The UConn Huskies (4-0) and Texas Longhorns (4-0) meet Monday at Madison Square Garden in New York City in the Empire Classic Final. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the UConn vs. Texas odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
The Huskies picked up a 77-57 victory against Indiana on Sunday at MSG, covering as an 11-point favorite to improve to 3-1 against the spread (ATS). Tristen Newton posted 23 points and 11 rebounds in the victory.
The Under (141) cashed against the Hoosiers, the first major conference team UConn has faced to date after wins over Northern Arizona, Stonehill and Mississippi Valley State.
The Longhorns nipped Louisville 81-80 on Sunday at MSG while the Cardinals easily covered the 17.5-point number as the Over (147.5) cashed. Max Abmas, the March Madness hero and graduate transfer from Oral Roberts, hit a buzzer-beater to get the Longhorns to the title game. Kadin Shedrick went for a career-high 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting, too.
Texas has scored 80 or more points in every game, splitting the Over-Under 2-2. Texas covered in the opener against Incarnate Word, but it is 0-3 ATS in the past 3 outings as a double-digit favorite.
UConn is No. 4 and Texas is No. 17 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+
UConn vs. Texas odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:07 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): UConn -255 (bet $255 to win $100) | Texas +205 (bet $100 to win $205)
- Against the spread (ATS): UConn -6.5 (-102) | Texas +6.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 143.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
UConn vs. Texas picks and predictions
Prediction
UConn 76, Texas 67
Moneyline
UConn (-255) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s a little too much risk for not enough value.
PASS, and look to the spread instead.
Against the spread
UCONN -6.5 (-102) has won all 4 games to date and has covered 3 of the outings. The lone exception was a 34-point win over Mississippi Valley State, failing to cover the 45-point number, going to the bench in the 2nd half.
Texas +6.5 (-120), on the other hand, has failed to cover the past 3 games, and it nearly lost Sunday if not for the late heroics of Abmas. And that was against a mediocre Louisville side. UConn is going to take it to the ‘Horns, and hoist its first trophy of the 2023-24 season.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
Over/Under
UNDER 143.5 (-105) is worth a look, but go very lightly.
The Under has cashed in the past 2 outings for UConn after hitting the Over against Stonehill and Northern Arizona. The Under has cashed in 2 of the past 3 outings for Texas, too.
Another concern with betting the Longhorns, and anyone contemplating the Over, is that Texas leaves a lot of points on the floor with a 68.5% mark at the free-throw line.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin /
College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/R4L32B2F55BBTEJWSHPVWB6ZVM.jpg)
