It's tough to say that a No. 2 seed has exceeded expectations by reaching the Sweet 16, but many figured that the Villanova Wildcats were in a world of trouble when the brackets came out just knowing how bad their tourney history is. After two blowout victories though, the Cats are on their way to Louisville for the regional semifinals, and they're relatively big favorites over the Miami Hurricanes.
NCAA Tournament Odds
Miami Hurricanes +5
Villanova Wildcats –5
Over/Under 142
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Villanova has been arguably the most impressive side in this tournament thus far. The Wildcats knocked off UNC-Asheville and Iowa by 30 and 21 points respectively, and neither game was ever all that close.
The end of the first half in particular has been the team that Villanova has turned on the jets. Over the course of the last minute of the half against the Bulldogs, the Cats went on an 8-0 run to take a close game and make it a 14-point game at the break. Against Iowa, they went from up 28-21 with eight minutes to play in the half to 54-29 at the intermission. Live bettors need to take note of that for sure, knowing that it could happen again to Miami.
The Hurricanes had the fastest start for any team in the tourney when they opened up ahead of Wichita State 27-6 on Saturday afternoon. They ended up coughing up the lead early in the second half, but the comeback was just too much for the Shockers, and Miami's talent ended up seizing control late in the second half for a comfortable eight-point win. That came on the heels of a 79-72 win over Buffalo which was much more lopsided than the final score would suggest.
KEY MATCHUP
Angel Rodriguez was a one-man wrecking crew against Wichita State. He had to deal with the pesky Fred VanVleet for the entire game, but he picked up 28 points with five assists and four steals, and he was all over the court making things happen for the Canes.
As tough of a challenge as VanVleet was though, this is stepping up to the big leagues. Ryan Arcidiacono is one of the best defensive players in the entire nation, and he hardly ever turns the ball over. Thus far in the dance, the senior has 30 points and eight assists against a total of just two turnovers, and he went through the entire game against Iowa without really making a single blunder.
Guard play is often what wins these NCAA Tournament games, and having a good point guard who can step up and make big shots is the most irreplaceable asset possible. Both of these teams have just that in Rodriguez and Arcidiacono, and whichever one ends up excelling will be the one which pushes his team over the top. It's the matchup for live bettors to watch for sure.
KEY STATS & TRENDS
If there's one thing to keep in mind with both of these teams, it's that they're both very good foul shooting clubs. A close game down the stretch often comes down to whether the team which is ahead can make free throws, and we trust both of these teams in that department. Live bettors might find themselves in a position to decide whether betting on the team ahead at -400 which is up two with under a minute to play is a good bet. We're here to tell you that it is.
The Hurricanes shot 75.0 percent from the line this year. Villanova was even better at 77.5 percent. Miami has been a little subpar in this tournament in foul shooting, but the two guards who will have the ball in their hands the most down the stretch, Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan are a combined 32-of-40 thus far in the tournament.
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone.
Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The Sweet 16 game between the Miami Hurricanes and Villanova Wildcats will go down Thursday, March 24, 2016, at 7:10 p.m. ET at the KFC Yum! Center. The game will be televised nationally on CBS.
