The defending national champions are getting ready for another run in the NCAA Tournament and it starts with a trip to the Big East title game. Making their third straight appearance playing for the crown, the Villanova Wildcats needed a thrilling play from their player of the year candidate to advance. The Creighton Bluejays are hoping the third time is the charm as they attempt to beat Nova for the first time this season after losing two earlier meetings by an average of 13 points.
This war on the floor will go down Saturday, March 11, 2017, at 5:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden. The game will be televised live on FOX. We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
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Villanova is in its element with another trip to the Big East championship game, and this time they’ll try and get it right. Things worked out well for them last year even though they were upset by Seton Hall in the title game. The Wildcats ran the table in the NCAA Tournament and claimed the national title. And they’re playing well heading into Saturday’s tilt with four straight wins and a 3-1 ATS record. That stretch includes a home win over Creighton where the Cats covered the 11-point line with a 79-63 win.
The Bluejays are a perfect example of just how meaningless the regular season is. They lost three of their final four games and dropped seven of 12 to close the regular season. Yet, here they are, one win away from winning the Big East title. Creighton is in the NCAA Tournament and has nothing to lose, which makes them a dangerous team. The Bluejays were no match for Villanova during the regular season, losing both games by double figures and failing to cover the spread both times.
Player to Watch
Josh Hart showed why he was named the Big East Player of the Year and is a candidate for national player of the year honors by leading the Wildcats to a victory over Seton Hall in the semifinal round. His put-back and three-point play on an offensive rebound was the difference in Nova’s 55-53 win. Hart did it all season for the Wildcats and came up huge on the big stage. Hart scored 19 points and carried the team when the offense floundered. Nova scored 20 points fewer than its season average and still came out victorious.
Hart is one of a group of seniors that has led the Wildcats to a 30-win season. He topped the Big East in scoring with an average of 18.6 points and leads the team in rebounding. Often overlooked because of his prowess scoring the basketball is Hart’s ability to defend. He’s equally fearless on the defensive end and has a high court I.Q. which allows him to dissect opponents. He averaged 17 points and 8.5 boards in two games against the Bluejays.
Last Meeting
Creighton would like nothing better than to return the favor. When the clubs met in Villanova just a few weeks ago, the Wildcats celebrated their Big East regular season title while the Bluejays looked on. Creighton kept the game close throughout, but their inability to guard without fouling and 16 turnovers eventually proved to be the Bluejays’ downfall.
Leading scorer Marcus Foster did his part for Creighton, scoring 25 points, but he got little help and the Bluejays were just a bit behind Villanova in every phase of the game. Being outscored by 13 points on the free throw line didn’t help, and neither did the 16 turnovers. Creighton had the game tied at halftime, but caved in the second half under the continued onslaught of the Wildcats.
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You never what’s going to happen come tournament time and that’s what makes this time of year so exciting. But Villanova is poised for another run in the NCAA’s and has the tools to defend its title. The Wildcats’ seeding won’t change regardless of the result, but the group that’s back has the memory of a heartbreaking loss in this game last season and that will be enough motivation for them to escape with a victory.
Nova won both regular season meetings by double-digits and has superior talent, especially with Hart, Kris Jenkins and Jalen Brunson. The backcourt should feast on Creighton, who stumbled when Maurice Watson Jr. went down with an injury. The Bluejays made up for his loss in the first two rounds of the tournament, but that run ends on Saturday.
College Basketball Odds: Villanova 75, Creighton 64
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