Villanova Wildcats vs Virginia Cavaliers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/15/24
Betting on today’s Wildcats and Cavaliers game? Catch the action at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, MD, as the Cavaliers hosts this showdown at 5:00 ET on TNT. Villanova comes into this non-conference matchup as the -4.5 point favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 129.5 points.
VILLANOVA WILDCATS VS VIRGINIA CAVALIERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Virginia Cavaliers +4.5
This game will be played at CFG Bank Arena at 5:00 ET on Friday, November 15th.
WHY BET THE VIRGINIA CAVALIERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Cavaliers.
- Not only will Virginia pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 129.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Does Villanova Have A Chance at CFG Bank Arena?
Villanova’s season hit a bump with an 83-76 road loss to Saint Joseph’s on Tuesday. The Wildcats went into the game as -2.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 159, surpassing the O/U line of 141.5.
Villanova led 37-36 at halftime but struggled defensively in the second half, allowing 47 points while scoring 39. The Wildcats will need to tighten up on defense as they move forward.
Villanova put up 76 points in their latest game, shooting 40.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 47%. They hit 34.8% from three-point range, connecting on 8 of 23 attempts, and were strong at the free-throw line, making 87.5% of their 16 attempts.
Eric Dixon led the way with 24 points, hitting 4 of 10 from deep, while Jhamir Brickus added 22 points on 60% shooting. Rasheer Fleming was efficient, shooting 77.8% from the field, and Xzayvier Brown dished out 13 assists despite shooting just 22.2% overall.
Villanova’s defense gave up 83 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 43% from the field with a 51% success rate on two-point attempts, where they went 17/33.
From beyond the arc, Villanova’s opponent hit 9 of 27 threes, shooting 33%. They also sent them to the line 25 times, where they converted 22 free throws, an 88% rate. Villanova allowed 7 offensive rebounds.
Will Virginia Pull Through as the Underdog Home Team?
Virginia Cavaliers Recent Game/Games
Virginia improved to 2-0 on the season with a 62-45 win over Coppin State on Monday. Playing at home, the Cavaliers were -24.5 favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points were 107, falling short of the O/U line of 122.5.
Virginia’s defense was strong in the first half, holding Coppin State to 16 points while scoring 32. However, the second half was more balanced, with the Cavaliers scoring 30 points and allowing 29.
In their recent game, Virginia’s offense put up 62 points, shooting 40.4% from the field. They hit 33.3% of their threes, going 9-for-27, and were efficient from the line, making 11 of 12 free throws (91.7%).
Elijah Saunders led the way with 15 points, while Isaac McKneely added 14, hitting 4 threes at a 50% clip. Dai Dai Ames contributed 13 points, shooting 62.5% overall and 66.7% from deep.
Virginia’s defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 45 points. They allowed a 40% shooting rate, with the other team making 21 of 52 attempts.
From beyond the arc, Virginia gave up 9 threes on 27 attempts, a 33% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 12 times, where they hit 11 free throws.