Seton Hall vs. Villanova Betting Preview: Spread Pick and Analysis

Seton Hall Pirates (5-6 SU, 4-7 ATS) vs. Villanova Wildcats (7-4 SU, 6-5 ATS)

When: Tuesday, December 17th, 7:30 PM (ET)

Where: Finneran Pavilion, PA, Villanova

TV: PEAC

Point Spread: SETON +8/VILL -8

Total: 126

Money Line: Seton Hall Pirates +303/-400

Notable Injuries

Pirates

• Zion Harmon (Questionable) Personal
• David Tubek (Questionable) Back

Wildcats

• Matthew Hodge (Out) Eligibility
• Malcolm Thomas (Questionable) Knee

Recent Form

Seton Hall’s season record dropped to 5-6 after a 66-63 loss to Rutgers on Saturday. Despite being +10.5 point underdogs, the Pirates kept the game close and covered the spread.

Seton Hall led 33-27 at halftime but allowed 39 points in the second half while scoring 30. The game’s total points of 129 fell just under the O/U line of 134.5.

Villanova improved to 7-4 on the season with an 86-72 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday. The Wildcats were heavy favorites at -28.5 but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 158, surpassing the O/U line of 152.

Villanova led 45-36 at halftime and added 41 points in the 2nd half while allowing 36. Though they got the win, they’ll likely look to tighten up defensively moving forward.

Analysis

Seton Hall managed just 63 points in their last game, shooting 46.4% from the field. They hit 56.8% of their two-point attempts but struggled from deep, connecting on only 26.3% of their threes (5/19). Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, and they shot just 46.2% from the free-throw line.

Dylan Harper led the way with 24 points, hitting 4 of 7 from three and shooting 61.5% overall. Ace Bailey added 21 points, shooting 60% from the field and 66.7% from beyond the arc. The Pirates had 13 assists and eight offensive rebounds in the game.

Seton Hall’s defense gave up 66 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 53% from the field. The Pirates couldn’t contain the two-point shots, with the other team hitting 16 of 30 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Seton Hall allowed seven threes on 13 attempts, also at a 53% rate. They sent the opponent to the line 28 times, where they made 13 free throws, shooting 46%. Seton Hall limited second chances by giving up just five offensive rebounds.

Villanova’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 86 points while shooting 55.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 63%, thanks in large part to their 76.7% shooting on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, they connected on 7 of 24 threes, hitting at a 29.2% clip.

At the free-throw line, Villanova was nearly automatic, making 19 of 22 attempts for an 86.4% rate. They also grabbed 12 offensive rebounds and dished out 19 assists. Eric Dixon and Terrence Brown each scored 27 points, with Dixon shooting 69.2% overall and Brown hitting 3 of 7 from deep.

Villanova’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 72 points on 55% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to hit 76% of their two-point attempts, with 23 makes on 30 tries.

From beyond the arc, Villanova held their opponent to 29% shooting, as they made 7 of 24 three-point attempts. The Wildcats also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 22 times, where they connected on 19 free throws, shooting 86%.

Betting Trends

• Across the Pirates’ last three road games, the team averaged 61 points per game while allowing 77. Their record vs. the spread in these contests was 1-2 while going 0-3 straight-up.
• Although Villanova has a straight-up record of 1-4 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 2-3. The team averaged 74 points per game in these games.
• In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Pirates have a straight-up record of 1-2 and an ATS mark of 2-1.
• As the betting favorite, the Wildcats have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight-up record was 3-0.

Joe’s Pick To Cover The Spread

In some Tuesday night Big East action, we got Seton Hall vs Villanova, with the Wildcats favored by -8 at home. Look for Villanova to handle their business at home tonight and pick up a good early-season win in the conference. I think Seton Hall could hang around early, but in the end, I see Villanova winning this one by double digits. I’m taking the Wildcats at -8.