NJIT Highlanders vs Villanova Wildcats Matchup

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

NJIT vs Villanova Prediction

Planning on watching today's Highlanders and Wildcats game? Catch the action at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, PA, as the Wildcats hosts this showdown at 8:30 ET on None. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 138.5 points, and Villanova is favored by -21.5 vs. NJIT.

NJIT vs. Villanova Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: NJIT Highlanders at Villanova Wildcats
Where: Villanova at Finneran Pavilion
Date: Friday, November 8th
Betting Odds VILL -21.5, NJIT +1900 | VILL -6500 O/U 138.5

Highlanders Preview: Will NJIT Find a Way to Win on the Road?

NJIT Highlanders Recent Game

NJIT opened their season with a narrow 58-57 loss to Penn on Monday. Despite being +8.5 point underdogs, the Highlanders kept it close and covered the spread. The game’s total points of 115 fell well short of the O/U line of 144.

After leading 34-22 at halftime, NJIT struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 23 points while allowing 36. They’ll need to address their 2nd half performance moving forward.

Highlanders Offense Breakdown

NJIT struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 57 points with a field goal percentage of 37% (20/54). Their effective field goal percentage was 44.4%, as they hit 29.2% from beyond the arc (7/24) and 43.3% on two-point attempts (13/30). At the free-throw line, they connected on 76.9% of their shots (10/13).

The Highlanders managed 8 offensive rebounds and 8 assists in the game. Tariq Francis and Sebastian Robinson each scored 20 points, with Francis shooting 30% from the field (6/20) and 33.3% from three (4/12). Robinson hit 50% of his shots (7/14) and added 9 rebounds. Dylan Williams contributed 17 points, shooting 55.6% overall (5/9) and 75% from deep (3/4).

Highlanders Team Defense

The NJIT Highlanders put on a strong defensive performance, holding their opponent to just 58 points on 37% shooting from the field. They limited two-point opportunities, with the other team making 13 of 30 shots for 43%.

From beyond the arc, NJIT's defense was effective, as they allowed only 7 threes on 24 attempts, a 29% shooting rate. The opponent also went 10/13 from the free-throw line, and NJIT gave up 8 offensive rebounds.

Wildcats Preview: Will the Villanova Defense Show Up at Home?

Villanova’s season got off to a rocky start with a 90-80 loss to Columbia on Wednesday. The Wildcats, who were -16.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 170, exceeding the O/U line of 147.5.

Villanova trailed 39-37 at halftime and couldn’t turn things around in the 2nd half, where they scored 43 points but allowed 51.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Eric Dixon was the standout performer for Villanova in their last game, scoring 33 points and hitting 5 of 7 from beyond the arc, finishing with an overall shooting percentage of 68.8%. Avery Brown also had an efficient night, shooting 71.4% from the field and making his only three-point attempt, contributing 18 points.

As a team, Villanova shot 45% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. They hit 11 of 32 three-point attempts (34.4%) and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 15 of 17 attempts (88.2%). The Wildcats also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 16 assists in the game.

Wildcats Team Defense

Villanova's defense struggled, giving up 90 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 45% from the field. They had a tough time inside, with the other team hitting 57% of their two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, Villanova allowed 11 threes on 32 attempts, a 34% shooting rate. They also sent the other team to the line 17 times, where they converted 88% of their free throws. Villanova gave up 13 offensive rebounds in the game.

Highlanders vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last five road games, NJIT has an ATS record of just 1-4. However, their overall record was 0-5 while averaging 68 points per game.
Although Villanova has a straight up record of 1-2 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 64 points per game in these games.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Highlanders have gone 4-6 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-8.
Looking back on the team's last ten games as the favorite, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 7-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 5-5.