The Providence Friars take on the UConn Huskies in Storrs, CT. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET on NBC.
UConn is favored by 14.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -1000. The total is set at 137 points.
Here are my Providence vs. UConn predictions and college basketball picks for January 5, 2025.
Providence vs UConn Prediction
My Pick: UConn -13.5 (Play to -15)
My Providence vs UConn best bet is on the Huskies spread, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Providence vs UConn Odds
| Providence Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+14.5 -108 | 137 -110 / -110 | +650 |
| UConn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-14.5 -112 | 137 -110 / -110 | -1000 |
- Providence vs UConn spread: UConn -14.5
- Providence vs UConn over/under: 137 points
- Providence vs UConn moneyline: UConn -1000, Providence +650
- Providence vs UConn best bet: UConn -13.5 (Play to -15)
Spread
I'm taking the Huskies on the spread up to 15.
Moneyline
There's no value on the moneyline.
Over/Under
There's no value on the total.
My Pick: UConn -13.5 (Play to -15)
Providence vs UConn College Basketball Betting Preview
UConn has won seven straight games and looks like a top-two team in the Big East.
Meanwhile, Providence has lost three straight games and looks destined for the bottom of the conference. Plus, the Friars' best player — Bryce Hopkins — hasn't played since December 10 in the team's conference opener against DePaul.
At this point, it honestly may not even matter if Hopkins suits up. The Friars can't score and are shooting just 33% from downtown despite launching a high percentage of 3-pointers. That's not a good recipe offensively, and they no longer have the option to turn to Devin Carter (NBA) to bail them out.
More importantly, the Friars look deflated, and that's bad news when going on the road to face the defending national champs.
One thing the Friars have working for them on Sunday is freshman Liam McNeeley — who's averaging 15 points in the past seven games — is out due to an ankle sprain.
Dan Hurley told reporters that UConn's Liam McNeeley has a high ankle sprain and will be out weeks — not days, per a school spokesman.
Hurley: "Maybe by the end of January."
Averages 13.6 PPG.
Significant Big East News.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 4, 2025
But will that really make a huge difference? Alex Karaban has settled into his role, Solo Ball has dropped 22 points in two of his past three games and Tarris Reed Jr. has taken a massive step up front.
This also may be a chance for the Huskies to finally get some consistency out of Jaylin Stewart, Jayden Ross and Aidan Mahaney, so it's not as if UConn is lacking in the depth department.
The Friars are tough to handicap because of how difficult it's been to project and get updates surrounding Hopkins (Kim English has been hesitant with the media). But regardless, the talent differential, home court advantage and coaching mismatch leaves me no choice but to ride the Huskies, even without their second-leading scorer.
