Can Villanova Cover Huge NCAA Basketball Spread vs. DePaul?

Can Villanova Cover Huge NCAA Basketball Spread vs. DePaul?

Written by on February 21, 2018

With just a few games left in the college basketball regular season, what we are going to be looking during the last couple of weeks are teams jockeying for position in the tournament, as well as some great bubble battles. The teams at the top have already booked safe passage into March Madness, but they will all be looking to maintain a ranking that will give them a bit of an easier playoff road once the postseason gets underway. The Villanova Wildcats spent a large portion of the season sitting in the pole position and dominating the NCAA Basketball spread week after week, but a pair of losses over the past two weeks has seen them drop down to the #3 spot. While these late season losses are not ideal, this is still a team that needs to be considered a favorite heading into the tournament. Their final four games of the year are all of the very winnable variety, and they will want to pick up victories in them all so that they can finish the season on a positive note. Next up are the DePaul Demon Deacons, with Villanova in as a 19 point home favorite.

Blue Demons vs. Wildcats NCAA Basketball Spread & Expert Pick

  • When: Wednesday, February 21 at 8:30 PM EST
  • Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
  • TV: FS1
  • Radio: 670 AM (DePaul) / 610 AM (Villanova)
  • Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
  • NCAA Basketball Spread: Villanova Wildcats -19 (Over/Under at 154 points)

Team Records

  • All: DePaul Blue Demons 10-16 / Villanova Wildcats 24-3
  • Home: DePaul Blue Demons 6-11 / Villanova Wildcats 14-1
  • Away: DePaul Blue Demons 4-5 / Villanova Wildcats 10-2
  • ATS: DePaul Blue Demons 14-11-1 / Villanova Wildcats 17-9-1
  • Over/Under: DePaul Blue Demons 13-12 / Villanova Wildcats 18-9

Clemson vs. Virginia Tech College Basketball Odds & Prediction

Recent Head to Head (Last 10 Games)

  • Record: Villanova Wildcats lead 10-0
  • Score: DePaul Blue Demons 64.70 / Villanova Wildcats 83.30
  • Field Goal Percentage: DePaul Blue Demons 41.34 / Villanova Wildcats 51.86
  • Rebounds: DePaul Blue Demons 31.60 / Villanova Wildcats 32.90
  • 3 Point Shots: DePaul Blue Demons 64-187 / Villanova Wildcats 105-249
  • Steals: DePaul Blue Demons 4.30 / Villanova Wildcats 6.70

Why bet on the DePaul Blue Demons?

If we are being totally honest, DePaul is not likely to put up too much of a struggle in this one, as they haven’t been able to muster much of a challenge in any of the games they have played this season. The Blue Demons have a 10-16 record on the season, with only 3 of those wins coming in conference play. They have had 4 games against ranked opponents this season, failing to win any of them. Among those 4 losses was a 103-85 defeat at the hands of Villanova on home court. With just 2 wins in their last 10 games, the DePaul Blue Demons are heading out of the regular season with a bit of a whimper, and you have to wonder how their middling offense is going to be able to go head to head against a very powerful Villanova offense. The Blue Demons have gone 13-12-1 ATS and 14-12 O/U.

Team Statistics

Offense
  • Total Score: 73.46
  • Field Goal Percentage: 43.36
  • Three-Point Percentage: 32.57
  • Free Throw Percentage: 70.95
  • Total Rebounds: 37.58
Defense
  • Total Score: 73.65
  • Field Goal Percentage: 43.11
  • Three-Point Percentage: 37.35
  • Free Throw Percentage: 74.05
  • Total Rebounds: 35.31

Why bet on the Villanova Wildcats?

The Villanova Wildcats have been one of the most impressive regular season teams in recent years and have also won a national championship during that stretch. It has been more of the same for Villanova this season, although they are not closing things out on a particularly high note, going just 2-2 in their last 4 games. They have made a habit of switching off against lesser opposition and then stepping it up against the better teams in college basketball. Once again, Villanova is in control of the NCAA Basketball Spread. How else can you explain losing 76-71 to the Providence Friars before following that up with a 95-79 thumping of the Xavier Musketeers? Villanova has 4 games to get their consistency back, as they simply cannot afford to head into the tournament playing the sort of basketball that they have in the past couple of weeks. The Wildcats have gone 18-9 ATS and O/U this season.

Team Statistics

Offense
  • Total Score: 87.44
  • Field Goal Percentage: 50.97
  • Three-Point Percentage: 40.37
  • Free Throw Percentage: 76.18
  • Total Rebounds: 35.11
Defense
  • Total Score: 70.89
  • Field Goal Percentage: 43.55
  • Three-Point Percentage: 33.63
  • Free Throw Percentage: 73.76
  • Total Rebounds: 32.70

Latest NCAA Basketball Betting Trends

  • Blue Demons are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games
  • Blue Demons are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of DePaul’s last 7 games
  • Wildcats are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games
  • Wildcats are 22-3 SU in their last 25 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 7 of Villanova’s last 8 games

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

While the Wildcats have had their issues with unranked teams over the past couple of weeks, I don’t see them having the same problems on this one. Score: DePaul Blue Demons 67 – Villanova Wildcats 82