UConn Basketball Opens Season as 41-Point Favorites in Hartford

The University of Connecticut men's basketball team faces Gardner-Webb in its regular-season opener at 9 p.m. ET Monday at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford. The Huskies enter the game as 41.5-point favorites according to sportsbooks. Prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket assign the team a greater than 99 percent probability of victory.

This contest serves as the second event in a doubleheader at the arena. Geno Auriemma's women's basketball squad defeated Cornell earlier in the evening. Dan Hurley now leads the men's team against the Big South opponent. The broadcast will be available on the streaming service Peacock. Viewers can access the game with a Premium subscription costing $12.99 per month or a Premium Plus subscription at $19.99 per month.

Hurley announced his starting lineup for the new season. The selection includes Braylon Mullins, Silas Demary Jr., Jayden Ross, Nik Khamenia, and Na'jai Hines. Hurley chose veteran wing Jayden Ross over freshman Colben Landrew. The officials assigned to the game are Matt Potter, Tim Smith, and Vasili Maillos. Potter, a Big East referee, has a history with Hurley, including a bench instruction following an exchange during last season's game against Texas.

The teams have a limited history in Division I competition. Despite nearly 150 combined years of experience, the schools have met only twice. Both meetings occurred within a five-day span in November 2007. UConn won the first game 78-66 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 15. The Huskies won the second game 89-72 at the XL Center on Nov. 20.

Early action in the game saw Na'jai Hines win the opening tip. He missed UConn's first shot. Nik Khamenia scored the first points for the team on a hook shot. He passed to Braylon Mullins on a fast break and secured a rebound. The Huskies held a 6-0 lead after three minutes of play.