Getting to the #1 ranking in college basketball is tough, but staying there, especially this season, is tougher. Teams at or near the top this year have made a habit of losing to unranked opponents and seeing their stock fall rather dramatically. Very few teams have escaped this fate, which is why what the Villanova Wildcats are doing right now is so impressive. They have been holding on to that top spot while everyone else below them bites the dust. Whether they can stay on top all the way through to March Madness remains to be seen, but given how they are playing right now, it’s tough to bet against them, just as the NCAAB odds suggest.
They have what appears to be a bit of a tricky one on Thursday night with the Creighton Bluejays coming to town. While not on the level of Villanova, the NCAA Basketball betting underdog Creighton is putting together a very strong season, and they also have the scalps of a couple of ranked teams under their belts. Can Villanova continue to roll and maintain that #1 seed, or are they potentially in trouble here?
The Villanova Wildcats have no problem putting points on the board and are currently top 5 in scoring, but they do have a tendency to be a little loose on the defensive end of the court. That is an issue that may come back to haunt them when they go against another big scoring team, perhaps a team like Creighton. The Wildcats have been money at home this season, failing to lose in their own building, so they always need to be favorite at home. Villanova is 14-7 ATS and 13-8 O/U this season.
Bluejays vs. Wildcats NCAAB Odds, Game Info & Pick
This is just how we do it. We #LetItFly. #GoJays pic.twitter.com/OYfNRBiNp5
— Jahenns Manigat (@JManigat12) 1 de febrero de 2018
- When: Thursday, February 1 at 6:30 PM EST
- Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
- TV: FS1
- Radio: 1620 AM (Creighton) / 950 AM (Villanova)
- Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
- NCAAB Odds: Villanova Wildcats -13 (Over/Under at 163 points)
Team Records
- All: Creighton Bluejays 17-5 / Villanova Wildcats 20-1
- Home: Creighton Bluejays 13-0 / Villanova Wildcats 11-0
- Away: Creighton Bluejays 4-5 / Villanova Wildcats 9-1
- ATS: Creighton Bluejays 12-9 / Villanova Wildcats 13-7-1
- Over/Under: Creighton Bluejays 11-10 / Villanova Wildcats 13-8
Thursday Night NBA Betting Lines & Pick: Rockets vs. Spurs
Recent Head to Head (Last 9 Games)
- Record: Villanova Wildcats lead 7-2
- Score: Creighton Bluejays 71.22 / Villanova Wildcats 77.33
- Field Goal Percentage: Creighton Bluejays 46.88 / Villanova Wildcats 48.56
- Rebounds: Creighton Bluejays 29.33 / Villanova Wildcats 32.11
- 3 Point Shots: Creighton Bluejays 80-216 / Villanova Wildcats 84-218
- Steals: Creighton Bluejays 4.56 / Villanova Wildcats 6.67
Why consider the Bluejays NCAAB Odds?
The Creighton Bluejays have been quietly going about their business this season, putting together a 17-5 record, which includes being a very solid 7-3 in Big East play. That good run in conference play has them just a game behind the Villanova Wildcats who sit on top, so a win here could really set the cat among the pigeons and would probably be enough to help Creighton crack the top 25 next week. Creighton’s record this season is all the more impressive when you consider that they have already faced 7 ranked teams, posting a record of 3-4 in those games. Winning on the road against the #1 team in the nation is a big ask, though, especially when you consider that the Bluejays are a game under .500 on the road this season. This is a team that can score though, averaging 86.5 PPG, which ties them for 5th in scoring. Creighton is 12-9 ATS and 11-10 O/U this season.Team Statistics
Offense- Total Score: 86.45
- Field Goal Percentage: 50.37
- Three-Point Percentage: 38.03
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.24
- Total Rebounds: 37.68
- Total Score: 72.91
- Field Goal Percentage: 42.49
- Three-Point Percentage: 30.95
- Free Throw Percentage: 74.29
- Total Rebounds: 34.05
Why consider the Wildcats NCAAB Odds?
The Villanova Wildcats are truly deserving of their #1 ranking right now, as they only have one small blemish on their record, a loss on the road to the Butler Bulldogs. Since that defeat, they have reeled off 7 straight wins, although the Wildcats did have to fight for their life on the road to Marquette in their last outing, escaping with a slender 85-82 win.
The Villanova Wildcats have no problem putting points on the board and are currently top 5 in scoring, but they do have a tendency to be a little loose on the defensive end of the court. That is an issue that may come back to haunt them when they go against another big scoring team, perhaps a team like Creighton. The Wildcats have been money at home this season, failing to lose in their own building, so they always need to be favorite at home. Villanova is 14-7 ATS and 13-8 O/U this season.
Team Statistics
Offense- Total Score: 87.81
- Field Goal Percentage: 50.86
- Three-Point Percentage: 41.37
- Free Throw Percentage: 76.14
- Total Rebounds: 35.43
- Total Score: 69.10
- Field Goal Percentage: 42.96
- Three-Point Percentage: 32.73
- Free Throw Percentage: 71.33
- Total Rebounds: 33.10
Latest Betting Trends for NCAAB
- Bluejays are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games on the road
- Bluejays are 12-3 SU in their last 15 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Creighton’s last 9 games
- Wildcats are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games
- Wildcats are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
- The total has gone OVER in 9 of Villanova’s last 13 games
