DePaul vs. Villanova Prediction, Odds, Key Players for Friday, Jan. 12 (Lay the points with Villanova)
Villanova ends a three-game Big East homestand against the struggling DePaul Blue Demons on Friday. The Wildcats have recovered from a three-game non-conference losing streak and have won four of five, most recently falling to St. John’s at home.
Kyle Neptune’s club will look to get right against DePaul, which continues to struggle under head coach Tony Stubblefield. DePaul has lost its four Big East games by an average of 23.5 points, an 0-4 mark that started with an 84-48 loss to Villanova on Dec. 23.
Will DePaul keep it close or is Villanova primed for another lopsided victory? Here’s what you need to know when betting this Big East matchup.
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DePaul vs Villanova odds, spread and total
DePaul vs. Villanova betting trends
- DePaul is 4-10-1 ATS this season
- Villanova is 8-7 ATS this season
- DePaul is 1-8-1 ATS as an underdog this season
- Villanova is 6-7 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 6-9 in DePaul games this season
- The OVER is 6-9 in Villanova games this season
DePaul vs. Villanova how to watch
- Date: Friday, Jan. 12
- Game time: 8:30 p.m.
- Venue: Finneran Pavilion
- How to watch (TV): FS1
- DePaul record: 3-12 (0-4 Big East)
- Villanova record: 10-5 (3-1 Big East)
DePaul vs. Villanova key players to watch
DePaul
Chico Carter Jr.: The senior guard has been a bright spot for DePaul this season as the team’s leading scorer at 11.9 points per game to go with 3.2 rebounds and 4 assists. But Carter has struggled against Big East defenses, going just 6-for-29 from the field in the last three games (Creighton, UConn, and Georgetown). Simply put, Carter would need a big game for DePaul to have a shot at an upset.
Villanova
Justin Moore: Will Moore make his return on Friday? He’s been day-to-day this week and the Wildcats are looking to get their dangerous guard back in the lineup. Moore averaged 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game before suffering a knee injury on Dec. 5.
Brenden Hausen: Villanova has been inconsistent from beyond the arc this year and Hausen is the team’s X-factor from deep. This season, Villanova is 6-1 when Hausen connects two or more times from the perimeter. He went 4-for-7 from deep in a win over Xavier on Jan. 3 but was just 1-of-4 in Wednesday’s loss to St. John’s.
DePaul vs. Villanova prediction and pick
Villanova committed 16 turnovers and was still able to blow out DePaul on the road by 36 before Christmas. With the way DePaul is playing this season, especially in conference play, it’s hard not to see a repeat of that performance. The Wildcats shot 53.6% from the floor that night, outrebounded DePaul 43-25, and held the Blue Demons to just 30.4% shooting (4-of-24 from 3).
It starts on defense, where DePaul will have to go up against Villanova’s unit, which ranks No. 21 in the nation in efficiency, according to KenPom. DePaul is ranked No. 280 or lower defensively in effective field goal percentage, turnover percentage, and offensive rebound percentage. Villanova doesn’t crash the offensive glass consistently, opting to get back on defense and limit fast-break opportunities.
DePaul has been dreadful as an underdog, covering just once in 10 games. Villanova should roll, especially if Moore can return. Lay the lumber with the Wildcats.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change