UConn vs Seton Hall Odds, Pick for Wednesday

The reigning national champion Connecticut Huskies return to Big East play when they face Seton Hall in Newark on Wednesday night.

Let's not forget, however, that the Big East punched UConn in the mouth last season. The Huskies at one point lost six of eight games in December and January, which led to some adjustments that eventually helped them make their run in March.

They will face the Seton Hall Pirates, who are desperate for a big win and a spark. Here's UConn vs Seton Hall odds and a pick for Wednesday.

UConn’s bid to repeat as national champions is off to a hot start. The Huskies are 10-1, with the lone loss in a true road game against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, one of the most difficult places to win in college basketball.

Though this roster lost several key contributors from last season’s championship team, they’ve hit the ground running with returning players growing into new roles.

Tristen Newton has grown from a secondary scorer into a superstar, nearly dragging the Huskies to a win in that Kansas game with his 31 points. Donovan Clingan, who was arguably the best big man on the Huskies last season, even with all-conference center Adama Sanogo in the starting lineup, has blossomed into a game-changer. Clingan changes the calculus around the rim on both ends of the floor with his size and strength.

UConn’s key addition to the roster came via the transfer portal, with Rutgers guard Cam Spencer sliding into the shooter’s role abandoned when Jordan Hawkins left for the NBA. Spencer is excelling in that role as he is shooting better than 45 percent from deep on nearly seven attempts per game.

Until the Huskies see some of the tougher matchups in Big East play, it’s hard to see the cracks that could lead to losses. This is as complete a team as there is in college hoops. Comparatively, these Huskies look much sharper than the championship team that struggled in December and January last year before peaking in March.

Shaheen Halloway has assembled a three-guard lineup that was built in the depths of the transfer portal. Kadary Richmond and Al-Amir Dawes came via Syracuse and Clemson, respectively, prior to last season, with Dylan Addae-Wusu joining from St. John’s this summer.

All three are solid players, but they don’t mesh well as a cohesive unit because each is a dribble-first guard. Richmond has some passing feel, but none of the three are shooters, which hemorrhages spacing.

This has resulted in an offense that’s stuck inside the arc, predictable for defenses and far too dependent on offensive rebounds.

Defensively, the Pirates always seem to be a step slow closing out on shooters. Every Seton Hall opponent has hoisted at least 19 3s, with the Pirates getting relatively lucky with opponent shooting percentage so far.

For a team stacked with seniors, Seton Hall is off to a fairly slow start and has little hope of building a postseason-worthy resume.

UConn has passed every test so far this season but will certainly face some challenges in the rigors of a Big East schedule. This bus trip to New Jersey, in theory, could look like a scary spot.

In reality, this Seton Hall team doesn't have the teeth to score with UConn or slow the Huskies down. Clingan should feast in the middle while simultaneously making life really difficult for a Pirates group built to attack off the bounce.

Seton Hall has played four top-80 teams, per Kenpom, and lost to all four. If the Pirates are going to play spoiler in the Big East, I'd rather back them against the Creighton Bluejays in late February.

For now, UConn is simply too much, even with a double-digit spread.

Pick: UConn -11.5 (Play to -12)