The Oklahoma Sooners take on the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament. Tip-off is set for 9:25 p.m. ET on TNT.
UConn is favored by 5.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -230. The total is set at 148.5 points.
Here’s my Oklahoma vs. UConn predictions and college basketball picks for March 21, 2025.
Oklahoma vs UConn Prediction
Pick: UConn -6.5 or Better
My UConn vs. Oklahoma best bet is on the Huskies spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Oklahoma vs UConn Odds, Spread, Pick
| Oklahoma Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 147 -110o / -110u | +225 |
| UConn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 147 -110o / -110u | -275 |
- Oklahoma vs UConn spread: UConn -6.5, Oklahoma +6.5
- Oklahoma vs UConn over/under: 147
- Oklahoma vs UConn moneyline: UConn -275, Oklahoma +225
My Oklahoma vs UConn NCAA Tournament Preview
Both of these teams have had roller coaster seasons.
UConn's bid for a third consecutive national title has taken wild swings. The Huskies went winless in Maui before returning to the mainland to rip off wins against Baylor, Texas, Gonzaga and Xavier.
Star freshman Liam McNeeley got hurt, hampering the Huskies' offense. Connecticut went 6-6 as McNeeley sat and then returned from the injury.
UConn finished with four straight regular season wins before bowing out in the Big East Tournament semifinals.
All along the way, Danny Hurley has made headlines by yelling at refs, yelling at fans and just generally yelling.
The thing that should upset him the most is his own team's defense. The Huskies rank 96th nationally, despite having the talent to be much better on that end of the floor. Samson Johnson is an excellent rim defender, leading Connecticut to the second-best block rate in the country.
He, and many of his teammates, are over-aggressive going for blocks and steals, leading to the 333rd-ranked free throw rate allowed.
Oklahoma's roller coaster has been a bit more like a water slide. The Sooners started the season 13-0. playing KenPom's 323rd-ranked non-conference strength of schedule.
The brutal SEC then punched Porter Moser and the boys square in the teeth. Oklahoma went 6-12 in conference, still earning a bid thanks to the strength of the league and non-conference wins over Michigan, Louisville and Arizona.
The most troubling thing about Oklahoma's play in the SEC is its work against the top of the league. Against the eight teams that earned a six-seed or better, the Sooners had a 1-10 record.
Like UConn, Oklahoma's issues came on the defensive end of the floor. Moser has long been a proponent of defending the 3-point line, and his Sooners have done so nicely. They don't, however, have the interior defense to handle the dribble attacks that come from aggressive close-outs.
No player on the team has 20 blocks this season, in 33 games. The Sooners all0w the 322nd-best 2-point percentage in the country, with a weak defensive rebounding ability in part to blame.
These two subpar defenses will each pose their opponent a question. Can Oklahoma, which ranks 29th nationally in offensive free throw rate, take advantage of the grabby Huskies and earn countless trips to the foul line?
Or will UConn, a top-20 team in 2-point percentage and offensive rebounding rate, simply outmuscle the Sooners and dominate the paint?
It's possible for both answers to be yes, but the latter question is far more likely. Even if UConn's outside shots aren't falling and its defense is playing iffy on the other end, the Huskies will be able to get easy buckets and putbacks all night long.
Even if fouls rack up, UConn is deep enough to handle long stretches without anyone but McNeeley on the court.
Hurley and his Huskies should send Oklahoma home.
