12:02 pm
December 15

#17 Villanova @ #1 Kansas

What will be the GAME RESULT?

#17 Villanova: Wins or Single Digit Loss

@ #1 Kansas: Wins By Double Digits

 

Current odds:

Villanova: (+320)

Kansas: (-400)

 

• The line for this game is Kansas by 8 points.

• Villanova failed its first Final Four rematch and hopes for a better result Saturday when it visits Kansas. The top-ranked Jayhawks are off to an undefeated start, while the 16th-ranked Wildcats are looking to bounce back from a rare Big 5 defeat. Villanova made a Final Four-record 18 3-pointers last spring in a 95-79 win over Kansas, two days before clinching its second national championship in three seasons, and certainly will not be intimidated by the raucous atmosphere.

• Kansas has not lost since that day in San Antonio and hopes its newcomers can help make the difference this time around. “Games like this are why you come to Kansas,” said Memphis transfer Dedric Lawson, who sat out last season. “They don’t have the same caliber players as last year, but it’s still Villanova.”

• The Wildcats had won 25 straight Big 5 games against their Philadelphia rivals before Pennsylvania handed them a 78-75 defeat on Tuesday. Collin Gillespie registered a career-high 21 points to raise his scoring average to 11.6, third on the team behind veteran mainstays Phil Booth (15.8) and Eric Paschall (14.5). Booth has scored at least nine points in every game but is shooting a modest 32.3 percent over the last three outings.

• Three of the Jayhawks’ last five victories have come by six points or fewer, including a 63-60 triumph over New Mexico State last Saturday as Lawson led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Lawson (19.1 points) is the top scorer on the team, although Lagerald Vick (16.3 points) has been the team’s best player at times with sparkling shooting percentages from the field (52.7) and the 3-point line (55.8). Udoka Azubuike (12.9 points) is shooting 68.3 percent overall but missed the New Mexico State game and is expected to be out a while with an ankle sprain.

• Lawson went scoreless against Vermont in mid-November but otherwise has scored at least 19 points in every game.

• Vick is coming off back-to-back poor outings, totaling five points on 2-of-11 shooting in those two games.

• Paschall had 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting in last year’s Final Four meeting.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#1 Kansas: Wins By Double Digits
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