March 21 Oklahoma vs UConn Game: Odds, Predictions, and Picks

• Oklahoma goes up against UConn in NCAA Tournament first-round action on Friday night from the West Region
• UConn comes in as the two-time defending champions, while Oklahoma tries merely to advance
• Get my Oklahoma vs UConn odds and predictions, plus betting picks

The #9 Oklahoma Sooners (20-13, 18-15 ATS) go up against the #8 Connecticut Huskies (23-10, 16-17 ATS) in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday (9:25 pm ET). Oklahoma was eliminated by Kentucky in the SEC Tournament while UConn stumbled against Creighton in the Big East Tournament. The winner expects to face top-seeded Florida on Sunday.

Both teams have their many detractors. Oklahoma went 6-12 in the SEC, while UConn lost six times in conference including twice to Creighton and once to Seton Hall. Bettors can watch Oklahoma vs UConn on TNT.

Do not forget to check out my Oklahoma vs UConn picks and predictions, below.

Oklahoma vs UConn Odds

Connecticut is currently a 5.5-point favorite (opened at 4.5) in the latest college basketball odds. The Huskies are -230 on the moneyline at DraftKings with the Sooners hovering around +190. The game total stands at 148.5 with the under favored at -115. 

Odds as of March 21st at DraftKings Sportsbook. For bettors new on the NCAA Tournament, take a look at SBD’s guide How to Bet on March Madness.

Oklahoma Betting Trends

Oklahoma appeared like they were righting the ship before their narrow SEC Tournament loss to Kentucky last week. The Sooners nearly missed the tournament but made it despite six regular season wins in conference. The team may have been a more controversial NCAA tournament choice than North Carolina or even Texas. Yes, 14 teams from the SEC made the dance. Being just above .500 ATS and staying close in games is not enough in tournament play. Now, teams need to win. No one gets moral points for close losses here.

Also, Oklahoma gets itself in these tight games because they cannot rebound. The Sooners average 32.7 rebounds per game (325th in the NCAA). Oklahoma allows nearly three more offensive rebounds a game. Extra possessions this time of year often spell trouble. Several other rankings are concerning too but Oklahoma yields 74.8 points per game. Their guards could be their biggest detriment. Jeremiah Friars turns the ball over 3.5 times a game alone and only makes 27.5% of his shots from beyond the arc.

The Sooners drawing an angry Connecticut Huskies team probably was not a favor to Oklahoma. Oklahoma needs to get to the line often and get UConn in foul trouble on Friday night.

UConn Betting Trends

The UConn Huskies roll in with one of the craziest stats. Connecticut has won 12 straight NCAA Tournament games against the spread. Can the Dan Hurley team flip the switch from what was a turbulent regular season. Even the loss to Creighton in the Big East Tournament cannot truly be considered an upset. Is UConn the team they were the past two years. That answer is an emphatic no.

The problem for Connecticut lies in consistency. This Huskies team went 14-6 in the Big East. However, they lost twice to St. John’s and got out-hustled by several teams. It was something Dan Hurley probably could not stomach. Overall numbers are pretty good, but too often, UConn gets caught napping for large stretches in games. That was not seen in the past two NCAA Tournaments.

Also, the Huskies’ adjusted tempo ranks a stark 343rd. Connecticut often cannot generate their own pace. That was a staple of their past two National Championships.

In theory, Connecticut should easily win this first-round matchup, but can they?  

Oklahoma vs UConn Predictions and Picks

Yes, put up or shut up time is here. Let’s make some predictions for what might be a disjointed game. If Connecticut can put a solid first half together, a cover is very likely. The fact that the spread only moved from 4.5 to 5.5 is telling. Even sportsbooks are not sure here.

I like Connecticut to find a way to extend their streak of covers to 13 in an ugly way but lead wire-to-wire on Friday.

Pick 1: Connecticut to lead at Halftime/Fulltime (-140 at DraftKings)

Pick 2: UConn -5.5 points (-110) at DraftKings

The highly anticipated matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the UConn Huskies on March 21 is sure to be a thrilling game for college basketball fans. Both teams have had successful seasons so far, with Oklahoma boasting a 19-14 record and UConn sitting at 23-9.

When it comes to the odds for this game, sportsbooks currently have Oklahoma as the slight favorite with a spread of -2.5 points. This means that if you bet on Oklahoma to win, they would need to win by at least 3 points in order for you to win your bet. On the other hand, if you bet on UConn, they would need to either win the game outright or lose by less than 3 points for you to win your bet.

In terms of predictions for this game, it’s expected to be a close matchup between two evenly matched teams. Oklahoma has a strong offense led by guard Austin Reaves, who is averaging 18.3 points per game, while UConn has a solid defense that is holding opponents to just 64.7 points per game. It will likely come down to which team can execute better on both ends of the court.

As for picks, it’s always tough to predict the outcome of a single game, especially in college basketball where anything can happen. However, if you’re looking to place a bet on this game, it may be wise to consider taking the underdog in UConn. They have been playing well as of late and could potentially pull off the upset against Oklahoma.

Overall, the March 21 matchup between Oklahoma and UConn is shaping up to be an exciting game with plenty of betting opportunities. Whether you’re rooting for the Sooners or the Huskies, this game is sure to provide plenty of entertainment for college basketball fans.