Connecticut Huskies vs. Creighton Blue Jays: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 2/11/2023

Time: 2 p.m. ET

Venue: CHI Health Center Omaha, Omaha, NE

Where to watch: FOX

DraftKings: Creighton -4.5

FanDuel: Creighton -3.5

BetMGM: Creighton -4.5

Caesars: Creighton -4.5

No. 21 Connecticut: 19-6 (8-6 Big East)

No. 23 Creighton: 16-8 (10-3 Big East)

February is here and the college basketball season is taking full shape. Conference races still to be determined, the top 25 completely in shambles for what seems like every week, and there's bound to be an upset what seems like every single week. But as the season continues to progress with what seems like exciting action every week, you know our champion handicappers continue to put the work in each and every week to not only make money for them, but to ensure you get money in your pocket. All you need to do is look at the last 30 days. Scott Rickenbach has reeled in a net profit of $14,000 with a 24-9-0 run on the college hardwood. Team Del Genio has killed it with a 13-1-0 run at +$11,900. Will Rogers (28-15-0) and Matt Fargo (40-27-0) have also seen five figures over the last 30 days with college basketball. Surely, you want to get on this winning as well. All you need to do is go to bigal.com, check out our Best Bets page and make sure you are following along on the action. March will be here before you know it! Take advantage of our best best plays and find out what our champion handicappers are doing at bigal.com!

UConn - Creighton preview, prediction and analysis

UConn: won 87-72 vs. No. 10 Marquette

Creighton: won 75-62 at Seton Hall

I feel so bad for the Big East conference knowing that there are so many good teams at the top and then there are a few teams in the middle that you have to wonder if they are really that good and they are not going to be taking it as seriously as the Big 12 will because that's the way the landscape of college basketball works.

 

But that is what makes the grand appeal of Saturday's game between the Connecticut Huskies and the Creighton Blue Jays to be as tremendous as it can be. Because three straight wins for Connecticut suddenly has everyone thinking that they are back to their old ways when they were number two in the country which is far from the truth. But now they also get to face a team in Creighton that has been able to put a stamp on being a really good team in March over the last number of years and this is their time to show that they belong in the conversation.

 

If you are Connecticut, how could you not be excited after what transpired earlier in the week when the Huskies defeated the Marquette Golden Eagles in a battle of ranked opponents, 87-72, in what was probably Connecticut’s biggest win of the season sands earlier in the season. And when you get a performance like Connecticut did in that last game from Tristen Newton, you’re doing something right.

 

Newton did not have the most points in this game, but he made the biggest impact with a triple double of 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists to lead Connecticut to the stunning 15 point victory. Jordan Hawkins led the way with 20 points and six rebounds, as Connecticut shot 50% from the floor and 52% from 3 point range to cruise too said victory. Imagine if this team was as any good as they were earlier in the season, then it would be much more exciting.

 

But anytime when you get to March, and we have talked about this plenty before, the Blue Jays are a team that you never want to take for granted when it comes to figuring out who your sleeper is come tournament time period somehow that program always finds a way to be competitive this time of year, challenge for the Big East title, and then everything just goes in a very awkward way that you would have never experienced before.

 

Creighton is coming into this game having won seven straight, which includes victories over Providence and Xavier, but the latest victory was a 75-62 victory at Seton hall on Wednesday in usually what is considered a trap game for Creighton. Baylor Scheierman led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds against the pirates. And as you would expect from Creighton, it was a much balanced attack that usually tends to happen this time of year for this program.

 

The winning streak for Connecticut is not as impressive as the one for Creighton. And I still do not trust the Huskies to actually put forth a solid effort that would get them a quality victory in this game. If Connecticut wins the entire balancing shift of the Big East is up in the balance as we know it. But it will not happen on this day. Creighton 76, Connecticut 69

UConn is 4-9 ATS after a conference game this season.

UConn is 6-5 ATS off a home win this season.

Creighton is 31-26 ATS after a conference game the last 3 seasons.

Creighton is 8-2 ATS after allowing 65 points or less in 3 straight games the last 3 seasons.

PG: Jordan Hawkins

SG: Tristen Newton

SF: Andre Jackson Jr.

PF: Alex Karaban

C: Adama Sanoggo

PG: Ryan Nembhard

SG: Trey Alexander

SF: Baylor Scheierman

PF: Arthur Kaluma

C: Ryan Kalkbrenner