Creighton Bluejays vs. Villanova Wildcats Betting Preview
Where: The Pavilion — Villanova, Pennsylvania
When: Saturday, February 25, 2017, 3:00 PM ET
Line: Creighton Bluejays vs. Villanova Wildcats – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
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Betting on Creighton Bluejays (22-6, 9-6 Big East)
In nine games since losing star point guard Maurice Watson Jr. to injury, the 23rd-ranked Bluejays have not been the same. They’re just 4-5 in that stretch, mostly sandwiching victories between losses.
All but one of those setbacks were decided by only single digits, though—including Wednesday’s night’s stinging home loss to Providence, 66-68. Creighton had a seven-point lead at the intermission, but eventually had their hearts broken by Kyron Cartwright’s game-winning three-pointer with less than three seconds remaining.
Marcus Foster and Justin Patton were the only two Bluejays who scored in double figures with 18 and 12 points, respectively. Both also piled up the points despite losing to then-No. 1 Villanova earlier this season at Omaha, finishing with 40 points on 18-of-32 shooting combined.
Foster, a Kansas State transfer, carries into this game a team-leading 18.6 points per contest this season.
Creighton is 7-3 SU and ATS in its past 10 games on the road.
Betting on the Villanova Wildcats (26-3, 13-3 Big East)
Second-ranked Nova was left stunned on Wednesday night, when No. 22 Butler used a 46-point second half to upset them at home—74-66—while also breaking the Wildcats’ seven-game winning streak.
The reigning national champs had one of those rare off nights on both ends of the floor. They shot just 43.9 percent from the field, including 25.0 percent from down town, and allowed the Bulldogs to knock down 50.9 percent of their own attempts. Villanova’s 15 turnovers made things harder, as well.
Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson still came up huge offensively, pacing their squad with 18 and 24 points, respectively. The former, by the way, has scored in double digits in every game this season.
The Wildcats have yet to drop two-straight games this season, but that might just happen in Saturday’s rematch with No. 23 Creighton, which boasts an offense that generates nearly 85 points per game.
Nova is 9-1 SU and 4-6 ATS in its previous 10 games at The Pavilion.
Writer’s Prediction
Villanova wins it, 76-68.
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