Furman vs. UConn Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest NCAA Tournament First Round Odds for Friday, March 20th
Furman and UConn meet in the NCAA Tournament first round on Friday night in a 15 vs. 2 matchup. UConn enters with more questions than usual after a shaky finish to the Big East Tournament, while Furman arrives as a confident SoCon champion looking to pressure the Huskies right away. Let’s check out the odds and best bet for Furman vs. UConn prediction on March 20.
OC Staff - March 20, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT
5 Minute ReadFurman vs. UConn Prediction: Can the Huskies Regain Their Edge and Start Another March Run?
UConn still has the profile of a dangerous contender, but this is not the same version that cruised into March with no questions attached. The Huskies were hammered 72-52 by St. John’s in the Big East title game after also taking a late-season loss to Creighton, so the conversation entering Friday is whether Dan Hurley’s team can reset quickly and look like a national title threat again.
Furman is not walking in intimidated. The Paladins won the SoCon tournament, claimed their second league tournament title in four years, and now get a national stage against a UConn team that has looked more vulnerable lately than its seed line suggests.
Furman vs. UConn Recent Results
UConn is 29-5, 17-3 Big East and reached the Big East championship game before losing badly to St. John’s. Before that, the Huskies beat Georgetown in the semifinals and finished the regular season with a resume strong enough to earn a No. 2 seed in the East Region.
Furman is 22-12, 10-8 SoCon and enters on a three-game winning streak after beating ETSU 76-61 in the SoCon championship game. The Paladins had to win from the No. 6 seed in their conference tournament, so they come in already playing with postseason urgency.
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Furman vs. UConn Odds
- Spread: UConn -20.5 (-105), Furman +20.5 (-109)
- Moneyline: UConn (-6000), Furman (+2000)
- Total: Over 135 (-110), Under 135 (-110)
Furman vs. UConn Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Friday, March 20th, 2026
- Time: 10:00 PM ET
- Where to Watch: TBS
Click here for complete Furman vs. UConn Odds
Furman vs. UConn Preview, Injuries, Lineup News
The biggest UConn rotation note is forward Jaylin Stewart, who remains out with a knee injury, which has increased the workload on Alex Karaban and the rest of the frontcourt. That matters in a game like this because UConn still has plenty of size and shot-making, but the Huskies are not quite as deep as they looked earlier in the season.
Karaban remains the central veteran piece for UConn, and Tarris Reed Jr. gives the Huskies a major interior scoring option. Furman, meanwhile, brings back a group that can really shoot it, with Cooper Bowser averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game after missing time earlier in the year and Asa Thomas adding 12.4 points per game despite his own lower-body absence during the season.
Furman vs. UConn Prediction
This game should come down to whether Furman can make enough shots early to keep UConn uncomfortable. The Paladins are good enough offensively to test a favorite for a stretch, and that makes them more dangerous than a typical No. 15 seed. But the matchup still tilts strongly toward UConn because of the Huskies’ size, late-clock shot creation, and their ability to control games when they lock in defensively.
The biggest edge still belongs to UConn in the frontcourt. Furman can rebound and shoot, but over 40 minutes the Huskies should be able to wear the Paladins down with Reed, Karaban, and a defense that has already been tested by Big East competition all season. The question is less about survival and more about style points. If UConn starts cleanly and gets back to dictating tempo, this should look like the kind of opener a No. 2 seed is supposed to handle.
UConn is the better side and should advance, but Furman is capable enough from the perimeter to make the Huskies earn it for a while before the talent gap takes over.
Furman vs. UConn Best Bet
- Pick: Alex Karaban Under 5.5 Rebounds (-115) Check out the best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Our FairPlay AI likes Karaban to stay under this number with a 24.8% positive EV, and the model has tracked this prop correctly 65.0% of the time over his last 20 games. In a potential blowout, this also profiles as the type of game where UConn can spread the rebounding around rather than needing a huge glass-cleaning night from Karaban.
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