The defending national champion and fifth-ranked UConn Huskies will battle the Indiana Hoosiers in the opening game of the 2023 Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday. The Huskies (3-0), who won their fifth national title last season, have won each of their first three games this season by 36 points or more. Connecticut tied with Providence for fourth place in the Big East Conference at 13-7 and were 31-8 overall. The Hoosiers (3-0), who tied for second with Northwestern at 12-8 in the Big Ten Conference and were 23-12 overall a year ago, are coming off an 89-80 win over Wright State on Thursday.
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET. UConn leads the all-time series 6-4. The Huskies are 11.5-point favorites in the latest UConn vs. Indiana odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 141. Before making any Indiana vs. UConn picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 2 of the 2023-24 season on an 87-56 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. Anyone who followed it saw huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UConn vs. Indiana and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Indiana vs. UConn:
UConn vs. Indiana spread: UConn -11.5UConn vs. Indiana over/under: 141 pointsUConn vs. Indiana money line: UConn -775, Indiana +535UCONN: The Huskies have hit the first-half money line in 28 of their last 35 games (+20.15 units)IND: The Hoosiers have hit the game total over in 13 of their last 22 games as the home team
UConn vs. Indiana picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why UConn can cover
Sophomore forward Alex Karaban is one of five Huskies averaging double-figure scoring. He is averaging 17 points per game, connecting on 65.4% of his field goals, including 38.5% from 3-point range. He is also hitting 85.7% of his free throws, while averaging 6.3 rebounds. In the season opener on Nov. 6 against Northern Arizona, he poured in 22 points, while grabbing seven boards.
Also helping power UConn is fifth-year senior guard Tristen Newton, who is in his second year in the program after spending three seasons at East Carolina. Through three starts, Newton is averaging 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.3 steals. In a 107-67 win over Stonehill on Nov. 11, he scored 22 points, while grabbing five rebounds, producing five steals and dishing out four assists. Newton, who is ranked in the Top 100 players in college basketball by both CBS Sports and The Almanac, was the only player in the NCAA to record two triple-doubles in 2022-23. See which team to pick here.
Why Indiana can cover
Sophomore center Kel’el Ware is averaging a double-double through three games, at 18.3 points and 10 rebounds. He is also dishing out 2.3 assists, making two blocks and registering one steal per game. Against Wright State on Thursday, he poured in 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, blocked two shots and added two assists. He is in his first season with the Hoosiers after playing last season at Oregon, where he made four starts in 35 appearances.
Sophomore forward Malik Reneau has also played well for Indiana, reaching double-digit scoring in all three games. He is coming off a 16-point, eight-rebound and five-assist performance against Wright State. For the season, he is averaging 15 points, 5.3 rebounds, four assists and 1.3 blocks in 30.7 minutes of action per game. In his two seasons with the Hoosiers, Reneau has started six of 38 games, averaging 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds. See which team to pick here.
How to make Indiana vs. UConn picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 145 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Connecticut vs. Indiana, and which side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $1,700 on its college basketball picks dating back to last season, and find out.
