- Matchup: Furman Paladins vs UConn Huskies
- Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
- Venue: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
- Broadcast: TBS
- Betting Odds: Furman (+21)
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The Furman Paladins (22-12) are set to take on the UConn Huskies (29-5) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena this Friday. The Paladins enter this matchup as 21-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 136.5 points.
In their previous game, the Furman Paladins secured a victory against East Tennessee State with a score of 76-61. They recorded 14 fouls, similar to East Tennessee State’s total. The Paladins made 3 of 16 attempts from beyond the arc, while East Tennessee State shot 55.6% from the free-throw line, hitting 10 of 18 attempts. East Tennessee State managed to grab 20 rebounds (4 offensive, 16 defensive) but failed to achieve any blocked shots. The team provided 5 assists and secured 8 steals during the game. Defensively, Furman allowed a 48.0% shooting rate with 24 successful field goals out of 50 attempts. They also facilitated 12 assists and forced 10 turnovers while earning 4 steals. Furman retrieved a total of 33 rebounds, with 8 on the offensive glass, and they converted 12 of 15 free throw attempts, resulting in an 80.0% shooting percentage. The Paladins ended the game boasting a 50.9% shooting from the field, making 27 of 53 shots, while also landing 10 of 26 from three-point range.
Notably, Cooper Bowser stood out in this game, contributing 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting. Bowser played for 30 minutes and collected 11 rebounds, finishing with an impressive 75.0% shooting rate from the field while also providing 3 assists.
Furman comes into this matchup with a 22-12 season record. The team averages 76.5 points per game, ranking 159th nationally, with a field goal shooting percentage of 47.6%. They show a three-point shooting percentage of 32.7% (302 of 923) and a free-throw shooting percentage of 69.0%. Furman averages 38.0 rebounds per game and has recorded 532 assists this season, which places them 57th in the country for assists. On average, they commit 11.9 turnovers and 15.1 personal fouls per game.
Defensively, the Paladins average forcing 9.6 turnovers per game and draw 17.0 personal fouls. They hold opponents to shooting 32.4% from beyond the arc and rank 89th in Division I for points surrendered per game (70.5). Furman allows a shooting percentage of 42.5% (859 of 2,021) from opponents and averages 32.1 rebounds per game. They rank 109th in Division I regarding assists allowed, conceding a total of 405 assists throughout the season.
In their last outing, the UConn Huskies faced a defeat against St. John’s, finishing the game at 72-52. During that game, UConn recorded 19 defensive rebounds and 9 offensive boards for a total of 28 rebounds. They turned the ball over 10 times while securing 4 steals. St. John’s committed 15 personal fouls, sending the Huskies to the free-throw line 14 times, where they converted 11 for a shooting percentage of 78.6%. UConn managed to make 3 of 19 attempts from three-point range (15.8%) and finished the game with 19 successful field goals out of 56 attempts for a 33.9% shooting rate. The Huskies allowed St. John’s to shoot 48.2%, with 27 out of 56 field goals made. They also allowed 5 out of 20 three-point attempts. In terms of team rebounding, UConn allowed St. John’s to gather a total of 24 rebounds (8 offensive).
Tarris Reed Jr. was a significant player for UConn in that game, shooting 8 of 17 for a field goal efficiency of 47.1%, while grabbing 7 rebounds and scoring 17 points in 29 minutes of play.
UConn holds a solid record of 29-5 this season. Offensively, the Huskies are shooting 48.2% from the field, ranking 34th in college basketball. They have accumulated 2,635 points (averaging 77.5 points per game) and grab 36.6 rebounds each game. UConn assists on average 18.4 times per contest (9th nationally) and turn the ball over 11.2 times per game. The Huskies commit 18.0 personal fouls per game and hold a free-throw shooting percentage of 71.6%.
The UConn Huskies rank 11th in NCAA Division I for points allowed, conceding 65.1 points per game. They force 12.0 turnovers each game and have held opponents to a shooting percentage of 40.2% from the field (19th nationally). UConn’s opponents shoot 30.3% from three-point range (202 of 667) and achieve 71.9% from the charity stripe. They concede an average of 10.6 assists and 30.9 total rebounds per game, ranking 10th and 22nd in Division I, respectively.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Bet on Furman (+21)
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