Oklahoma vs. UConn 2025 March Madness First Round Best Bet

The Tobacco Road pod in Raleigh features a couple of No. 1 seeds in Duke and Florida, and it also features the two-time defending champs from Connecticut in one of two 8-9 battles on the card against an Oklahoma squad making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021.

Early action has been all over Dan Hurley and the Huskies, sending UConn up to 5½-point chalk at Bookmaker. Scoreboard bettors are looking at 147½ for their decision.

Sooners Have Covered Last 7

It’s the first postseason meeting between the two schools, with their only four previous encounters coming in successive January contests from 2002-05. Oklahoma won 3 of the 4, upsetting ranked Connecticut teams in Norman twice while the Huskies’ lone victory came as the No. 1 team in Storrs.

How often Jeremiah Fears and the Sooners can twist the game their way and speed things up in transition will be determined by how much they let the Huskies bully them in the paint and on the glass. If Connecticut dominates inside, this one could get ugly early.

The Pick

We also need to factor in how much success Hurley has crying to the referees with his best impression of New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone. I simply like the ATS run Oklahoma is on and will pick the Sooners to just nab a cover at the closing bell.

NCAAB Pick: Oklahoma +5.5 (-105) at BetOnline

Oklahoma +5.5 (-105)

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