Jay Wright and the Villanova Wildcats have shed the label of choke artists. Up until Villanova won its first title since 1985 two seasons ago, the Wildcats were seen as the team that couldn’t handle the pressure of March Madness. They were a perennial tournament team, but crashing out in the Second Round as a No. 1 seed in 2015 and a No. 2 seed in 2010 and 2014 left many doubting this team’s chops.
No one is doubting Villanova now. The Wildcats came into the NCAA Tournament as the favorites to win the whole thing, and they still have the shortest odds to win it all at +347. That puts the West Virginia Mountaineers in an unenviable spot.
This war on the floor will go down Friday, March 23, 2018, at 7:25 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The game will be televised live on TBS. We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game throughout March Madness.
Opening NCAAB Basketball Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
West Virginia +5.5
Villanova -5.5
Over/Under 154.5
This was supposed to be the year where West Virginia challenged for the Big 12 title, but that dream did not come to pass. The Mountaineers just couldn’t get by Kansas, and lost in the Big 12 Championship Game to the Jayhawks too. However, that was the only game WVU has lost recently. This team has won and covered four of its last five, and the Mountaineers cruised to covers over Murray State and Marshall.
Villanova knows a thing or two about covering. The Wildcats have been fantastic at covering spreads this season. They are 24-12 ATS despite getting everyone’s best shot as the No. 1 team in the country for much of the year. This has also been a great team to bet the over with too. Two-thirds of their games have gone over the total per the CBB betting odds.
Matchup to Watch
The outcome of this one will be determined by whether or not West Virginia’s press defense can force mistakes out of Villanova. The Mountaineers are great at turning opponents over. Of all the teams left in the NCAA Tournament, they have the highest forced turnover rate and used that to their advantage earlier in the NCAA Tournament.
However, WVU will be facing the best offense in the country in Villanova. The Wildcats have been electric this season, tearing apart opponents and getting great shots on virtually every possession. They score a ton and have veteran guards that won’t be easily rattled.
Player to Watch
Villanova also boasts the favorite to win the Most Outstanding Player Award in Jalen Brunson. Brunson has been lights out this season, shooting 53.5 percent from the floor and hitting 42 percent of his threes as well. He is the calm steady force that has guided this team all season long.
Brunson can beat you in a number of ways. He has the versatility to play inside or outside and can fire away from any spot on the court. Brunson is also the main distributor for a team averaging 17 assists per game, making him one of the focal points of the offense.
Free March Madness ATS Picks
I love Villanova. The axiom used to be that a jump shooting team can’t win a title, but that was before guard play and threes dominated every level of basketball. Villanova’s guards are the catalyst to the program’s success, and they won’t be flustered by West Virginia’s press defense.
Without the press to throw Nova out of rhythm, the Mountaineers are going to be on the back foot. This is a talented team, and it’s a shame to see them go out at this point, but Villanova will show why it is the best team in the country here.
NCAAB Basketball Betting Odds: Villanova 82, West Virginia 74
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