A recent lull has put a No. 1 seed in a bit of doubt for the Villanova Wildcats. They still seem in line for one with a strong finish and will aim to pick up a victory in the second-to-last contest of the season against the Seton Hall Pirates.
Seton Hall looks safely in the NCAA Tournament but could help its seeding greatly with an upset win. The Pirates are at home in this game but Villanova is so talented that it should be favored despite playing in a hostile environment.
The Wildcats need some help to catch Xavier atop the Big East but can only take care of their business in this one and the season finale against Georgetown.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the Prudential Center at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 28, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on FS1.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Wednesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Villanova is 25-4 straight up and 18-10-1 against the spread. The Wildcats have covered in six of their 11 attempts on the road this season. Villanova has been favored in every game this season and will be giving points once again.
Seton Hall is 20-9 straight up and 13-16 against the spread. The Pirates have covered in six of 15 attempts as the home team this season. The Pirates have covered in four of seven attempts as the underdog.
Key Stat
Three. That’s how many losses for Villanova in its past seven games, which is a very unlikely down spell for this elite team. The Wildcats were beaten by St. John’s in a shocker before bouncing back with a win over Butler. Villanova lost again the next time out, dropping a matchup against Providence,
The Wildcats won a big-time showdown against Xavier on the road and followed that up with an easy victory over DePaul, but lost again last time out in overtime to Creighton.
All three of the losses in this span have been by six points or fewer, with two of them coming on the road. It isn’t anything to be truly worried about with Villanova, which had only one loss previously, but with March Madness coming the Wildcats are hoping to get these losses out of their system.
Player To Watch
Angelo Delgado —Seton Hall has some good balance in its starting lineup, and while Delgado isn’t the team’s leading scorer, he may be its best player. Delgado is averaging 13.3 points and 11.8 rebounds on the season and shooting 50.2 percent from the field.
He has put together a double-double in four of his past five games, including a 16-point, 19-rebound performance in a recent win over DePaul. Seton Hall has won three consecutive games coming into this matchup and Delgado figures to be a huge part of it if the Pirates are able to hang in against Villanova.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
Seton Hall is a solid team, and if these teams end up in the same bracket it’s possible they see each other again in March Madness. The Pirates are good enough to keep this one close at home, and they should be a strong consideration when it comes to covering the spread.
However, Villanova’s recent stumble is not indicative of any large issue. The Wildcats should be able to bounce back and pick up a quality road win in this contest. If Xavier has any issues down the stretch Villanova will be waiting in the wings to steal the Big East title.
Seton Hall lost the first game between these teams by 16 points, but that was on the road. This one should be high-scoring and closer.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Villanova 88, Seton Hall 80
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