It’s going to be a big game in the Big East when No. 24 Georgetown pay a visit to No. 7 Villanova. The Hoyas have already upset their fierce rivals earlier in the season, but the Wildcats still reign atop the conference. Can Georgetown cut down on Villanova’s lead at the top of the table? Read on as we breakdown this exciting matchup.
The weekend is filled with exhilarating college hoops action. A clash between two top-ranked teams is on deck when Louisville meets Virginia. The nation’s top team, Kentucky, is also set to play against fierce rival Florida (complete preview here).
[sc:MarchMadness ]Georgetown Hoyas vs. Villanova Wildcats Preview
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
When: Saturday, February 7, 2:00 PM ET
Line: Georgetown Hoyas at Villanova Wildcats – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the Georgetown Hoyas
No. 24 Georgetown is in danger of dropping out of the top-25 having lost two of their last three. The Hoyas suffered a come-from-behind loss to Providence on Wednesday despite owning a double-digit lead midway through the second half. Their excellent run stopped there as they were held without a field goal for the last 7:41 of the game.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Despite the loss, Georgetown remains a serious threat with D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera powering their backcourt. Smith-Rivera scored 21 points on 6-for-14 shooting (5-for-10 from three-point range) against Providence. He has averaged 16.5 points per game against Big East opponents.
Smith-Rivera struggled from the field (3-for-10) in a 20-point upset win over Villanova at home on January 19, but sank in 9-of-10 from the charity stripe to finish with 17 points. The Georgetown guard had plenty of help off the bench from Isaac Copeland, who finished with 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting and six rebounds in that game.
Copeland and Smith-Rivera have their work cut out for them this time around. Villanova has showcased tough defense playing as the home team, limiting opponents to shoot 38 percent from the field.
If the Hoyas can once again control the boards and force turnovers, then they should be able to make it 2-0 versus the Big East’s top team. Georgetown out-rebounded Villanova 34-26 and won the turnover battle 17-11 in the teams’ first matchup.
The Hoyas are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against Villanova.
Betting on the Villanova Wildcats
The Villanova Wildcats have dropped just two games this season, both coming on the road. At home, the Wildcats are a different animal altogether. They’re undefeated in their last 14 games as the home team, going 10-4 against the spread.
Leading scorer Darrun Hilliard II has been especially hot playing at home. He has averaged 15 points on 51 percent shooting over Villanova’s last five home games. He struggled at Georgetown on January 19, going 2-for-6 from the field. While Hilliard struggled against the Hoyas, another Villanova guard was finding his stroke. Ryan Arcidiacono had 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc against Georgetown.
Arcidiacono has remained hot in the past three games since the loss to Georgetown. He has averaged 15.3 points on over 50 percent shooting over that span. Expect the backcourt duo of Arcidiacono and Hilliard to find their stroke against the visiting Hoyas. Georgetown allowed Providence on Wednesday to shoot 54 percent from the field despite holding opponents to 40 percent throughout the season.
The Villanova frontcourt has been productive too. Forward JayVaughn Pinkston has averaged 10.3 points and five rebounds since the loss to Georgetown. Daniel Ochefu has scored below his season average of 9.5 points over the past three games, but has made up for it by averaging 9.7 boards over that span.
Writer’s Prediction
Villanova exacts revenge. Take the Wildcats to win and cover. Create a betting account now and get set on college basketball as March Madness approaches.
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