The Connecticut Huskies may have lost a couple of road games recently but I don\u2019t think they are too much to get excited about. \u00a0This team still has just 3 losses on the season and is loaded with talent including a couple of potential lottery picks. \u00a0 <\/p>\n
Saturday January 14 Connecticut<\/strong><\/p>\n They got back to winning beating West Virginia earlier in the week and have a chance to get on a nice run with their schedule over the next couple of weeks including two games against Notre Dame, this one on the road. \u00a0No need to worry about the Huskies, Kemba is gone but this is still a final four capable team.<\/p>\n Those two potential lottery picks are Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond. \u00a0Drummond may be just a freshman but he is one of the most imposing figures in college basketball. \u00a0He shoots 61% from the floor but needs to improve at the line so they can leave him in late in tight games. \u00a0That is assuming the ball would ever get away from Lamb in those situations, he is simply one of the smoothest players in the land. \u00a0He averages 18ppg but is so fluid out there it looks like he could average 25 if he forced it a little more. \u00a0This is a great duo and the supporting cast is pretty good too. \u00a0This looks a bit like last year\u2019s team that peaked at the right time. [soliloquy id=”82219″]<\/p>\n Notre Dame<\/strong><\/p>\n I feel like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the team in the Big East that nobody talks about – maybe it is because they don\u2019t play football in the league. \u00a0Last year this team was very good and a dropoff was expected after significant graduation losses but nobody could have envisioned that their top player, slick shooting forward Tom Abromaitis would be forced to sit out the year due to injury. \u00a0They have played a tough schedule and scrapped out some nice wins including winning at Louisville. \u00a0They enter Saturday on a two game win streak.<\/p>\n With Abromaitis out it has been easier for guard Jerian Grant to emerge. \u00a0He didn\u2019t play a minute last year but leads the team in scoring at 13ppg. \u00a0He and fellow sophomore guard Eric Atkins log serious minutes but they have to on a team that just doesn\u2019t go very deep. \u00a0The last real threat to be concerned with is forward Jack Cooley. \u00a0He may have a bad haircut but he is a legit big averaging close to a double-double. \u00a0The Huskies throw size on the floor in waves and he will have to be able to have some success scoring in close for the Fighting Irish to have \u00a0a chance at upsetting Connecticut.<\/p>\n
\nPurcell Pavilion at the Joyce, South Bend IN
\n11:00AM
\nMoneyline: \u00a0Connecticut -125, Notre Dame +105
\nSpread: Connecticut -2
\nO\/U: \u00a0131<\/strong><\/p>\n