Creighton vs Villanova: Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions (3/12/22)

Creighton vs Villanova Betting Odds

That was a wild Big East tournament.

We’ve reached the final. Creighton made a Cinderella run after upsetting Marquette as a short underdog and then crushing Providence. The Friars deserved that level of regression.

Meanwhile, Villanova was supposed to be here. The Wildcats are considered the best team in the Big East, and they muscled their way to the tournament title game.

Can the red-hot Bluejays topple the Wildcats? Or, at the least, cover the spread?

Creighton Bluejays Odds

In a stretch extending between the first and second halves of the semifinal game, Creighton went on a 31-2 run against Providence.

It was astounding how well Creighton played. The Bluejays were the tougher team the entire game. Arthur Kaluma was particularly impressive, dropping 17 points with two steals. About half his points came on second-chance opportunities.

But as they’ve done all season, the Bluejays dominated the interior. Creighton shot 61.8% from 2-point range and held Providence to just 41.5% from inside the arc. And the Bluejays picked up a whopping 34 defensive rebounds.

Creighton finished the Big East season first in the conference in 2-point shooting and 2-point defense, so this was no surprise.

However, Providence shot just 3-for-24 from 3 in that game, good for just 12.5%. That’s unsustainable, and Providence could’ve been more competitive if it shot just average from deep.

But Providence was never winning that game. And that’s important for a young Creighton team that needed a big win like this.

Villanova Wildcats Odds

I expected Connecticut to win that game. I thought Adama Sanogo would be too much for Jay Wright’s small-ball lineup.

I was wrong. Sanogo finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds, but the Wildcats contained him enough to win by shooting on the other end.

Brandon Slater and Jermaine Samuels couldn’t miss. Those two guys combined to shoot 6-for-14 from 3 and pick up 16 rebounds. Both are seniors, and both showed their maturity in big moments during the biggest game of the season.

Specifically, Slater, who picked up the block of the college hoops season late in the second half.

BRANDON SLATER REJECTION pic.twitter.com/6wR1sHu90y

— Heat Check CBB (@HeatCheckCBB) March 12, 2022

And all Collin Gillespie did was dish out 10 assists with just one turnover. As he’s done his entire career, he’s ran Wright’s offense to perfection and found the open guy. When Gillespie needs to be the main scorer, he does that – but he didn’t have to do that tonight.

Instead, other guys stepped up on both ends of the floor and gutted out a win against a quality opponent.

Villanova is a Final Four team.

Creighton vs Villanova Prediction and Pick

My pick: Villanova -8 or better

Creighton is just due for a letdown game. That was an amazing win over Providence, and similarly impressive over Marquette.

But Villanova initiates its entire offense from the perimeter. That’s not a good matchup for a Creighton team that survives by dominating on the interior.

Creighton has already beat Villanova this season, but that was back in December. Villanova shot just 4-for-23 from 3 in that game.

I love Creighton, and I think the Bluejays could make a run in the tournament. But this is a bad spot to bet them against a talented team that plays to its weaknesses.

I’ll be backing Villanova or passing on this game.