Opposites will attract on Friday in Boston, Massachusetts. Villanova head coach Jay Wright is Hollywood handsome and GQ dressed. Epitomizing smooth and cool he always looks the part for the cameras. Conversely Bob Huggins plays to the cameras in a very different fashion. Fire, fury and the most casual of dress make for his image. Yet despite their differences Wright and Huggins are two of the best in the game. On Friday they meet in a high stakes college basketball betting line matchup. Elite Eight status goes to the winner. Heart ache and regrets will belong to the loser.
5 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. 1 Villanova Wildcats
Date and Time: Friday, March 23, 2018, 6:27 p.m. Eastern
Location: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
NCAA Betting Online Odds at SBG:
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | +5½ (-110) | 152½ (-110) |  |
| Villanova | -5½ (-110) | 152½ (-110) | |
| |||
Mountaineers vs. Wildcats TV Coverage: TBS
Villanova
Few teams have brought better value to the college basketball betting line than Villanova. Payouts occurred in 24 of 36 games this season. Good value has continued with five covers in their last six tilts. Seven of their last ten games have cleared the total. Straight up Nova is 32-4 on the season. Radford went down to the Wildcats in an 87-61 first round loss. Alabama was crushed by Villanova in round two 81-58. Offensively Nova is the top scoring team in the country. On average they outscore opponents 87-70 per outing.
West Virginia
West Virginia is barely above break even at 17-15 vs. the line. Straight up they are 26-10. Wagering value is improving with four payouts in their last five games. Seven of their last eight games have gone over the total. Bog Huggins team outscores opponents by an average of 80-69 per tilt. The first round was an 85-68 payout over Murray State. Marshall was the next Mountie victim 94-71 in round two.
Big Names on Court
West Virginia senior guard Jevon Carter leads with 17 points and seven assists per game. Carter pumped in 21 and 28 points in the opening two rounds. Few players in the country match Villanova’s Jalen Brunson as an online betting asset. Brunson is a junior guard that leads Nova with 19 points and five assists per matchup.
Coach vs. Coach
Jay Wright is in his seventeenth season at Villanova. He led Nova to the 2016 national title. He also boasts a pair of Final Fours. Among his many honors are two Naismith College Coach of the Year awards. NABC coach of the year was also awarded to him. For the fourth consecutive year Wright led Villanova to 30+ wins. Bob Huggins is in his 11th season at his alma mater of West Virginia. In 2010 he led the Mounties to the Final Four. For the third time in four years he has WVU in the Sweet Sixteen. Intensity is the hallmark of Huggins. Additionally, his teams are among the toughest both mentally and physically.
Matchup to Watch
From a coaching perspective this is one of the best matchups of the Big Dance. As great as Villanova has been offensively they face a tough as nails opponent. West Virginia will bring college basketball betting line value. Nova is catching a lot of headlines and public attention. Lurking in the weeds is a resilient Mounties team.
Mountaineers vs. Wildcats NCAA games Betting Odds Picks
Upset alert pertains to this one. Look for West Virginia to stay close and possibly spring the upset.
NCAA Betting Online Pick: West Virginia Mountaineers
NCAA Betting Online Score Prediction: Mounties 77, Wildcats 73
Catch highlights of West Virginia’s payout over Marshall!