Villanova Wildcats vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Preview
Where: Prudential Center – Newark, New Jersey
When: Saturday, December 10, 2016, 12:00 PM ET
Line: Villanova Wildcats (TBA) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (TBA) – view all NCAA basketball lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Writer’s Pick: Villanova Wildcats
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Betting on the Villanova Wildcats (TBA)
Villanova has begun the quest to defending its national title in some style. The No. 1-ranked Wildcats are a perfect 9-0 to start the season, with all but one of its wins coming by double-digits. Their one close win was against their lone ranked opponent to date, Purdue, which they beat 79-76 in their second game of the year. The Wildcats, though, are a rather disappointing 5-4 against the spread.
The Wildcats are coming off a straightforward 89-79 win over La Salle. Their excellent guard trio of Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and Jalen Brunson did the heavy lifting by combining for 63 of their 89 points. The Villanova offense has remained one of the most efficient in the country. It’s currently ranked No. 2 behind only Duke per KenPom.com’s adjusted offensive efficiency metric.
The Wildcats’ outstanding defense has taken a step back as expected with the loss of seniors Daniel Ochefu and Ryan Arcidiacono, but they are still a respectable 35th in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 62.6 points per game. Their ability to guard the 3-point line has been a big factor in their success. They are holding opponents to just 28 percent from beyond the arc, 24th in the nation.
Three-point shooting is also crucial to Nova’s own offense, and the Wildcats will have the green light to shoot against Notre Dame. The Irish are one of the worst in the country in allowing 3-point makes and attempts, which will only play to Nova’s strengths.
Betting on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (TBA)
Notre Dame has exceeded expectations thus far. The Irish came into the season unranked in the preseason AP Poll, but a 9-0 start has seen them climb up to 23rd in the latest poll. The Irish are 4-0 against the spread, and are coming off a 15-point win as 13.5-point favorites against Fort Wayne.
Head coach Mike Brey has put out some excellent offenses over the past few years, and this season has been no different. The Irish are No. 10 in the country in scoring, averaging 88.9 points per game, and are up to 7th in offensive efficiency per KenPom.com.
Junior Bonzie Colston, and seniors Steve Vasturia and V.J. Beachem have been outstanding for the Irish. Colston is averaging a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds per game despite standing just 6-foot-5. He will be a handful in the post, especially against Villanova, which is hardly the biggest team along the frontcourt.
The Irish can also fight fire with fire from beyond the arc with the shooting of Vasturia and Beachem. They are making 11 3-pointers per game (5th in the country) at a 41 percent clip (16th).
Defense will be the big question mark for this Notre Dame team, but their offense has generally been good enough to get them past even the very best opponents. They have beaten two No. 2-ranked teams in the past two years.
Writer’s Prediction
Villanova remains perfect as it outguns Notre Dame, 75-69.
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