The Red Storm are 8-10 coming into this matchup, and are looking to put an end to its current three-game losing streak. St. John’s captured a win against No. 13 Butler on December 29th, the only team to defeat Villanova this season.
Villanova may not be unblemished any longer but it is clearly the superior team in this matchup and will be a heavy favorite despite having to go on the road. St. John’s will need to play close to a flawless game to pull out the win.
At 12 p.m. ET, tune into Fox Sports 1 for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Saturday, January 14, 2017, at the Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.
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Villanova is 16-1 straight up and 11-6 against the spread this season. The Wildcats have gone on the road for five games and have done an impressive job, covering in four of them. Villanova is 11-6 against the spread as the favorite this year, entering every game as the team to beat.
St. Johns is 8-10 straight up and 9-9 against the spread. The Red Storm have played eight home games, covering in four of them. They are 4-4 against the spread as the underdog and will be getting a sizable chunk of points heading into this one.
Player to Watch
Josh Hart – The Villanova senior guard is leading the team in scoring this season with 19.8 points a game and is also averaging 6.8 rebounds. Hart had 19 points and five rebounds in the 93-81 victory over Marquette on January 7th.
He has registered four double-doubles this season, including a season-high 37 points and 11 rebounds in Villanova’s 74-66 win against No. 23 Notre Dame on December 10th. Hart had 24 points against No. 15 Purdue earlier this season.
Hart was an integral part of Villanova’s national championship run last season, averaging 15 points a game in the postseason. But this year he has emerged as a true star and the backbone of this team which many believe have a chance a repeating that run.
Key Stat
63.5. That’s how many points per game opposing offense are averaging against Villanova this year. In this clash, with two high-scoring offenses going head-to-head, the Wildcats’ stout defense will be key.
St. John’s comes into this matchup averaging 77.1 points per game but was held to just 55 points in the team’s recent loss to Georgetown. That number ties the season-low for points for the Red Storm and marks the team’s third loss in a row.
It’s been a tough stretch of games for St. John’s, which has included three matchups against nationally ranked team in the last six games. That will continue as the team takes on No. 3 Villanova this Saturday, which has held its last five opponents to an average of 66 points.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Villanova suffered a loss recently but it does little to take away the team’s qualifications as one of the best teams in the country. The Wildcats have bounced back with ease and should have little trouble taking care of business here.
St. John’s will be outmanned and the only hope is covering the spread as opposed to winning the game outright. Villanova should cruise to the win as it continues to prove it is a national championship contenders.
College Basketball Odds: Villanova 88, St. John’s 72
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