The Creighton Blue Jays (22-8, 13-6) travel to Philadelphia to play the Villanova Wildcats (17-13, 10-9) in the final game of the regular season for both teams before the Big East tournament starts next week. Both teams have different styles of play, with Creighton being more balanced, but Villanova’s defense could be a difference-maker.
Can the Wildcats keep pace with the Blue Jays and potentially punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament?
Creighton vs. Villanova Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | MoneyLine |
| Creighton | -1
-112 |
O 137
-115 |
-120 |
| Villanova | +1 -108 |
U 137
-105 |
+100 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
Creighton vs. Villanova Game Details
- Fixture: Creighton @ Villanova
- Date and Time: March 9, 2024 @ 2:00 pm EST
- Location: Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Creighton | vs. | Villanova |
| 22-8 | Record | 17-13 |
| 81.2 | Points Per Game | 71.2 |
| 49.1 | FG% | 42.6 |
| 36.5 | 3PT% | 34.1 |
| 38.0 | Rebounds Per Game | 34.9 |
| 69.5 | Points Allowed Per Game | 65.5 |
| 41.9 | Defensive FG% | 40.9 |
| 32 | Defensive 3PT% | 32.4 |
| 77.5 | Defensive FT% | 73.4 |
| 33.4 | Defensive Rebounds Per Game | 33.8 |
| 4-1 | Last 5 W-L | 3-2 |
Key Stats
Creighton Blue Jays
Creighton is 11th in the NET and then 9th in KenPom overall. They are extremely well-balanced, and that comes out in their KenPom rankings with an adjusted offense of 121.3, which is 11th, and an adjusted defense of 97.2, which is 24th. Four different Blue Jays average over double digits, three averaging at least 17 points or more. Baylor Scheierman leads the way with 18.5 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game. Creighton is also a top-30 scoring team at 81.2 points per game and top-20 in assists at 17.3 per game.
Thanks to the combination of his size and skill, Scheierman has been a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. Not only does he lead the team in scoring, but he is also a great three-point shooter, at 37.7% from behind the arc and 45.2% from the field.
Villanova Wildcats
The metrics are very high on Villanova, with the Wildcats being 29th in both the NET and KenPom. Their defense is what sets them apart, with their adjusted defense ranked 13th on KenPom at 95.5. They are also allowing 65.5 points per game, which is 22nd in all of college basketball in scoring defense. When it comes to offense, Villanova has three players who average over double digits, with Eric Dixon being the leader at 16 points per game.
Dixon is a difference-maker for the Wildcats. He leads the team in scoring off the wing, is third in three-point shooting at 35.1% from behind the arc, and shoots 46.7% from the field overall. Dixon is a Swiss army knife for the Wildcats and will be needed in this game.
Game Prediction
Creighton has been on fire recently and is in line for a 3-seed in the tournament, but Villanova is in desperation mode and needs this game. The loss to Seton Hall really set Villanova back, but they are back home in this spot. This is going to be a close game because Villanova is in desperation mode, so expect Villanova to cover and win at home and for them to feel safer on the bubble.
Final Pick
Villanova +1 or Villanova ML (+100)
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