Pittsburgh Panthers at Connecticut Huskies Betting Preview

Opening Line: Panthers +6 / Huskies -6 O/U 132

Time: 7 PM EST Wednesday January 13, 2010 on ESPN2

Tonight in an important, especially for UCONN, early season Big East match up the 15th ranked UCONN Huskies host the 20th ranked Pittsburgh Panthers. This game is very important to the Huskies, as they have lost 2 of their last 4 games and both of those losses have come to conference foes. This is a game between the two winningest programs in the Big East in the last 10 years and the game has turned into a major rivalry. Pitt comes into the game undefeated on the road this season (3-0) and in the Big East (3-0) and they have won 6 straight games.

This season UCONN is 11-0 at home and 5-7-1 ATS and Pitt is 3-0 on the road and 7-5-1 ATS.

In their last game Pitt beat Cincinnati 74-71 while UCONN lost to Georgetown 72-69.

Pitt has won 3 of the last 4 games against UCONN.

Both teams are solid on defense, as Pitt is only allowing an average of 58 ppg and UCONN is one of the better teams in the nation in terms of field-goal percentage defense (37.2%).

The Huskies cannot afford to have a defensive lapse like they did in their loss to Georgetown in their last game when they led by 15 at halftime and committed 15 turnovers. Turnovers have killed the Huskies in their losses this season, as when they commit 13 or fewer turnovers they are 9-0.

The Panthers will have to win with their backcourt trio of G's Ashton Gibbs (17.5 ppg), Brad Wanamaker (12.2 ppg), and G/F Gilbert Brown (10 ppg). Pitt is a decent rebounding team with Wanamaker (6.4 rpg), F Nasir Robinson (6.1 rpg), and C Gary McGhee (6.5 ppg), but the Robinson and McGhee are not legit scoring threats, as neither is averaging above 7 ppg.

The Huskies are a better, and more well-balanced, scoring team, as they have 4 players averaging in double figures led by G Jerome Dyson (19.3 ppg) and F Stanley Robinson (12.7 ppg). Much like the Panthers the Huskies rebound well as a team with 4 players averaging at least 5 boards per game.

The team that can play solid defense and win the battle of the boards will win this game.

Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker have to hold onto the rock tonight, as in the loss to Georgetown the duo had a combined 10 turnovers.

Pitt is 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. UCONN is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games, 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning % above .600, and 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games against teams in the Big East.

Our Selection : The Huskies are 10-0 SU at home this season and after a rocky start ATS at home losing their first 5 games against the spread, they have covered the last 3. While they haven't faced an opponent as solid as Pitt this season at home they have won all their games by 6 or more points. The Panthers will be playing their first game since Jan 4th and we think that it will take them a couple of games to get back into stride. Take the Huskies -6


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NCAAB Handicapping

Butler Bulldogs vs UCONN Huskies 4-4
The UCONN Huskies are a 3.5 point favorite at 5Dimes when they faceoff against the Butler Bulldogs for the NCAA Championship on Monday night in Houston.

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