Bubble Implications Loom Large as Villanova Visits Seton Hall
A crucial matchup with high stakes for both teams awaits in the Big East on Wednesday, March 6th. Seton Hall hosts Villanova in a game that could decide their NCAA Tournament fates. ESPN’s bracketology expert Joe Lunardi lists Seton Hall among the “Last Four In”, while Villanova sits among the “Last Four Byes”.
This game has added significance as a rematch following Villanova’s dominant 80-54 home victory on February 11th. Though Villanova holds a lower position in the Big East standings (5th place, 10-8 conference record) compared to Seton Hall (4th place, 11-7), the Wildcats hold a better overall record at 17-12. Their road record is 4-7, while Seton Hall boasts a strong 12-3 home advantage.
Villanova’s superior NCAA Tournament outlook likely stems from their impressive 6-1 record in Quad 2 matchups and NET ranking of 26. On the other hand, Seton Hall’s NET ranking sits at 68.
Betting Insights
Initial betting lines from BetOnline Sportsbook favor Seton Hall by 2 points, with a total of 131.5. Villanova’s track record this year as an underdog is 5-4 ATS.
Prediction
Expect a tightly contested battle in this rematch. Our model has Villanova on top by a score of 64-63, but we’re going to go against the model here. Seton Hall, fueled by the home crowd and their desperate need for a resume-boosting win, will likely eke out a close win. We see a -1 as of this writing which we’ll gladly lay in this spot.