UCONN vs New Mexico State: 2022 NCAA Tournament West Region Odds, How to Watch, More

NCAA Basketball: Big East Conference Tournament-Villanova vs Connecticut
Mar 11, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Connecticut Huskies forward Isaiah Whaley (5) celebrates with guard Tyrese Martin (4) after blocking a shot in the first half against the Villanova Wildcats at the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

2022 NCAA Tournament First Round: No. 5 UCONN Huskies vs. No. 12 New Mexico State Aggies

How to Watch:

  • Date: Thursday, March 17
  • Time: 6:50 p.m. ET
  • Location: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY
  • TV: TNT
  • Live Stream: NCAA.com

Tale of the Tape:

No. 5 UCONN STAT No. 12 NMSU
Big East Conference Western Athletic Conference
23-9 Record 26-6
75.2 (76th) Points Per Game 73.3 (126th)
65.2 Points Allowed Per Game 65.0
0.5992 (27th) RPI 0.6001 (23rd)
52nd Strength of Schedule 133rd
At-Large Bid Bid Automatic Bid

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Connecticut leaders:

Mar 10, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Huskies forward Adama Sanogo (21) secures a rebound against the Seton Hall Pirates during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
  • Adama Sanogo, F, JSO: 14.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.0 BPG, 51.1% FG
  • Tyrese Martin, G, SR: 13.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 42 3PT%

New Mexico State leaders:

Dec 15, 2021; Pullman, Washington, USA; Aggies guard Teddy Allen (0) celebrates after a game against the Washington State Cougars at Friel Court at Beasley Coliseum. Aggies won 64-61. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
  • Teddy Allen, G, JR: 19.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.2 SPG
  • Sir’Jabari Rice, G, JR: 12.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.2 APG

Odds, Lines, and Past Performance:

  • NMSU Moneyline: +230
  • UCONN Moneyline: -290
  • Spread: UCONN -7
  • Over/Under: 131.5
  • ATS Record: UCONN 13-18-1, NMSU 17-12
  • Over/Under Record: UCONN 18-14, NMSU 15-13-1

Odds courtesy of Draftkings. For the latest odds, click here.

 

The Pick:

  • Neither team is going to be rattled in this one, that’s for sure. The Aggies are in their ninth NCAA Tournament in the last ten years, and the Huskies are a staple in the Big Dance.
  • The experience on the Aggies would have made them a pretty strong upset candidate if they had gotten a different draw. They rank 81st in the nation in KenPom’s rankings, with a good balance on offense and defense. They like to play at a slow pace (223rd in tempo) but are not a particularly strong team from beyond the arc, shooting just 32.6% (244th) on 24 attempts. That’s unfortunate because the Huskies allow threes at a decent clip.
  • However, the Huskies also hit a lot of threes, ranking 92nd in the country with a 35.3% rate from deep on 21.1 attempts per game.
  • The Huskies also play at a slow pace, 291st in the country in adjusted tempo, and are a physical rebounding team, so they don’t give up a lot of second-chance points. It will be hard for the Aggies to score inside, but there is a good chance the slower pace of this game and the experience of the Aggies will allow them to keep it close, which favors the favorite since they are the better free-throw shooting team but could allow the underdogs to cover the spread.

For more 2022 NCAA Tournament coverage, visit TailgateSports.com