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The Villanova Wildcats are set to face the Providence Friars. Check out our college basketball odds series, which includes our Villanova Providence prediction, odds, and pick.
This is the Big East game of the year. Villanova, the team viewed by college basketball odds experts as the preseason Big East favorite and a frontline Final Four contender, faces the first-place team in the conference, the Providence Friars. You would not have had many people guess before the season that when this matchup arrived in the middle of February, Providence — at 21-2 — would have the better record than Villanova. The Villanova Providence odds seem to rely on brand name and reputation, but Providence has had the better season up to this point in time.
When thinking about a Villanova Providence prediction, you might think that Jay Wright is a better overall coach than Providence's Ed Cooley, and that's actually probably true, but in 2022 specifically, Cooley has had the better year. Cooley is likely to finish in the top three of the national coach of the year race. He is battling Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Auburn's Bruce Pearl for that particular honor.
Villanova was a Sweet 16 team last season, and the Wildcats reached the Sweet 16 without an injured Collin Gillespie. With Gillespie returning to the roster this season, Final Four expectations were both pervasive and reasonable. Villanova figured to have a mixture of experience and exciting, young talent which most teams need to get to the Final Four. Yet, the older and younger players on the roster haven't meshed as well as Jay Wright hoped. The offense bogged down late against UCLA in the first week of the season, and that has been a recurring problem for a team which struggles to score against really good defenses. Marquette handcuffed Villanova twice and swept the Wildcats this season. Villanova also was smothered by Baylor earlier in the season in a nonconference clash, a rematch of their Sweet 16 battle.
Villanova has the natural, raw tools of a team which is capable of rising to the top tier of the sport, but we haven't seen that best version of the Wildcats very often this season.
Providence isn't an imposing team, but the Friars just keep winning one close game after another under Ed Cooley. Keep that in mind when contemplating a Villanova Providence pick. The Friars shoot a lot of free throws and get cheap points when their jumpers aren't falling. They defend extremely well. They don't commit many turnovers. By getting to the foul line and by not giving the ball away very often, the Friars maximize possessions and allow opponents to implode. Providence came back from a 13-point deficit to beat DePaul this past Saturday. The Friars have won close-shave games at Xavier, twice against St. John's, at home against Marquette, and in several other games this season.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Villanova-Providence odds:
College Basketball odds: Villanova-Providence Odds
Villanova: -4 (-110)
Providence: +4 (-110)
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Over: 131 (-114)
Under: 131 (-106)
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Why Villanova Could Cover the Spread
The Wildcats have a lot to prove. They know this season hasn't lived up to the hype. They know they have to beat Providence to gain more respect. If there ever was a time for the best version of Villanova to show up, this is it.
Why Providence Could Cover the Spread
The Friars have won close games all season. Here, they're getting four points at home. It frankly seems too good to be true. Providence might need a great game to win outright, but it merely needs an above-average performance to cover the spread.
Final Villanova-Providence Prediction & Pick
Villanova might win outright, but Providence is a 21-2 team, playing at home in front of a juiced crowd, getting four points, during a season in which it has won a lot of close games. Don't overthink this. Take the Friars and the points.
Final Villanova-Providence Pick: Providence +4
