The top-seeded and defending champion Villanova Wildcats will open their title defense on Thursday night when they take on the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers. The game is scheduled for a 7:10 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on CBS. The college basketball odds for the game have the Wildcats favored by a whole lot of points to pick up the win.
College Basketball Odds
Villanova -27
Total: 133.5 points
Villanova is going to have no issues in this one. The Wildcats are the defending champions and have played like the best team in America for long stretches of time this season. Villanova enters the tournament as the top overall seed and there’s little to show that they will be challenged in this one.
Mount St. Mary’s picked up a nice win over New Orleans in the First Four in Dayton, 67-66, a game that saw Junior Robinson post 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Miles Wilson had a big game that night as well, posting a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Both would need the games of their lives and Villanova would have to really struggle shooting the basketball in order for the Mountaineers to even have a chance to win.
Josh Hart leads the Wildcats and his near-19 points per game. Both Jalen Brunson and Kris Jenkins are double-digit guys as well. Jenkins hit the game-winning shot in the finals last year that gave the Wildcats the win over North Carolina. They won’t be tested nearly as much in this one and the Wildcats should run away into the second round with a crushing win over Mount St. Mary’s.
Free Pick: Villanova
Virginia Tech Vs. Wisconsin (Betting NCAA Basketball)
Professionals see a mismatches within the player matchups for this game. handicapped by Pro Bettor Dave Essler - with RJ Bell from the Pregame.com Studios in Las Vegas. Get his NCAA College Basketball Free Pick: Virginia Tech Vs. Wisconsin
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