Check out our free DePaul vs Villanova pick and preview for this NCAA Basketball game in Villanova. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this College Basketball matchup.
DePaul vs Villanova Pick & Preview: Wednesday, February 8th Betting Odds
Blue Demons vs Wildcats Matchup at a Glance
- Sport: NCAAB
- Teams: DePaul Blue Demons at Villanova Wildcats
- Where: Villanova at Finneran Pavilion
- Date: Wednesday, February 8th
- Betting Odds: DePaul +9.5, DEPAUL +370 | VILL -505 O/U 142.0
Blue Demons Preview:
The DePaul Blue Demons head into today’s game in what will be their 25th game of the season, posting a record of 9-15. On the road, the Blue Demons will be playing their 12th game of the season, having gone 2-10. So far, the Blue Demons have been the underdog 16 times, going 3-13 straight up. Heading into today’s contest, they are the +9.5 underdogs on the spread.
DePaul will be counting on another strong performance from the team’s leading scorer Umoja Gibson who is averaging 16.04 points per game for the Blue Demons. Gibson is also important to the team’s ability to score on the perimeter. So far, he leads the team in 3-point shots made. Also key to the Blue Demons’ offensive game plan is the play of Javan Johnson who has hit 42.2% of his field goal attempts on his way to averaging 14.46 points per game.
On offense, DePaul is scoring a rate similar to the NCAA average at 73.3 points per game. This figure has come despite struggling to knock down shots from outside. Through 24 games, they have only hit 31.8% of their 3-point field goal attempts. For the season, 34.31% of their shots have come from beyond the arc.
Wildcats Preview:
Coming into today’s matchup, the Villanova Wildcats are in the middle of a 3 game losing streak and have an overall record of 10-13. Currently, the Wildcats have been the home team 11 times, sitting with a record of 6-5. The Wildcats’ are sitting with a betting line that is -9.5 points in their favor. For the season, Villanova has been favored to win in 17 games, sitting with a mark of 9-8.
Villanova will be counting on another strong performance from the team’s leading scorer Caleb Daniels who is averaging 16.0 points per game for the Wildcats. Daniels is also important to the team’s ability to score on the perimeter. So far, he leads the team in 3-point shots made. Also key to the Wildcats’ offensive game plan is the play of Eric Dixon who has hit 50.4% of his field goal attempts on his way to averaging 15.83 points per game.
Coming into today’s game, Villanova will be looking from some improved play from their offense. Currently, the Wildcats are ranked 158th at 72.6 points per game. A major reason for their low scoring mumbers is the fact that they tend to work the clock on offense. This year, they are the 662nd ranked team in terms of pace. When looking at their 3-point shooting numbers, Villanova is close to the NCAA average at 35.9%.
Free Spread Prediction: DePaul Blue Demons +9.5
The Villanova Wildcats will begin their matchup against DePaul Blue Demons as the strong favorites to win with a point spread of -9.5. Our analysis favors Villanova’s chances to pull home with an easy win and cover the spread. When considering how each team prefers to play, both Villanova and DePaul are near the NCAA average in possessions per game. We like how this scenario benefits Villanova, as their superior talent should come through throughout the game in an easy win. Although the Wildcats don’t have a great track record vs the spread as the betting favorite, going 1-4 (last 5), we like their chances to come home with the ATS win.
