College basketball betting is finally back and we get to see one of the favorites to win the NCAA Championship take to the floor as the No. 3 Villanova Wildcats face the Boston College Eagles on Wednesday night.
NCAA odds have Villanova installed as 14-point favorites for the season opener, which will take place as part of the 2K Empire Classic at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.
We break down the college basketball odds with our best picks and predictions for Villanova vs. Boston College on Wednesday, November 25, with tipoff at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Villanova Wildcats vs Boston College Eagles Betting Preview
Key Injuries
Villanova: Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree F (Out), Bryan Antoine G (Out)
Boston College: None
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
The Under is 16-5 in Villanova's last 21 games overall. Find more NCAA betting trends for Villanova vs. Boston College.
Against the Spread (ATS) Pick
When the remainder of the 2019-2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Villanova was riding high, having won seven of their last eight games. On the other hand, Boston College ended the campaign on an ugly six-game losing streak and finished 11th in the ACC.
In a season with so many question marks, teams that already have established chemistry should excel in the early going. That's a great sign for a Villanova squad that returns four starters (Collin Gillespie, Justin Moore, Jermaine Samuels and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl) and their entire bench rotation from last season.
While the Eagles return leading scorer Jay Heath and also get back high-scoring guard Wynston Tabbs, who missed last season due to an injury, they'll have to replace three of their top four scorers from a year ago. And although they added several veteran transfers to round out their rotation, all of them played at much smaller schools and will have a learning curve adjusting to the speed and athleticism of the bigger programs.
The Wildcats can pull away from opponents in a hurry, thanks to their ability to convert from beyond the arc. Villanova was ninth in the country with 9.9 three-pointers per game last season, hitting at a 35.9 percent clip, whereas the Eagles made 7.2 threes a game while shooting 30.8 percent from long range.
With all the unknowns leading up to this season, 14 points might seem like a lot of chalk to swallow. But 'Nova's continuity, combined with their superior three-point shooting, should allow them to cover the spread.
PREDICTION: Villanova -14 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
It will be interesting to track how teams shoot through the first few games of this season. On one hand, these guys haven't shot the ball in a competitive environment in almost nine months, but on the other hand, they'll practically be shooting in an empty gym. That said, a few factors have us leaning towards the Under on Thursday.
Boston College ranked outside the Top-300 schools in the nation in effective field goal percentage last season and Villanova has the length, athleticism and versatility to give them problems.
Also, the Wildcats have played at a methodical pace over the last two seasons, ranking outside the Top-250 in possessions per game. And finally, if you care about trends, the Under has gone 16-5 in the Wildcats' last 21 games overall.
PREDICTION: Under 141.5 (-110)
Villanova vs Boston College Betting Card
- Villanova -14 (-110)
- Under 141.5 (-110)
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