The Villanova Wildcats will face the Seton Hall Pirates on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. Here’s an in-depth prediction for the matchup, along with our pick for the game.
Seton Hall Pirates Betting Preview
Seton Hall (7-24, 13-18 ATS) has struggled throughout the season, particularly in conference play. They’ve endured a five-game, nine-game, and current six-game losing streak. Despite a surprising win against defending champion UConn, Seton Hall has fallen to teams like Marquette, Xavier, Villanova, St. John’s, Creighton, and UConn again. The Pirates finished the regular season at the bottom of the Big East standings.
Seton Hall is scoring 61.8 points per game (430th in the nation) while allowing 70.3 points (128th). They rank poorly in both rebounds (31.3, 401st) and assists (11.1, 403rd). Isaiah Coleman leads the team with 15.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.5 SPG. Chaunce Jenkins adds 11.4 PPG and 3.9 RPG, while Dylan Addae-Wusu contributes 10.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, and a team-high 2.0 SPG.
Villanova Wildcats Betting Preview
Villanova (18-13, 16-15 ATS) has been in better form recently, winning two sets of three consecutive games over the past month. Although they narrowly lost to Georgetown by two points, they managed to defeat teams like Marquette, Seton Hall, and Butler. They enter the conference tournament as the No. 6 seed.
The Wildcats are averaging 74.1 PPG (180th) and allowing 67.7 PPG (58th). They’re grabbing 34.1 RPG (281st) and distributing 12.9 APG (279th). Eric Dixon is the team’s star, averaging 23.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 2.1 APG. Wooga Poplar adds 14.2 PPG and a team-high 6.9 RPG, while Jordan Longino contributes 11.8 PPG and 2.3 APG.
Why Villanova Will Win
- Seton Hall has lost its last eight night games.
- Villanova has won eight consecutive night games against non-AP-ranked teams at neutral venues.
- Villanova has won the first half in four straight night games against non-AP-ranked teams at neutral sites.
Total Points Trends
- 16 of Seton Hall’s last 18 games have had over 130 points.
- Each of Villanova’s last four neutral-site games has gone over 130 points.
Key Matchup Facts
- Villanova ranks 2nd in Division 1 for free throw percentage (81.1%).
- Villanova ranks 358th for pace (63.1).
- Seton Hall ranks 361st for effective field goal percentage (44.6%).
- Seton Hall ranks 359th for field goals made per game (22.1).
Villanova vs Seton Hall Prediction
Villanova has dominated their recent matchups, winning nine of the last ten meetings. The Wildcats swept Seton Hall this season, winning 79-67 at home and 59-54 on the road. With Seton Hall’s poor form and potential absence of key player Chaunce Jenkins, Villanova should win comfortably and cover the spread. Seton Hall has only covered the spread in 17 of their last 38 games.