Mount St. Mary’s Vs Villanova Odds, Pick & TV Info

Every team heads into March Madness with some amount of pressure resting on their shoulders. Arguably the biggest pressure game comes right at the start, when the First Four teams have to battle it out for a spot in the tournament proper. That the reward for a win is an opening round game versus one of the #1 seeds is a moot point, as it’s all about getting in, more than anything else. Mount St. Mary’s travelled to Dayton, Ohio to face New Orleans in their First Four game, and came away with a thrilling 67-66 win. They will now have the unenviable task of heading into Buffalo, NY to take on the defending champions and top ranked team in the tournament, the Villanova Wildcats. A #16 team has never taken out a #1 in the history of the tournament, and there isn’t anyone out there who believes that is about to change, especially since this Wildcats team looks as though they have what it takes to repeat as champion. Find the latest college basketball betting lines here.

Here’s A Closer Look At The Mountaineers Vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Pick & TV Info

When: Thursday, March 16 at 7:10 PM EST Where: KeyBank Center, Buffalo TV: CBS Live Stream: CBS Sports Network NCAAB Odds: TBA    

Why bet on the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers

The Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers are the type of team that you want to root for in the tournament, as they are a team that appears to be totally devoid of fear. They took on a lot of very good teams this year, going on the road for the first 9 games of the season and getting off to a 1-11 start. That they were able to end the season with a 20-15 record shows you that this group has some real grit. No-one is questioning their heart, but the question is whether they have what it takes to stack up against Villanova. The answer to that is a resounding no. The Mountaineers are going to need to be near perfect in shooting, as their rebounding is among the worst in the nation.

Why bet on the Villanova Wildcats

You take a good look at this Villanova team and you see one that doesn’t really have any glaring weaknesses. This is a team that knows what it takes to win a tournament, and you have to believe that it is going to take a near perfect effort from whoever they play in order for them to relinquish the crown. Villanova won the Big East title without really breaking much of a sweat, and this game really shouldn’t amount to much more than a practice session for them. They are likely going to have to withstand an early flurry from the Mountaineers, but it’s only a matter of time before the Wildcats take control and grind their opponents down. Villanova went 19-15 ATS as a favorite this season.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

This should be a very comfortable opening round game for Villanova that should serve as a nice warm-up for the tougher battles ahead.

Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers 68 Villanova Wildcats 92