Villanova Wildcats vs Creighton Bluejays NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Wildcats and Bluejays. The game is starting at 4:00 ET on FS1, and it’s hosted by the Bluejays at CHI Health Center Omaha in Omaha, NE. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this Big East conference game currently have Creighton as the -4.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 145 points.

VILLANOVA WILDCATS VS CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Creighton Bluejays -4.5

This game will be played at CHI Health Center Omaha at 4:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.

WHY BET THE CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Bluejays.
• Not only will Creighton pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -4.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 145 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Will the Wildcats Make it Happen on the Road?

Villanova improved to 8-4 on the season with a 79-67 win over Seton Hall on Tuesday. The Wildcats were -8 point favorites at home and covered the spread. The total points for the game reached 146, surpassing the O/U line of 125.5.

Villanova led 37-29 at halftime and scored 42 points in the 2nd half while allowing 38. They’ll look to build on this win as they move forward in the season.

Villanova put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 55.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 63.8%. They hit 65.4% of their two-pointers and 42.9% from beyond the arc, connecting on 9 of 21 attempts. At the free-throw line, they were 18 of 22, good for 81.8%.

The Wildcats dished out 17 assists, but managed just 3 offensive rebounds. Eric Dixon led with 25 points, while Isaiah Coleman added 22. Tyler Perkins was efficient, hitting 5 of 6 threes and finishing with 17 points.

Villanova’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 67 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 55% from the field. The Wildcats had a tough time defending inside, as the other team connected on 65% of their two-point attempts, going 17/26.

From beyond the arc, Villanova’s opponents shot 42%, making 9 of their 21 three-point attempts. The Wildcats also sent the other team to the free-throw line 22 times, where they converted 18 of those attempts for 81%. Villanova did well on the boards, limiting the other team to just 3 offensive rebounds.

Will the Bluejays Come Through as Home Favorites?

Creighton’s season record dropped to 7-5 after a tough 81-57 loss to Georgetown on Wednesday. The Bluejays, who were -4.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 138, falling short of the 145.5 O/U line.

Creighton trailed 34-28 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 29 points while allowing 47. The Bluejays will need to regroup after this disappointing performance.

Creighton’s offense struggled in their last game, scoring just 57 points with a field goal percentage of 39.6%. They hit 12 threes at a 36.4% rate, contributing to an effective field goal percentage of 50.9%. Their free-throw shooting was a major issue, as they connected on just 3 of 9 attempts (33.3%).

Jayden Epps and Steven Ashworth both hit 5 threes, with Epps shooting 83.3% from deep and Ashworth hitting 41.7%. Epps finished with 21 points on 58.3% shooting overall, while Ashworth also added 21 points. Micah Peavy contributed 20 points and 8 assists, shooting 56.2% from the field.

Creighton’s defense struggled, giving up 81 points on 55% shooting from the field. They allowed 33 made baskets on 60 attempts.

From beyond the arc, they gave up 10 threes on 16 attempts, a 62% shooting percentage. They also sent the opposing team to the line 7 times, where they made 5 free throws.