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Villanova 12/28 @ XL Center, 6:30 pm FS1

Don't look but Villanova has won 5 in a row after a 2-5 start, including impressive beat downs of BC and St. John's. This team is better than the Georgetown team UConn just beat, although I looked at their stats and they are not shooting 3s as well as they have in past years- around 34%. They are shooting FTs at a blistering 82% as a team, which is phenomenal. Their team playing better has coincided with the return from injury of freshman phenom Cam Whitmore, Big East preseason freshman of the year, who has provided both scoring and rebounding off the bench. 247 has Whitmore ranked as the #13 recruit in his class and the #4 ranked small forward. Whitmore had 19 points and 7 boards off the bench in the win over BC, and 8 points and 10 boards last night in the win over SJU. He has provided high quality 6th man production.

However, Justin Moore, who is the likely best player on this team, is still out and will not return until January, which is a serious break for the Huskies.

This will be another stiff test for the Huskies.

SI Halfheartedly Predicts First UConn Loss: At Marquette January 11

UConn: Jan. 11, at Marquette​

Will the Huskies lose again? We’re kidding … we think. UConn is favored—mostly comfortably—to win all of its remaining games on both KenPom and T-Rank, but the chances of all of those coming true is quite low. How low? KenPom gives it 6.1% odds of happening. UConn’s toughest Big East tests include Marquette, Xavier and Creighton (despite the Bluejays’ recent struggles), and a healthier Villanova could be dangerous as well, now that Cam Whitmore is playing.

The Huskies have crushed everyone they’ve played so far, so we haven’t even seen how they’ll respond in a close contest late. Their stretch through mid-January contains some potential pitfalls, and then they don’t travel to Creighton and Villanova until Feb. 11 and March 4, respectively.

We don’t feel great about it, but we’re going to pick UConn’s trip to Marquette as its first defeat. The Golden Eagles have impressed in Shaka Smart’s second season, and they’re catching the Huskies at a good time: Connecticut will be finishing up a tough five-game stretch that includes hosting Villanova and Creighton and traveling to Xavier and Providence. Our main question is whether Marquette’s defense is going to be able to slow UConn’s potent offense.

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