Two of the most accomplished coaches in men's college basketball face off on Saturday evening in New Orleans. Bill Self leads the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks against Jay Wright and the No. 2 seed Villanova Wildcats. Both teams are red-hot, with Kansas winning nine straight games and Villanova generating 14 wins in 15 contests. Kansas is 32-6 overall after wins over Providence and Miami, with Villanova sporting a 30-7 record following victories over Michigan and Houston. However, Villanova will have to play without the services of guard Justin Moore (Achilles).
Caesars Sportsbook lists the Jayhawks as four-point favorites in New Orleans, and tip-off is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 134 in the latest Villanova vs. Kansas odds. Before you make any college basketball predictions with the Villanova vs. Kansas match-up, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Kansas vs. Villanova and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament 2022. You can head to SportsLine to see all of the model's college basketball picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Villanova vs. Kansas:
- Villanova vs. Kansas spread: Kansas -4
- Villanova vs. Kansas over-under: 134 points
- Villanova vs. Kansas money line: Kansas -200, Villanova +170
- NOVA: The Wildcats are 8-3 against the spread in neutral-site games
- KU: The Jayhawks are 6-5 against the spread in neutral-site games
Why Villanova can cover
Few teams in the country can match the two-way strength of Villanova. The Wildcats rank in the top 10 of the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, putting pressure on the opposition with ruthless execution. Villanova is the country's best free throw shooting team, making 83 percent of attempts and holding the current Division 1 record in the category. Its ball security is top-notch as Villanova commits a turnover on only 15.5 percent of possessions and a live-ball turnover on only 7.4 percent of possessions, with Kansas ranking below the national average in turnover creation rate on defense.
On defense, Villanova has held opponents to 61 points or fewer in all four NCAA Tournament games, and the Wildcats are in the top 20 of the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. Villanova is holding opponents to just 30.1 percent shooting from three-point range, with top-tier marks in free throw rate allowed and turnover creation rate. Kansas is below the national average in avoiding live-ball turnovers, which could help to provide opportunities for Villanova.
Why Kansas can cover
The Jayhawks have a potent offense, as evidenced by 76 points or more in three of four NCAA Tournament games. Kansas deploys a balanced, deep attack, but the Jayhawks have been led by a pair of veteran perimeter options. Ochai Agbaji is the team's leading scorer, averaging 18.9 points per game, and the projected first round NBA draft pick is averaging 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 39 percent from three-point range.
Christian Braun is the second-leading scorer for the Jayhawks, also shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc and averaging 14.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Kansas is No. 7 in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, with dynamic shooting metrics. The Jayhawks are making 53.8 percent of two-point attempts and 35.6 percent of three-point attempts, and Kansas also does tremendous work on the offensive glass. Kansas is securing 33.1 percent of missed shots, a top-40 mark in the country, and the Jayhawks also win the possession battle with a turnover rate of only 17.5 percent.
How to make Villanova vs. Kansas picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 145 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits 60 percent of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Kansas vs. Villanova? And which side of the spread hits 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
