The Connecticut Huskies and Auburn Tigers have each started their season without a loss, and will put their perfect records on the line against one another in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday afternoon. In this Connecticut Huskies vs. Auburn Tigers matchup, both teams will be tested for the first time this season, as both teams have been able to coast through the early portion of the year against inferior competition.
For either team to come away with a win here, they will need to be sharp early, as they will be adjusting to a step up in competition from what they are used to over the first couple of weeks of the season. The statistical output of both teams so far this season favors the Huskies, as does the point spread. But some context is required given that both teams have yet to play an opponent that could be a real threat to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
Connecticut Huskies – First Real On-Court Test
The UConn Huskies have gone 4-0 to start this season, taking advantage of the lull in their early-season schedule to stay in the top-25 to this point. So far, the Huskies have beaten Central Connecticut, Coppin State, Long Island and Binghamton to get to this point. All of those wins have come by 24 points or more, but UConn won’t be able to expect such an easy game this time around against an SEC power in the Tigers.
UConn is going to have to come out of the gates sharp if they want to avoid their first loss of the season. They have averaged 92 points per game so far this season, but any good team would be able to put up similar numbers against the types of teams that they have faced so far. The question for UConn is whether they can continue to shoot close to 50% against a quality opponent, as they will have to work much harder to get good looks.
Expected Line-Up: RJ Cole, Tyrese Martin, Andre Jackson, Isaiah Whaley, Adama Sanogo
with best odds
Auburn Tigers – Slightly More Tested
The Auburn Tigers have won each of their first three games to start this season, beating Morehead State, Louisiana Monroe and South Florida to get there. The win over USF was the best win that either team competing in this game has earned this year, with Auburn squeaking by in a 58-52 contest. That result is closer to what will take place in this game than the other six games that these two teams have played in.
In the win over USF, Auburn made just five of its 26 three-point shot attempts, shooting under 20% and winning in spite of that fact. Against UConn, the three-ball will be incredibly valuable, as UConn has the physical ability to make things tough in the paint for Auburn and anyone else that they play. If the Tigers don’t shoot the ball better in this game, they could suffer their first loss in their first real test of the 2021-2022 season.
Expected Line-Up: Zep Jasper, Wendell Green Jr., Devan Cambridge, Jabari Smith, Walker Kessler
Expert Pick #1 – Auburn +3.5 @ -109
The first bet to make in this game is Auburn +3.5 at -109 odds. UConn comes overvalued in this game based on the fact that they truly haven’t played even a respectable team yet this year. Auburn has had a nice ramp-up game against USF, and should be able to fix its three-point shooting issues en route to a nice win in the Bahamas.
Expert Pick #2 – Under 143.5 @ -110
The second bet to place here is the under 143.5 at -110 odds. Both of these teams are traveling internationally and playing in the early game on the schedule here in the Bahamas. There is an expectation that will lead to some poor shooting to start things off, even if they pick up later in the game. Combine that with an expected regression from UConn’s offense and the under is the play here.
Expert Pick #3 – Auburn +3.5 and Under 143.5 @ +260
The final play for this game is a combo of Auburn +3.5 and the under 143.5 at +260 odds. This tip is just a parlay of our previous two recommendations for this game. But both of these plays have a great shot at coming in based on UConn’s offense being seriously overvalued through the first four games of the season.
This should be an exciting game between two teams that we are going to learn a lot about here. But Auburn should be the better squad at this point in time, as UConn will be adjusting from playing some of the worst programs in college basketball. Take the points with Auburn and the under, as those are the best way to go here.
