Imagine how different the 2021 NCAA tournament would have been had Colin Gillespie had not injured his knee with just two matches in Villanova’s regular season.
The Wildcats will most likely have a No. 3 seed or No. 4 at their lowest, meaning that West Virginia would have been knocked out in a row and perhaps Villanova would deal with the zone-defense complications of old rival Syracuse. They may have been wounded in the West Region, unlike Southern California, and Kansas would not have absorbed a single loss, so it almost sent them back to pre-Nismite days.
The selection is a live piece of art, bracketed until 6pm on Sunday. That injury changed everything for Villanova, and yet somehow that did not stop the team from making it here.
Then, Villanova only had to defeat two mid-major opponents to reach the 2021 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. This was the ideal scenario in many ways: less demanding opposition, more opportunity to accommodate Gillespie’s absence.
Will Villanova have done anything to keep pace with the No. 1 South Region seed boiler? It will be the best team, so far, the Wildcats have played this season. He battled with fellow Sweet 16er Crighton in the Big East and defeated Big 12 tournament champion Texas, but the Beers are another step up that ladder. And they are doing it without a central piece of their attack.
Here’s everything you need to know about betting on Baylor vs. Villanova in the 2021 NCAA tournament, including updated odds, trends and our prediction for the Sweet 16 game.
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Boiler vs Villanova Odds
- Spread: Boiler from 6.5
- over under: Is 140.5
- money Line: Boiler-275, Villanova +225
Three betting trends to watch
– After returning from a 3-week COVID stoppage, Baylor is 3-6 ATS. They are tied 1–1 in two NCAA Tournament games, but lost the same number in the second round game against Wisconsin.
– Villanova won each of her two NCAA games at ATS, but it did not remain a reliable team in that department. On the season, the Wildcats are a 13–13 ATS.
– This is the first game of the entire season in which Villanova enters as an underdog. He was a multi-basket favorite in every previous game, but two, when he went to Texas in December and Croughton in February.
Boiler key player
Baylor guard Jared Butler is the quietest of the five first-team All-Americans this season. All he does is protect his man and make shots and stand up to his teammates – well, he does a lot, and he doesn’t go unnoticed or he is Oyo-Dosanmu, Luca Garza , Will not be an All-American with the OK States Cad. Cory Kispert of Cunningham and Gonzaga. Butler averages just 16.9 points, which is not so exceptional for a player, but he produces the greatest number of big moments. His backcourt partner, Davion Mitchell, has gone from a defensive demon to a shooter, hitting 46.1 percent of his thugs. He was at 32.4 percent last season. Mark Vital is listed as a guard and stands 6-5, but he catches 6.7 rebounds per game and regularly opposes the bigs.
Villanova Key Players
With Gillespie injured, Villanova planned to use Somaras Justin Moore as his primary replacement. In his first game in that role, Moore injured his ankle, limiting his effectiveness in the Big East tournament. He averaged 35.5 minutes in two NCAA tournament games, however, 15 points to 3.5 assists. He made only one turnover in a combined two games. Forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was named a third-team All-American by Sporting News with 16 points and 8.3 rebounds. He is comfortable working away from the basket and outpost. She is talented enough that real greatness seems to be in reach, and she has scored 22 points in the March elimination games. Jermaine Samuels is a versatile, reliable forward who has improved her shooting touch.
Best Individual Matchup: Mitchell Vs Moore
Baylor’s Davian Mitchell in college basketball is considered one of the ball-on defenders who should take his action against Justin Moore of Villanova to see how the game develops. Moore is new to the issue at this stage – Gillespie played nearly 34 minutes of the game – and his injury and Villanova’s inability to stay alive in the Big East tournament has limited the opportunity to make a complete adjustment to the role. Mitchell could make him very uncomfortable starting the attack, though Moore is a big defender who can use his strength and length to his advantage.
Beauler vs. Villanova State to know
By the smallest margin, Wisconsin missed out on becoming the 10th consecutive high-dominant opponent, scoring 1.0 points per possession or better against the once-mighty Baylor defense. (Badgers found. 98). The Bears were 9–2 in that stretch, so their powerful offense is able to compensate, but remember they were 15–0 before starting. The widespread defensive efficacy decline has been traced to the three-week COVID stagnation of the program, but has begun to decline before.
Find out … MaCio Teague
A 6-4 junior for the Beers, Teague is nominated for the Jerry West Award, which is presented to the nation’s top shooting guard by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Teague was admitted lightly to both high school and prep school, but was able to transfer to Asheville Baylor after two years at UNC. It seems only a minor coincidence that Byers entered the position as one of the four best teams in the country when she became eligible in 2019-20, averaging 13.9 points and 35.5 percent of long-range shooting. This season, he has been outstanding regularly, finishing those numbers 16.1 points and 39.7 percent from deep. He has scored 281 threes in his career. And he is one of those long-distance experts who does not shrink when going inside the line. He is converting 54.3 percent of his 2-point attempts.
Boiler vs Villanova Prediction
final score: Boiler 79, Villanova 72
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