With the opening week of the college basketball season officially in the books, it is time to turn the page to an epic Monday evening showdown as the Villanova Wildcats take on the Pennsylvania Quakers. Let's check out our college basketball odds series where our Villanova-Penn basketball prediction and pick will be revealed.
Entering this contest as the 21st-ranked team in the nation, Villanova is coming off a perfect 2-0 opening week that resulted in wins over American University and Le Moyne. Although the Wildcats have not been tested yet, expectations are high for a program that is in year two of the Kyle Neptune tenure.
Meanwhile, the Quakers have squared off against competition three times so far and have managed to come away victorious in two of those contests including scoring a whopping 102 points in their season opener. Most recently, it was Pennsylvania that found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard in a 69-61 defeat at the hands of Saint Joseph's. Will the Quakers be able to get back on the saddle later this evening and shock the college basketball world with a ranked win under their belts?
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Villanova-Penn Odds
Villanova: -11.5 (-105)
Penn: +11.5 (-115)
Over: 140.5 (-115)
Under: 140.5 (-105)
How to Watch Villanova vs. Penn
Time: 7:00 ET/4:00 PT
TV: ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Villanova Will Cover The Spread
First things first, the one area of the game that Villanova should have a major advantage in entering this one will be their well-balanced attack that has been on full display throughout their first two games of the season. Despite the sample size being relatively low, bettors should keep their eyes peeled on leading scorer Justin Moore to go along with sharpshooter Brendan Hausen off the bench.
After it was Moore that dropped 21 points in the box score, it proved to be Hausen who had the hot hand en route to going a red-hot 6-8 from beyond the arc. As a team, the Wildcats connected on 40% of their three-point attempts. Alas, if the Wildcats hit some shots from deep right out of the get go, then the Quakers could be in for a long evening.
Most importantly, Villanova has also had plenty of experience against Pennsylvania throughout the years. Believe it or not, the Wildcats have faced off with the Quakers a whopping 69 times over the years and have managed to go 51-18 against their cross-town foes. Although the past has nothing to do with this year, the Wildcats finding a way to be triumphant may end up being fate based on the fact that ‘Nova has defeated Penn 18 of their last 19 times.
Why Penn Will Cover The Spread
On the other side of things, the Quakers will be seeking their first win over the Wildcats since a 78-75 victory back in 2018. Above all else, this is a team that will need to rely on their experience when things get tough.
Insert Penn guard Clark Slajchert who can make it rain even on the sunniest of days. After being a double-digit scorer in each of the past two seasons, Slajchert has picked up right where he left off in the first three games of the season with 17.3 points per game to go along with an unfathomable 56.3% clip from downtown.
Without a doubt, the senior guard from Los Angeles is a bonafide threat whenever the ball is in his hands and another high-octane scoring performance could be just what the doctor ordered to help his squad find a way to cover the spread.
Overall, it proved to be Pennsylvania that went 15-12 against the spread a year ago and are so far a dead-even 1-1 ATS to kick off the new season. In order for the Ivy League school to make an ultimate statement, there is no doubt that the Quakers cannot let the Wildcats have their way in the paint.
On paper, Penn is at an obvious size disadvantage down low, and even if they do get out-rebounded in tonight's clash, eliminating as many Villanova second-chance opportunities as possible will prove to be absolutely vital. All in all, making it a priority to box out when shots go up and corralling defensive rebounds could be the difference in whether or not Penn has what it takes to handle their business only a few hours from now.
Final Villanova-Penn Prediction & Pick
With many meetings over the years, this one has a chance to be extremely entertaining. Simply put, Penn can shoot the ball at a high clip, and the expectation is for them to be locked in from the opening tip. Although it's not the popular pick, side with the Quakers to make this a ball game.
Final Villanova-Penn Prediction & Pick: Penn +11.5 (-115)
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