UConn vs Northwestern – Betting betting odds, predictions, pick and promos

There is a high bar of expectation set for Connecticut heading into this NCAA tournament.

The Huskies reached this rather easily in the opening round and once again sent a message to the rest of college basketball.

UConn is the consensus favorite to win the entire Tournament by a comfortable margin and proved just why.

The reigning National Champions defeated 16-seeded Stetson 91-52 in their opening-round matchup and now will turn their attention to 9th-seeded Northwestern.

These teams are fighting out of the East region of the bracket with the matchup taking place in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 

Best betting promos for UConn vs Northwestern

Find the best promos from the best sportsbooks for the NCAA Finals. Learn more about betting on the tournament in the NCAA Finals betting and strategy guide.

Exclusive promos for North Carolina punters

With sports betting finally legal in North Carolina, sportsbooks are offering punters in the Tar Heel state exclusive promos, perfect to use for the NCAA Finals.

UConn (1) vs Northwestern (9) betting preview

Connecticut was one of four teams in the country to reach 30 wins this season and did so with the toughest schedule of the other three. They went 31-3 on the year and 18-2 in Big East conference play. The Huskies are dominant on both sides of the ball averaging 81.5 points per game and allowing just 64.4 points per game which rank 23rd and 15th in the country respectively. They also led the country in offensive rating, have tallied the 3rd-most assists per game, and rank 5th in field-goal percentage. 

They have nearly an identical statistical profile to last year’s team which produced the 16th National Championship in program history. 42.6% of the minutes played and 36.6% of the scoring production from last year’s championship team have remained with the program and are geared up for another run. Headlining this is 6-foot-5 guard Tristen Newton who leads the team and is averaging 15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. UConn has four other players averaging double-figures in Cam Spencer, Alex Karaban, and Donovan Clingan. 

It is tough to find any holes in the UConn team. They rank 2nd in the NET Rankings, trailing only Houston. The Huskies were a perfect 14-0 against Quad 2,3, and 4 opponents and 16-4 in Quad 1 matchups. Their four losses came at the hands of Kansas, TCU, and Iowa State. They also are led by head coach Dan Hurley who is a master motivator and possesses the X’s and O’s to give them the coaching advantage against nearly anyone. 

Northwestern will be the next team tasked with trying to find some sort of weakness in this Connecticut team and will hope to have more luck than Stetson. The Wildcats went 21-11 on the season and 12-8 in Big Ten play. They averaged 73.7 points per game, ranking 171st in the country, and held opponents to 69.0 points per game which was the 87th-best rate. Northwestern finished the season 53rd in the NET Rankings and had the 56th most difficult strength of schedule this year. 

In the opening-round matchup, Northwestern took down Florida Atlantic in overtime. This was not the most inspiring performance as both teams struggled greatly to score in this game, combining for just 39 first-half points. Northwestern outscored FAU 19-7 in overtime to blow things open and make it look like a more convincing victory than was truly the case. As is expected, Boo Buie and Brooks Barnhizer led the charge and combined for 49 points in the win. Buie has emerged as a fan-favorite in the tournament and has averaged 19.2 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 44.3% on three-point attempts this season. 

Northwestern has a solid amount of guard talent which they will need to lean on to have any success in this game. They are a strong shooting team, connecting on 39.4% of their three-point attempts this season which is the 6th-best rate in the country. This will need to be leaned on heavily in this matchup. However, Northwestern’s biggest weakness is its lack of size which is especially a concern against this UConn team.

UConn vs Northwestern odds

Below are the odds for this matchup, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. 

• Spread: UConn -14 at -110 odds, Northwestern +14 at -110 odds
• Moneyline: UConn -1650, Northwestern +950
• Total: Over/Under 135.5 points

UConn vs Northwestern analysis

For Northwestern to have a chance in this matchup, they are going to need an impressive perimeter shooting performance. The size of UConn is set to cause some major issues that will impact their ability to score inside and scrap for rebounds.

Cam Spencer is the shortest player in Connecticut’s starting lineup at 6-foot-4. For Northwestern, 7-foot center Matthew Nicholson will be tasked with attempting to slow down the Huskies' interior presence and this is not a matchup that the Wildcats should feel great about.

Connecticut relies on 7-foot-2 center Donovan Clingan who is expected to be a first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft. He has averaged 12.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game this season. 

Expect Northwestern to launch a significant amount of three-pointers and to live and die with how they fall. Boo Buie is an explosive scorer who has eclipsed 20 points in 17 games this season including in the opening-round matchup.

His style of play feels made for March and Northwestern will need him to be capable of going blow-for-blow with UConn’s backcourt.

UConn vs Northwestern pick

Northwestern is a scrappy squad and a great story, but the talent difference is too stark to overlook here. The three-point efficiency from the Wildcats will dictate if they can remain in the game, but

Connecticut looks to be on a mission and it will take a far more talented team to change this. Ultimately, expect Connecticut’s size difference to make an impact and for this to lead to too many second-chance points. 

While the 14-point spread is an extremely high number for a second-round matchup, it is still one worth laying. Connecticut looks to be focused on sending a message with their play and the best way to do this is by producing another blowout.

They won 19 games this season by 15 points or more and Dan Hurley has no issue running it up on teams.

The Huskies have a chance at climbing into the conversation of some all-time great college basketball teams and it will take a far tougher challenge than Northwestern to prevent this

🏀 Go for UConn to cover the spread at -110 with DraftKings 🏀

UConn vs Northwestern info

• Who: UConn (1) vs Northwestern (9)
• Date: Sunday, March 24th
• Time: 12:00 PM EST
• Venue: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, New York)
• Where to watch: CBS

About the author

Sean Barnard

Sean Barnard has worked in sports media for the past five years. He has spent time as the 76ers Lead Writer for Philly Sports Network, Associate Editor at CluchPoints, Eagles Beat Reporter for YardBarker, and more. He also owns and operates his own Podcast Network called Pick Swap Media and is a radio host on Fox 102.5 The Gambler presented by iHeartMedia. Sean has written over 1500 articles and recorded over 500 podcasts and is just getting started. Based out of the Philadelphia region in the United States, Sean is a lifelong passionate sports fan who can be  where he rattles off basketball breakdowns and other news.

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the sportsbooks offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 21+. T&Cs apply. Gambling Problem? 

Responsible gambling 

Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
• National Council on Problem Gambling – 
• Gamble Aware – 

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 1-800-522-4700 or go to 

Most read in US

2025 Kentucky Derby - Odds, betting guide & promo

Best Sportsbooks Promos - Bonus bets and promo codes for May 2025