Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Villanova vs Temple NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Philadelphia.
Villanova vs Temple Prediction
Betting on today's Wildcats and Owls game? Catch the action at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA, as the Owls hosts this showdown at 4:30 ET on NBCS. Villanova is the -10 point favorites in this non-conference matchup against Temple. The over/under for the game is set at 145 points.
Villanova vs. Temple Matchup At A Glance
- Sport: NCAAB
- Teams: Villanova Wildcats at Temple Owls
- Where: Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center
- Date: Saturday, December 7th
- Betting Odds VILL -10, VILL -582 | TEMPL +389 O/U 145
Wildcats Preview: Do the Wildcats Stand a Chance in Philadelphia?
Villanova Wildcats Recent Game/Games
Villanova improved to 5-4 on the season with a 68-60 win over Cincinnati on Tuesday. The Wildcats were +4 point underdogs but not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread. The game’s total points of 128 fell short of the O/U line of 140.
Villanova led 37-28 at halftime and managed to hold on in the second half, scoring 31 points while allowing 32. The Wildcats’ defense played a key role in the win, keeping the Bearcats’ offense in check.
Wildcats Offense Breakdown
In their last game, Villanova's offense put up 68 points, shooting 48.9% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 57.4%, and they connected on 82.4% of their free throws, hitting 14 of 17 attempts.
Eric Dixon led the way with 31 points, shooting 3 of 7 from three-point range. Jhamir Brickus added 13 points and 9 assists, hitting 3 of 5 from downtown. Wooga Poplar contributed 10 rebounds and shot 75% from the field.
Wildcats Team Defense
Despite giving up 60 points, Villanova's defense allowed their opponent to shoot 48% from the field, with 23 made baskets on 47 attempts. Inside the arc, they gave up 15 two-point field goals on 27 attempts, a 55% shooting rate.
From three-point range, Villanova's defense allowed 8 made threes on 20 attempts, with their opponent shooting 40%. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 14 attempts, shooting 82%.
Owls Preview: Can the Temple Offense Score Enough at Home?
Temple's season record dropped to 4-3 after an 83-75 loss to La Salle on Saturday. The Owls entered the game as +1 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 158, surpassing the over/under line of 151.
Temple trailed 42-33 at halftime but managed to score 42 points in the second half. However, they allowed 41 points in the second half, which prevented them from mounting a comeback.
Owls Offense Breakdown
Temple's offense put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 44.8% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 1 of 16 attempts for a 6.2% three-point shooting percentage, but excelled at the free-throw line, making 14 of 16 for 87.5%.
Corey McKeithan led the way with 28 points and 4 assists, shooting 52.6% overall and 50% from three. Quante Berry added 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, shooting 57.1% from the field.
Owls Team Defense
Despite Temple's defensive struggles, they managed to limit their opponent to just 39% shooting from the field. The Owls gave up 83 points, with the other team connecting on 32 of their 81 attempts.
Temple held their opponent to 28% shooting from beyond the arc, as they made 7 of 25 three-point attempts. However, Temple sent them to the line 16 times, where they converted 12 free throws for a 75% success rate.
Wildcats vs Owls Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis
- In their last ten games away from home, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 2-8 while going 3-6-1 vs. the spread. The team averaged 66 points per game in this stretch.
- Although Temple 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 77 points per game in these games.
- Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Owls have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-3.
- The Wildcats have played well in their last three games as the betting favorite, going 2-1 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.
Villanova vs Temple Prediction & Free Pick
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Prediction: Temple +10 Be sure to check out our other NCAA Basketball betting previews for this week. KnupSports.com also updates their sports betting picks page daily with plays across all sports.