The fourth-seeded Creighton Bluejays (22-10) and the second-seeded Villanova Wildcats (25-7) tangle Saturday for the Big East Tournament Final in New York. Tip-off at Madison Square Garden is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Creighton vs. Villanova odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Creighton has advanced to the final of the Big East bracket after its defense stymied top-seeded Providence in a 85-58 win and fifth-seeded Marquette in a 74-63 triumph. CU held opposing shooters to a mere 35% mark from the field over the two victories — the Bluejays’ eighth and ninth in their last 11 games.
Villanova — the No. 8 team in the nation — split a pair of regular-season blowout games with Creighton. The Wildcats eked by seventh-seeded St. John’s and third-seeded Connecticut to get to Saturday’s action at MSG. ‘Nova won those two games by a combined 4 points.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Creighton vs. Villanova odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 11:50 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Creighton +230 (bet $100 to win $230) | Villanova -350 (bet $350 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Creighton +6.5 (-112) | Villanova -6.5 (-122)
- Over/Under (O/U): 128.5 (O: -120 | U: -113)
[tipico]
Creighton vs. Villanova odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Villanova 69, Creighton 65
Money line
Creighton filed a flew clunkers in a mid-winter slump, but the Bluejays have been sharp of late. CU is a young team perhaps ready to once again fire at top-25 levels like it did for many weeks from 2013-21.
The ‘Jays can be loose with the basketball, and the Wildcats figure to have the edge on boards in this match-up. However, Creighton’s defense gives the Bluejays a puncher’s chance in this game, and CU needs the tourney crown to advance to the big dance while ‘Nova can afford bowing out of the Big East bracket a day early.
BACK THE BLUEJAYS (+230).
Against the spread
Bluejays are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as underdogs. Villanova covered a 2.5-point spread in its win over Connecticut but has not won back-to-back games ATS since mid-January.
SIDE WITH CREIGHTON +6.5 (-112).
Over/Under
Villanova’s ability to drain 3s has to be respected, and Creighton’s shooters have thus far enjoyed the MSG environment (50.9% on 2s, 40% on 3s against Providence and Marquette which are both Big East top-4s in field-goal defense).
BACK THE OVER 128.5 (-120).
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