The Stetson Hatters will make their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history Friday when they face the defending national champion Connecticut Huskies in an East Region first-round matchup. Tipoff is set for 2:45 p.m. ET from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The No. 16-seeded Hatters (22-12) earned their bid by winning the Atlantic Sun Tournament and will head to March Madness for the first time in the program's 53-year history at Division I. Their only other postseason appearances came in the CBI in 2021 and 2023, netting one total victory. The No. 1-seeded Huskies (31-3) begin their quest toward back-to-back national championships and sixth overall for the program.
The Huskies are 26-point favorites and the over/under for total points scored is 145.5 in the latest SportsLine consensus Stetson vs. UConn odds. Before making any UConn vs. Stetson picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UConn vs. Stetson. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Stetson vs. UConn:
- UConn vs. Stetson point spread: Connecticut -26.5
- UConn vs. Stetson over/under total points: 145.5
- UConn vs. Stetson money line: Connecticut -8092, Stetson +2130
- STET: The Hatters are 7-5 against the spread in non-conference games this season.
- UCONN: The Huskies are 9-1 ATS this season playing after four or more days off.
- UConn vs. Stetson picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why UConn can cover
Connecticut coach Danny Hurley was hired to lead the program after he guided Rhode Island to a pair of second-round NCAA Tournament appearances in six seasons. His teams were known for their physicality and work ethic, and he vowed to bring the same lunch-pail mentality to the Huskies.
He succeeded, posting a 38-18 record across his first two seasons while leading Connecticut to NCAA Tournament berths. However, both tournament runs were stopped in the first round as a lack of offensive consistency haunted the Huskies. Hurley recently told the media that he spent the offseason after that second year finding ways to exploit the offensive gifts of his returning players, namely guard Jordan Hawkins.
Hawkins, who is now in the NBA, averaged a career-high 16.2 points after logging just 5.2 the prior season. Hurley has now turned that role over to Tristen Newton and has seen similar results. His 15.2 points per game are a clip ahead of last year's 10.1 average.
"Without a high-powered offense and being able to score the ball, you can't win a six-game tournament," Hurley recently told the media. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
Why Stetson can cover
The Hatters are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance after 53 years as a Division I program and are determined to make the most of the opportunity. They have solid depth, with eight players logging at least 14 minutes per contest, and are capable of playing at varying tempos. They are also solid from behind the arc, shooting 37% from 3-point range.
In the ASUN Tournament final, Stetson faced a nonstop press from Austin Peay and succumbed to the Governors' preferred track meet. But they kept their poise and executed well, shooting 52% from the field and yielding just nine turnovers in a game that saw numerous lead changes and the Hatters' largest lead was six.
Junior guard Jalen Blackmon, the team's scoring leader (21.5 ppg), more than doubled his average output with 43 points on 13-of-22 shooting. He added five rebounds and three assists. Junior center Aubin Gateretse added 13 points and seven rebounds. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Stetson vs. UConn picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 153 points. It also says one side of the spread is the better value. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UConn vs. Stetson, and which side of the spread is the better value? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that is 29-19 on top-rated college basketball spread picks this season.
