponents to just 64.1 points per game, on 39.6 percent three-point shooting. Favored in every single matchup this season, UConn closed out the regular season covering four consecutive spreads.

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NORTHWESTERN WILL PUT UP A FIGHT

I have to say, watching these teams in person gives a unique perspective, especially if you bet on these matchups. 18-14-1 on the season, Northwestern was all over the floor, fighting for every possession against FAU.

Large underdogs heading into tonight's matchup, the Wildcats had the 46th toughest schedule in the nation. Finishing third in the Big Ten conference, Northwestern had several impressive wins over Purdue, Illinois, and Michigan State, just to name a few.

They've proven they can hang with the big guys, however, their biggest challenge will present itself tonight.

I can see the Wildcats hanging around with the Huskies in the first half, as I expect UConn to take away with the lead. 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 matchups, Northwestern couldn't cover as 4.5 point underdogs in the Big 10 quarterfinal against Wisconsin. Yes, the Wildcats are one of the most efficient three-point shooting teams, and the Huskies allow a decent amount of deep shots.

However, I'm not convinced, even after Northwestern forced 21 turnovers on FAU, and controlled the boards. UConn is the far superior team in every statistical category, including controlling the rebounds.

If we look at what Connecticut has done on the defensive end, not one opponent has reached 70 or more points in the last eight matchups. The Huskies are 23-11 when favored in matchups, and are 3-2 when favored between 11 and 16 points. The most impressive stat? UConn is excellent, putting up a 14-4 record, when favored on the road or at a neutral location.

Overall, Northwestern is a solid team on the offensive front, and will need to hit their three-pointers to stay in this game. While they aren't the worst of defense, they struggle on the perimeter, and they lack the size to compete with UConn in the paint, as well as on the rebounds. They took advantage of a sloppy situation against FAU, and will have little room for error against Connecticut.

TOTAL: UNDER 135.5 POINTS

• ?(-108) FanDuel

Both Northwestern and UConn are coming out of two of the best conferences in college basketball. While they may seem miles apart, they have one trait in common. They both play at an extremely slow pace, and the Huskies and Wildcats don't allow opponents to score over 70 points per game. Given the Wildcats put up just 19 points in the first half against FAU, I can see them running into some problems. If Clingan's size overtakes the paint, that might be a wrap, especially if Northwestern can't get open looks beyond the perimeter.

These two teams are coming off two consecutive games that hit the under. 135.5 is a relatively low number, however, the only team that's put up 67 points in eight games was St. Johns. Holding opponents to under 40 percent from the field and three-point line speaks volumes for the Huskies, and the Wildcats will not use the volume of open shots against UConn.

Since Connecticut and Northwestern are both 3-7 against totals in their last ten matchups, I expect UConn to put up a bulk of the points tonight. The only way I can see this game hitting the over is if overtime presents itself, or the Huskies collapse defensively.

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