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At one point, Connecticut looked like the best team in college basketball, winning 14 straight against one of the toughest schedules in the country to peak at No. 2 in the AP Poll. Then came a humbling loss at Xavier that sent the Huskies into a 1-5 tailspin, with three of those five losses coming by double digits.
It looks like Dan Hurley’s group has found its groove again after Sunday’s 30-point home win over Butler. And Wednesday’s rematch with the Musketeers serves as the perfect chance for the Huskies to seek vengeance and assert their elite upside once again.
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UConn Huskies guard Jordan Hawkins defends Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesUConn vs. Xavier prediction(6:30 p.m. ET.)
Connecticut showcased everything that made it such a dangerous team early in the year in that win over Butler. Its elite defense held the Bulldogs to just 0.85 points per possession and a meager 6 of 19 shooting (31.6 percent) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, their aggressive frontcourt grabbed 44 rebounds and finished with 42 points in the paint — helping the Huskies post a ridiculous 1.30 points per possession on the offensive end.
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It also marked UConn’s 16th win in its last 17 games at home, where it’s won 11 of 12 games this year by an average of 21.8 points. Connecticut beat Xavier by 11 points when they met in Storrs a year ago. I’d expect the Musketeers’ extreme 3-point-focused offense to struggle more in its second test this year against the Huskies’ elite perimeter defense.
UConn vs. Xavier pick
UConn (-6.5, FanDuel)
