5:15 pm
March 27

NCAA Tournament South Region: #5 Villanova v. #1 Baylor

Who will WIN this matchup?

#5 Villanova Wildcats (18-6)

#1 Baylor Bears (24-2)

 

Current odds:

Villanova Wildcats: (+260)

Baylor Bears: (-320)

 

• The line for this game is Baylor by 7.5 points.

• Despite falling to Oklahoma State in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament, Baylor has certainly shown it was more than deserving of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. After routing 16th-seeded Hartford 79-55, the Bears easily handled ninth-seeded Wisconsin 76-63. But the challenge will be much more daunting against fifth-seeded Villanova in the Sweet 16 of the South Region on Saturday. It will be Baylor’s fifth Sweet 16 appearance in the last 12 years and its first since 2017.

• The balanced Bears (24-2) were led by Matthew Mayer with 17 points against the Badgers, while Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell added 16 apiece.

• Baylor’s suffocating defense forced 14 turnovers against a methodical Wisconsin offense and turned them into 16 points. Villanova plays a similar style, so expect the Bears to continue to extend their defense on the perimeter.

• Villanova reached the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in the last 20 seasons following a dominating 84-61 win over 13th-seeded North Texas in the second round. The Wildcats ousted 12th-seeded Winthrop 73-63 in the opening round.

• Despite losing co-Big East Player of the Year Collin Gillespie to a torn MCL, Villanova (18-6) has responded with two strong performances in the NCAA Tournament.

• Jeremiah Robinson-Earl led the way with 18 points while Jermaine Samuels added 15 points and nine rebounds against the Mean Green. Justin Moore scored 15 points and Caleb Daniels had 11.

• Villanova coach Jay Wright has won two national championships and holds a 30-12 overall mark in the NCAA Tournament with this program. Even without Gillespie, the Wildcats are surging at just the right time. “Since we got here, Jermaine and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl have done an outstanding job of leading our guys, focusing on attention to detail,” Wright said. “I think those two have been really important to the two games we have played here.”

7/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#1 Baylor Bears
Previous Pick
Next Pick