Providence Friars vs Villanova Wildcats Matchup

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

Providence vs Villanova Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Friars versus the Wildcats? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on FS1. The game will be played at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, PA. This Big East conference matchup has an over/under of 141.5 points, and Villanova is favored to win by -7.5 at home vs. Providence.

Providence vs. Villanova Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Providence Friars at Villanova Wildcats
Where: Villanova at Finneran Pavilion
Date: Friday, January 17th
Betting Odds VILL -7.5, PROV +275 | VILL -345 O/U 141.5

Friars Preview: Can Providence Deliver Being Underdogs on the Road?

Providence Friars Recent Game/Games

The Friars dropped to 9-9 on the season after an 84-64 road loss to Creighton on Tuesday. Providence entered the game as +9.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

Providence trailed 43-34 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap, scoring just 30 points in the 2nd half while allowing 41. The total points for the game were 148, just over the O/U line of 146.5.

Friars Offense Breakdown

Providence's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 38.2% from the field and 20% from beyond the arc, hitting only 4 of 20 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.2%, and they managed 8 assists as a team.

Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth each scored 20 points, with Kalkbrenner shooting 66.7% overall and hitting 2 of 4 threes. Ashworth made 4 of 10 from deep, while Isaac Traudt was perfect from three, going 4 for 4.

Friars Team Defense

Providence's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 84 points on 51% shooting from the field. The Friars allowed their opponents to hit 60% of their two-point attempts, going 18/30 inside the arc.

From three-point range, Providence's defense conceded 14 threes on 32 attempts, a 43% clip. They sent their opponents to the free-throw line 12 times, where they made 6 free throws.

Wildcats Preview: Do the Wildcats Have a Shot at a Home Win?

Villanova Wildcats Recent Game/Games

Villanova fell to 11-7 on the season after a 69-63 road loss to Xavier on Tuesday. The Wildcats, who entered the game as +3 point underdogs, didn’t cover the spread. The total points of 132 fell short of the 146.5 O/U line.

Villanova led 32-24 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, allowing 45 points while scoring 31. Their inability to maintain their defensive intensity after the break was a key factor in the loss.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Villanova put up 63 points in their last game, shooting 43.1% from the field and 38.1% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 51%, and they connected on 78.6% of their free throws, going 11-for-14 from the line.

Ryan Conwell led the way with 34 points, hitting 6-of-10 from deep and shooting 61.5% overall. Eric Dixon and Jordan Longino each added 18 points, with both shooting 60% from three-point range.

Wildcats Team Defense

Villanova's defense gave up 69 points on 40% shooting from the field in their last game. They held the opposing team to 41% from two-point range, with the team hitting 10 of their 24 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Villanova's opponents went 10/25, shooting 40%. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 26 times, where they converted 19 free throws for a 73% success rate. Villanova allowed 7 offensive rebounds.

Friars vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Providence has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 72 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
In their last three games at home, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 1-2 vs. the spread. The team averaged 68 points per game in this stretch.
Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Providence has an ATS mark of 6-4 while going 3-7 straight up.
Villanova has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 3-0 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last three games.