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Creighton vs Villanova Odds and Picks (Jan. 5)

Chris Amberley

by Chris Amberley in College Basketball

Updated Jan 5, 2022 · 6:05 PM PST

Brandon Slate on defense versus Creighton
Villanova's Brandon Slater (3) plays against Creighton during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, in Omaha, Neb. Creighton defeated Villanova 79-59. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
  • #19 Villanova is an 11-point favorite over Creighton on Wednesday (Jan. 5th) at 8:30 pm ET at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, PA
  • The Bluejays defeated the Wildcats 79-59 back on December 17th
  • Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction

There are just two Big East tilts on Wednesday (Jan. 5) on the college basketball schedule, but the second game of the night should be a doozy. #19 Villanova hosts Creighton, in a rematch of an outing that took place three weeks ago. That night, the underdog Bluejays were victorious by 20, shocking a Wildcats program that was ranked ninth at the time.

Creighton vs #19 Villanova Odds

Team Moneyline Spread Total
Creighton Bluejays +490 +11 (-110) O 132 (-110)
Villanova Wildcats -710 -11 (-110) U 132 (-110)

Odds as of Jan. 4th at FanDuel.

Since that meeting, Villanova (9-4, 2-1 Big East) has won back-to-back conference games, while Creighton (10-3, 2-0 Big East) claimed victory in its only outing versus Marquette.

The Wildcats opened up as an 11-point favorite, in a game that features a total of 132. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 pm ET at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, PA, with FS1 providing the coverage.

Creighton vs Villanova Betting Analysis

In their first meeting, the Bluejays’ Ryan Hawkins led all scorers with 19 points, while three other teammates also reached double-figures.

Creighton closed the game on a 23-5 run, forcing 12 straight Villanova missed field goal attempts to end the contest. Collin Gillespie paced the Wildcats’ attack with 16 points, but the team shot just 33% from the field, and 17.4% from three. The rough night from the field was well below Villanova’s season averages in both categories, which we’ll discuss later.

The Bluejays on the other hand, were extremely efficient shooting the ball. They finished with a 54.4% field goal percentage, and were 9-for-23 (39%) from beyond the arc. They became just the fourth team up until that point to eclipse 60 points against the Wildcats, while finishing +12 on the glass, and +10 in the assist department.

It was Villanova’s second straight defeat of at least 20 points, but they’ve responded in a big way. The Wildcats have posted back-to-back victories over ranked competition, including a 71-58 win over #18 Xavier in their last outing.

Creighton meanwhile, needed double overtime in its last outing to knock off Marquette. The Blue Jays are 2-0 versus ranked competition this season, in large part due to their defense.

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Creighton vs Villanova Season Stats

The Bluejays are yielding just 65.2 points per game, while ranking 34th in opponent effective field goal percentage. They’re the sixth best defensive rebounding team in the nation, and commit the seventh fewest fouls, which translates into minimal easy points for their opposition.

Offensively, they’re a good but certainly not spectacular unit. They average 75.7 points per outing, while posting a 53.3% effective shooting percentage. They’re strength at that end of the floor lies inside the three-point line, where they rank 17th in two-point field goal percentage.

The Wildcats meanwhile, rank 9th in offensive adjusted efficiency per KenPom, and average the 19th most three-point makes per game. They have an effective field goal percentage of 50.7%, while only seven other programs commit fewer turnovers.

Defensively, they’re surrendering only 63 points per contest, while holding enemy shooters to 41.6% from the field.

Creighton vs Villanova Pick

Both of these teams like to play slow which brings under 132 points into play on Wednesday. Creighton ranks 246th in adjusted tempo per KenPom, and 200th in average possession length. Not to be outdone, Villanova ranks 345th in adjusted tempo (out of 358 programs), and 339th in average possession length.

https://youtu.be/_jQKnSJ_2nk

The slow pace combined with strong defense from both teams has cashed plenty of under tickets this season. Nine of the Bluejays’ 13 games have failed to clear the total, as have six of the Wildcats’ past eight outings.

Pick: Under 132 (-110)

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