West Virginia (26-10) vs Villanova (32-4)
When: Friday, March 23rd 2018
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Time: 7:27 ET | TV: TBS
Opening Odds: Villanova -4.5/153
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Many top teams over the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament struggled to advance, or even lost outright. Two teams that had no trouble getting to the Sweet 16 were the Villanova Wildcats and West Virginia Mountaineers. Those two will battle on Friday night in Boston for the right to advance to the Elite Eight against either Texas Tech or Purdue. Villanova started the tournament by beating 16th-seeded Radford by 26, then blew-out an upstart Alabama team by 23 behind the hot hand of Mikal Bridges. The junior forward is averaging 18 points for the tournament and has drained 8-of-14 from 3-point range through the first two rounds. Bridges has made at least three 3-pointers in 10 straight games and is shooting at least 50% from that range in eight of those contests. Villanova’s offense will be tested by ‘Press Virginia‘ defense, which can cause even the best of teams problems. The Mountaineers have won their first two games by a combined 40 points after victories over Murray State and Marshall, but must slow down a Wildcat’s offense that leads the nation in scoring (86.9). The teams haven’t met since being members of the Big East Conference in 2011.
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The Mountaineers’ defense sets the tone in each game, but the offense has been a lot better than year’s past. West Virginia averages 80.2 points a game behind senior guard Jevon Carter, who is having a nice tournament thus far, averaging 24.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.5 steals and 4.5 rebounds on 54.3% shooting. Forward Lamont West rebounded from a poor showing in round one to total 18 points and a season-high 10 rebounds in the second round in 23 minutes off the bench. Backup guard James Bolden also had a nice game against Marshall, contributing 11 points off the bench – his most since scoring 14 against TCU on February 12th.
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The Wildcats only made eight two-pointers against Radford but drained 17-of-41 from 3-point range in the second round with Bridges (five), Donte DiVincenzo (five) and Jalen Brunson (three) leading the way. Brunson has recovered from a poor February from 3-point range to shoot 50 percent from downtown over the last six games. Guard Phil Booth averages 10.6 points but has only totaled 14 in the last three games, while DiVincenzo also broke out of a mini-slump by scoring 18 points – his most in a month – against the Crimson Tide.
A lot of teams get flustered by the intense West Virginia defense, but if there’s one team and coach who can break it, it’s Jay Wright and the Wildcats. The Mountaineers just don’t shoot well enough (43.8% – 218th nationally) to keep up with Villanova. Look for the Wildcats to pull away in the second half for an easy win.
Pick: Villanova -4.5
- Mountaineers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Friday games.
- Mountaineers are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tournament games.
- Mountaineers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Mountaineers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Mountaineers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
- Mountaineers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
- Mountaineers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
- Mountaineers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a ATS win.
- Mountaineers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 vs. Big East.
- Wildcats are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Friday games.
- Wildcats are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 neutral site games.
- Wildcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Wildcats are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 NCAA Tournament games.
- Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Wildcats are 21-8 ATS in their last 29 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Wildcats are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games following a straight up win.
- Wildcats are 50-21-1 ATS in their last 72 non-conference games.
- Wildcats are 16-7 ATS in their last 23 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Wildcats are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 vs. Big 12.
- Over is 4-0 in Mountaineers last 4 non-conference games.
- Over is 7-1 in Mountaineers last 8 overall.
- Over is 5-1 in Mountaineers last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 5-1 in Mountaineers last 6 neutral site games.
- Under is 8-2-1 in Mountaineers last 11 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Mountaineers last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Over is 4-1 in Mountaineers last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 4-1 in Mountaineers last 5 NCAA Tournament games.
- Under is 5-2 in Mountaineers last 7 vs. Big East.
- Under is 8-2 in Wildcats last 10 vs. Big 12.
- Over is 11-3 in Wildcats last 14 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 16-5 in Wildcats last 21 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Over is 8-3 in Wildcats last 11 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 20-8 in Wildcats last 28 overall.
- Over is 5-2 in Wildcats last 7 non-conference games.
- Over is 5-2 in Wildcats last 7 neutral site games.
