Villanova vs. Georgetown Odds
| Villanova Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-14 -105 | 140 -110o / -110u | -1025 |
| Georgetown Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+14 -115 | 140 -110o / -110u | +680 |
Villanova has opened the season 13-5 despite having the second-toughest strength of schedule in the country. Jay Wright’s squad had won six games in a row before laying an egg last time out against Marquette.
JUSTIN LEWIS WINS IT 😱
Marquette (+740 ML) stuns Villanova on the road
pic.twitter.com/AZRz21ovHr— The Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) January 20, 2022
It was only the second conference loss at Finneran Pavilion for Villanova since 2014.
Now, the Wildcats will look to bounce back against a struggling Georgetown program that has lost five games straight.
Georgetown is 6-9 on the season, losing its first four conference games by an average score of 84-67. Patrick Ewing’s young squad has been horrid on the defensive end of the floor, allowing 76 points per game, which ranks outside the top-300 nationally.
Winning may be out of the question for Georgetown in this affair. But how the Hoyas plan to slow down the dominant Villanova offense will be crucial in determining if a cover may be possible.
Villanova Wildcats
11 of Villanova’s 13 wins this season have come by double digits, and by an average margin of 21 points. It has beaten up on the subpar opponents it has faced, and it could be in store for another one in this game.
The Wildcats own a top-11 offensive and defensive ranking in the country. As you’d expect from a Jay Wright team, the Wildcats rarely beat themselves. The group doesn’t turn the ball over and makes its free throws.
The floor general, Collin Gillespie, has been as good as anticipated, putting up 17 points a game while hitting 40% from outside.
Junior guard Justin Moore has been equally as efficient, hitting 40% of his 100 3-point attempts while averaging 16 points a game.
The Wildcats have another four players who are scoring above nine points per game this season.
Wright’s unit plays at a slow, methodical pace until it finds an open shot with its crisp passing around the perimeter. Villanova’s offense takes 46% of its shot attempts from beyond the arc and connects at a 36% clip.
The Wildcats should have a field day matching up against a Georgetown defense that ranks 277th in defending 3-point shots.
Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown opened last game against Providence by not scoring for the first six minutes. The Hoyas were able to keep the game competitive, as they were Providence’s first matchup after the Friars' 12-day layoff.
The Hoyas have been abysmal at defending the perimeter this season, allowing opponents to hit 36% of their attempts. They have been just as bad defending 2-point attempts, letting opponents shoot 51%.
Both stats rank outside the top 200 in the country.
In their first four Big East games the Hoyas have allowed their opponents to hit 36% from behind the arc and 61% on 2-point attempts. The inexperienced squad has averaged 15 turnovers and allowed 20 free-throw attempts per game.
Offensively, Georgetown is reliant on the outside shot. Though it takes only 35% of its shot attempts from perimeter, it converts at a 38% clip.
Kaiden Rice is the main contributor, taking 137 of his 167 shot attempts from 3-point range. He’s hit 41% on the season and is averaging 14 points per contest.
The Hoyas have another four players who are averaging nine points or more per game, but receive minimal production from the bench.
Scoring inside the paint has been a major struggle for Ewing’s squad. The Hoyas are shooting just 49% on non-transition shot attempts at the rim, which ranks 14th-worst in the country, according to Hoop-Math.
Villanova vs. Georgetown Betting Pick
Villanova is poised to have a field day against this lackluster Georgetown defense. The Hoyas have been awful at defending the perimeter, and that is where Villanova makes its living.
The Wildcats have a group of experienced players who utilize terrific ball movement to find an open 3. Nearly half of Villanova’s shot attempts come from behind the arc, where it hits at a 36% clip.
Scoring will be a struggle for the Hoyas' offense, as Wright will lock down the perimeter.
Georgetown has averaged 15 turnovers a game this season, and I expect that number to be exceeded in this game.
This is Villanova’s first outing back after its upset loss to Marquette. I anticipate Wright to have the Wildcats ready to go in this game to get back to their winning ways.
Georgetown is a young and sloppy group that often finds ways to beat itself. Villanova will stay hyper-efficient — as we’ve seen all season — and are destined for another blowout victory.
Pick: Villanova -14 (Play to -15)
