No. 1 Villanova vs No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s Preview
Where: KeyBank Center – Buffalo, New York
When: Thursday, March 16, 2017, 7:10 PM ET
Line: Villanova Wildcats (-25) vs. Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers (+25); total: 131.5 – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
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Betting on the Villanova Wildcats (31-3)
The Villanova Wildcats will head into the national tournament with momentum on their side after capturing the Big East Tournament title in emphatic fashion at Verizon Center on Saturday night. The Wildcats eased past the Creighton Bluejays, 74-60, to grab not only their third Big East Tournament crown but also the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s Big Dance.
Leading the way for the Wildcats in this championship game was Josh Hart. He scored a game-high 29 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field. Hart has been a vital cog to Villanova’s success this season, averaging 18.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He’s one of three players averaging in double figures for the Wildcats which include Jalen Brunson (14.8 PPG) and Kris Jenkins (13.4 PPG).
Villanova will open its campaign this coming Thursday against Mount St. Mary’s. The Wildcats (+800) are trying to become the first repeat national champions since the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007. No defending champion has ever entered the Big Dance with more wins than the Wildcats. Jay Wright’s men have already won 31 games this season. This is the third time the Wildcats earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament. In 2006, Villanova advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champion Florida. In 2015, the Wildcats lost in the second round against North Carolina State.
Villanova is 9-1 SU and 6-4 ATS in its last 10 games.
Betting on the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers (20-15)
The Mountaineers’ national tournament hopes are still very much alive after recording a nerve-wracking 67-66 victory over the New Orleans Privateers in the First Four on Tuesday night. It was the fourth consecutive win for Mount St. Mary’s who sealed a dream showdown with No. 1 seed Villanova in the first round. It has been a remarkable turnaround for the Mountaineers who started the season 1-11 but has gone 19-4 since.
Junior Robinson starred for the Mountaineers in their First Four win, scoring 23 points including the go-ahead jumper with 1:27 to play. Robinson has been instrumental to the Mount’s success this season, averaging 14.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game this campaign. The Mountaineers will need Robinson to continue that excellent form if they are to stand a chance against the Wildcats. He will have his work cut out for him, however, against a Villanova defense that has been rock-solid this season. The Wildcats are 17th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 62.8 points per game this campaign.
Even if the Mountaineers play to their full potential this coming Thursday, the odds are still stacked very much against them. No No. 16 seed has ever defeated a No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers are making their fifth appearance in the Big Dance and second under fifth-year coach Jamion Christian.
Mount St. Mary’s odds of winning the national tournament are priced at +100,000.
Writer’s Prediction
Villanova (-25) destroys Mount St. Mary’s 88-62.
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