New Mexico State vs UConn Odds, Lines, and Spread

• The UConn Huskies take on the New Mexico State Aggies in First Round West Region action
• No. 5 UConn have not tallied a win at the NCAA Tournament since 2016, while the 12th-seeded Aggies vie to snap a three-game slide in opening-round action
• Read on for the New Mexico State vs UConn odds and trends ahead of Thursday evening’s matchup at Keybank Center in Buffalo

The New Mexico State Aggies (26-6 SU, 17-12 ATS) look to build on their recent drive to the Western Athletic Conference Tournament title when they battle the Connecticut Huskies (23-9 SU, 13-18-1 ATS) in first-round action at the NCAA Tournament.

Game time for this West Region clash is set for 6:50pm ET on Thursday evening at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

New Mexico State vs Connecticut Odds

Odds at Caesar Sportsbook as of March 16, 2022. Claim Caesars Sportsbook promo codes before wagering.

The Aggies return to the Big Dance following a one-year absence as a No. 12 seed after posting a 66-52 win over Abilene Christian in the WAC Tournament final. With that win, the Aggies are now undefeated SU and ATS in three straight contests.

Pegged as five-seeds on the March Madness bracket, the Huskies are coming off a heartbreaking 63-60 loss to Villanova in Big East Tournament semi-final action to fall to 7-2 SU in their pasty nine outings. Once a perennial contender for the national championship, UConn will be seeking to atone for its early exit a year ago, while making its first March Madness appearance in five years.

The Huskies have faded slightly since opening as 7-point favorites, and currently sit as 6.5-point chalk, while the Aggies lag as +240 moneyline underdogs. The total has held steady since opening at 131.5, with the OVER emerging as a slender -112 favorite.

New Mexico State vs Connecticut Betting Trends

Thursday evening’s matchup marks the first ever matchup between these two teams. The Aggies have been a model of consistency, suffering consecutive defeats on just one occasion while compiling an impressive 26-6 SU record. The squad’s current surge comes on the heels of losses to Chicago State and Stephen F. Austin, both as betting favorites.

Overall, this team has gone 6-6 ATS in their past 12, but enjoys a four-game SU win streak as betting underdogs. A stingy defence has been key. The team has limited opponents to just 56 points per game during their 3-0 run, and rank a respectable 74th in adjusted defensive efficiency at Kenpom.

https://twitter.com/WACsports/status/1502873818297094145?s=20&t=vxmm-2TrqFjr6oBFQyuTIg

The Huskies have been equally stingy down the stretch, limiting opponents to just 61.8 points per game over their past four to cement their position at No. 36 in adjusted defensive efficiency. However, that has not translated into success at the sportsbooks.

UConn has covered in just three of its past 14 outings, and just twice in their past seven while favored by six or more points. The Huskies are also winless SU and ATS in their past two March Madness appearances, ending an epic 17-2 SU and 16-3 ATS run.

New Mexico State Aggies Outlook

The Aggies showed steady improvement as the recent WAC Tournament wore on. The squad needed to overcome sluggish starts in wins over Utah Valley and Grand Canyon, but quickly established their dominance in their title-clinching victory over the Wildcats.

Talking about New Mexico St's offense, you have to start with WAC Player of the Year Teddy Allen

Allen leads the Aggies in minutes, field goal attempts, points and rebounds

Coach Chris Jans loves to put Allen in Pick and Rolls and allow him to playmake pic.twitter.com/m6FXSxqvWI

— UConn Film Room (@UConnFilmRoom) March 15, 2022

Teddy Allen has been a driving force behind the Aggies return to March Madness. “Teddy Buckets” claimed WAC Player of the Year honors while leading his squad with 19.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, and has scored 20 or more points in 11 of his past 16 game appearances.

UConn Huskies Betting Analysis

Despite being pegged at No. 22 in adjusted offensive efficiency, the Huskies have struggled to find the mark down the stretch. Listed as a +6600 bet in the March Madness title odds, the Huskies have converted less than 40% of field goal attempts during a 2-2 SU run, but have been averaged 45 boards over their past three contests.

Coach Hurley must have liked the matchup on Tyrese Martin in the post last night

Hurley repeatedly went to this simple Downscreen Action to get Martin touches in isolation

Martin finished with 17 points and 4 assists pic.twitter.com/8vyuqnbaMz

— UConn Film Room (@UConnFilmRoom) March 11, 2022

While RJ Cole continues to lead the way with 15.7 points per game, it was another senior that stepped up during the Big East Tournament. Guard Tyrese Martin led all Huskies with 19 points, and has averaged 18.3 points and 10.3 rebounds over his past three outings.

Aggies vs Huskies Prediction

The Aggies have demonstrated their ability to shake off a late-season slump. And in addition to sporting the most dynamic player in Thursday’s contest in Teddy Allen, The New Mexico State defence is poised to give fits to a UConn attack that has stumbled down the stretch.

The Pick: Aggies +6.5 (-107)

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