Villanova at Providence Odds, Free Pick & TV Info

Fourth-ranked Villanova might have a clear path to the Big East title and a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance because two of its top pursuers in the conference, Creighton and Xavier, have recently lost star point guards to season-ending injuries. The Cats visit Providence on Wednesday night as solid favorites on NCAA basketball odds.

Villanova at Providence Odds, Free Pick & TV Info

When: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 7 PM ET Where: Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI TV: Fox Sports 1 Stream: Fox Sports Go Radio: Villanova / Providence Opening NCAA Basketball Lines: Villanova favored by TBA

Why Bet On Villanova?

It was an interesting last week for Villanova, which had been No. 1 in the AP poll. It was upset last Tuesday by unranked Marquette but then bounced back with a thrilling 61-59 win Sunday over an excellent Virginia team. Redshirt freshman guard Donte DiVincenzo got a tip-in on a missed attempt by Josh Hart just before the final horn, giving the Wildcats the win over the No. 12 Cavaliers. The game was played before the largest crowd to see a college basketball game in the 21 year history of the Wells Fargo Center (20,907). The Wildcats (20-2) found their 3-point groove that fueled a second-half rally. They had the ball with 11.5 seconds left and the game tied. Hart drove the lane and missed his layup. DiVincenzo zipped down the baseline and tipped the ball in with his outstretched right hand just as the horn sounded. “Josh made a great play,” stated DiVincenzo, whose game-winning tip was the only basket he scored in the contest. “He saw the lane open and the defense turned their head, there was only a couple seconds left. If I didn’t get it, I knew we were going into overtime. We just had to lock down defensively, but luckily I got a last second tip in.” The Wildcats were out of sync in the first half. They missed 18 of 22 shots from the floor and nine of 10 3-pointers. Kris Jenkins and Hart — the senior stalwarts that fueled the national championship run — combined to miss all 13 shots from the floor and all eight 3s. The five Villanova starters made only three baskets. Virginia’s lead was up to 13 with nearly seven minutes gone in the second half. Hart’s first field goal came with less than eight minutes left, Jenkins’s come just 30 seconds later. Those started a 13-0 run. Sophomores Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson led the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points apiece. Hart bounced back after a tough first half to finish with 12 points and four rebounds.

Why Bet On Providence?

The Friars (14-9) beat Marquette 79-78 on Saturday. It marked the team’s first win all-time at Marquette. Junior Kyron Cartwright led the Friars with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. All his points came in the second half. The Friars led at halftime by eight points, 40-32, after shooting 52 percent from the field, including 78 percent from three point territory (7-9). Junior Emmitt Holt and Jalen Lindsey each had 11 points to pace the Friars in that half. The Friars shot 26-53 (49%) from the field and 11-20 (55%) from three-point territory in the win. Marquette was 25-58 (43%) from the field and 10-25 (40%) from three. In addition to Cartwright’s 18, Lindsey added 14 points (4-5 from three), Holt finished with 13 and Ryan Fazekas had 11 points. Rodney Bullock leads the team in scoring (17.3 ppg). He also leads the squad in rebounding (6.1 rpg). He posted his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 12 rebounds against St. Francis on November 21. On November 30 in a win versus New Hampshire, Bullock registered a career-high 36 points as he was 12-21 from the field, including 5-8 from three-point territory. The Friars have posted a 111-254 (.304) mark all-time versus top-25 teams, including a 1-5 record this season. In the Friars' first game this season versus a ranked squad, the team was defeated by No. 7/6 Virginia, 63-52, in the Championship Game of the Emerald Coast Classic on November 26 in Niceville, Fla. The Friars won their second game of the season versus a ranked team when they earned a 63-60 victory over No. 21/25 Rhode Island on December 3. In their third game this season versus a ranked team, the Friars were defeated at No. 17/17 Xavier, 82-56, on December 28. In the team’s fourth game versus a ranked squad, the Friars were defeated at No. 13/13 Butler,. 78-61, on January 1. The Friars’ fifth game versus a ranked a squad, the team was defeated by No. 10/10 Creighton, 78-64, on January 7. Over the last three seasons, Providence and Villanova have played seven games. The two teams have met five times during the regular season and have met each of the last two seasons in the Big East Semifinals. They played earlier this season in Philly and Villanova won 78-68.

Villanova at Providence Free Pick: Villanova Wildcats

Take Villanova on NCAA basketball odds.