Cincinnati Bearcats vs Villanova Wildcats Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Cincinnati vs Villanova NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Villanova.

Cincinnati vs Villanova Prediction

Planning on watching today's Bearcats and Wildcats game? Catch the action at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, PA, as the Wildcats hosts this showdown at 6:30 ET on FS1. Cincinnati is favored by -3.5 in this non-conference contest against Villanova. The game's over/under currently sits at 138.5 points.

Cincinnati vs. Villanova Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Cincinnati Bearcats at Villanova Wildcats
Where: Villanova at Finneran Pavilion
Date: Tuesday, December 3rd
Betting Odds CIN -3.5, CIN -174 | VILL +144 O/U 138.5

Bearcats Preview: Does Cincinnati Stand a Chance on the Road?

Cincinnati Bearcats Recent Game/Games

On Wednesday, November 27th, the Bearcats improved to 4-4 on the season with a 77-59 home win over Alabama State. Cincinnati was a heavy favorite going into the game, but they didn't cover the spread of -29 points.

After leading 46-33 at halftime, the Bearcats held the Hornets to 26 points in the 2nd half while scoring 31 themselves. The total points for the game were 136, falling short of the 145-point over/under line.

Bearcats Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, Cincinnati put up 77 points, shooting 44.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.2%. They connected on 55.3% of their two-point attempts, while hitting 32.3% from beyond the arc, making 10 threes on 31 tries. Their free-throw shooting was a weak spot, as they hit just 5 of 12 attempts, a 41.7% rate.

The Bearcats grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 16 assists. Amarr Knox led the way with 24 points, shooting 9 of 20 from the field and 2 of 7 from three. Simas Lukosius added 16 points, hitting 4 of 10 from deep, while Jizzle James contributed 13 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 5 of 9 overall.

Bearcats Team Defense

Even with Cincinnati allowing 59 points, their defense struggled inside, giving up 55% shooting on two-pointers. The Bearcats allowed 31 field goals on 69 attempts, with 10 of those coming from beyond the arc, where the opposing team shot 32%.

Cincinnati sent their opponents to the free-throw line 12 times, where they hit just 5, shooting 41%. The Bearcats also gave up 15 offensive rebounds in the game.

Wildcats Preview: Is A Home Victory Likely for Underdog Villanova?

Villanova evened their record at 4-4 with a 72-48 win over Rider on Wednesday, November 27th. Playing at home, the Wildcats were -18 point favorites and covered the spread. The game’s total points were 120, falling short of the 138-point over/under line.

Villanova took control early, leading 36-20 at halftime, and matched that output in the 2nd half, scoring another 36 points while allowing 28.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Villanova's offense put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 41.4% from the field. They connected on 15 of 38 three-point attempts, hitting 39.5% from deep, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 55.2%.

Eric Dixon led the way with 16 points, hitting 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. Jhamir Brickus and Flash Burton each added 15 points, with Brickus knocking down 5 of 7 threes.

Wildcats Team Defense

Villanova's defense held their opponent to just 48 points, despite allowing them to shoot 41% from the field. The Wildcats gave up 15 threes on 38 attempts, a 39% clip.

From the free-throw line, Villanova sent their opponent to the line 12 times, where they hit 9 free throws (75%). The Wildcats also allowed 12 offensive rebounds.

Bearcats vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Bearcats have a straight up record of 5-5 while going 8-2 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 70 points per game in these contests.
Across their ten previous home games, Villanova has an ATS mark of 3-6-1. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-8 while averaging 66 points per game.
Going back to their last three games as the underdog, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 0-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 1-2.
Through their last three games as the favorite, the Bearcats have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 3-0.