No. 4 UConn will face No. 16 Michigan in a college basketball national championship rematch on Friday at TD Garden in Boston. The Huskies opened the season with an 86-46 win over Gardner-Webb, while the Wolverines cruised to an 84-68 victory over Oakland.
UConn enters as a 7.5-point favorite with the over/under set at 142.5 points. The Huskies are -310 on the money line. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Team Overview
UConn, ranked fourth in the country, is coming off a 34-6 campaign that ended with a loss to Michigan in the national title game. Head coach Dan Hurley recorded his 200th career win in the season opener. Braylon Mullins led the Huskies with 20 points, while Na'jai Hines contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Michigan aims to become the first Big Ten team to win back-to-back national championships. Guard Elliot Cadeau, the team's top returning player, averaged 10.5 points and 5.9 assists last season and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. The Wolverines lost their top three scorers to the NBA but added a highly ranked recruiting class. In their opener, Trey McKenney scored 17 points, and Roddy Gayle Jr. also had 17 points, while Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella added 15 points.
Betting Preview
SportsLine's computer model projects Michigan to cover the 7.5-point spread in 51% of simulations. The model also projects the over 142.5 points to hit in 69% of simulations, citing early-season defensive chemistry challenges for both retooled rosters. Michigan ranked ninth nationally in scoring last season at 87.3 points per game.
