Villanova, West Virginia highlight Big Monday
Hopefully the Wildcats are quick healers. Villanova had all of one day to lick its wounds following the loss at Georgetown on Saturday, the first Big East defeat for Jay Wright's crew that finds itself in Morgantown for a Monday match vs. the Mountaineers. No. 2 in both polls last week, 'Nova will surely drop a few rungs when the new rankings come out later today while West Virginia, No. 6 last week, will surely rise a spot or two.
If you adhere to the as-Scottie Reynolds-goes, so-goes-Villanova school of thought, you should definitely stay away from the Wildcats (20-2 SU, 15-6 ATS) for their battle with West Virginia (19-3 SU, 9-12 ATS) on Monday night in Morgantown (7 PM ET, ESPN).
In three career games against the Mountaineers, Reynolds is averaging only 9.3 points per game on 31.8% shooting. Reynolds has also fouled out in both his trips to WVU Coliseum, including in ‘Nova’s 93-72 loss to West Virginia (-4½) last season.
The defeat was the worst of the 2009 campaign for the Wildcats, who got 12 points on 3-of-11 from the floor from Reynolds in the loss. Reynolds was outplayed to the point of embarrassment by Mountaineers guard Da’Sean Butler, who put up a career-high 43 points for West Virginia when the schools met last year.
Despite last season’s shellacking, oddsmakers have installed the same spread for Monday night’s affair. Sportsbooks opened the Mountaineers as 5-point chalk, but they were set at -4½ at most outlets on Monday morning. With about 59% of wagers on the line having come in on the Wildcats, the number could slide down to -4 or beyond before tip-off.
Villanova is coming off a 103-90 defeat at Georgetown (-2) on Saturday afternoon, but the final score was indicative of just how much the Wildcats were outplayed by the Hoyas. ‘Nova trailed by 23 points in the first half before dropping 59 points in a failed second-half comeback attempt, but it was never really in the game at the Verizon Center.
It didn’t help that the Wildcats were atrocious on the defensive end of the floor against the Hoyas: Georgetown shot 56.2% (27-of-48) from the field on Saturday, including 10-of-19 (52.6%) from three-point land. Villanova also sent GT to the line an amazing 50 times, and the Hoyas converted 39 times to shoot 78% from the charity stripe.
The defeat was the first for the Wildcats since they were upset as 3-point road favorites in a 75-65 loss against Temple on December 13 – a span of 11 games during which they went an impressive 9-2 ATS.
West Virginia is coming off a 79-60 win at St. John’s on Saturday in which it covered as 7½-point chalk. Butler went for 33 points and six rebounds for the Mountaineers, while shooting 7-of-7 from long distance. West Virginia rallied from 16 points down to get past the Red Storm for its sixth straight SU win (3-3 ATS) since falling 72-71 to Syracuse (+5) on January 16.
This is the Mountaineers’ first home game since their 70-51 win as 10-point faves against Pittsburgh last Wednesday, when several fans threw objects onto the court. The behavior prompted WVU head coach Bob Huggins to get on the public address and ask fans to stop – to little avail. Along with placing a wager on the matchup, it’s a good idea to tune in to see how the rowdy crowd in Morgantown handles itself on Monday night.
The total is set at 150 after opening at 151 on Sunday, and the over is the sharp play. Villanova is a bankable 14-7 O/U this season, including a 6-1 O/U mark on the road. Looking back over their last nine games, the Wildcats have played under seven times, going 8-1 SU and 6-3 against the number in the process.
The over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings, which have most recently been dominated by West Virginia. The Mountaineers have won four of their last five both SU and ATS against the Wildcats, who are 1-3 against the number during a current four-game losing skid at WVU Coliseum. Villanova hasn’t won in Morgantown since a 73-62 win as 5-point pups in 1999.
West Virginia is a sturdy 10-1 SU at home this season, but it’s a pedestrian 4-6 ATS in the 10 games where spreads were offered by books. The Mountaineers do have one trend working in their favor, however: The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight contests between the Big East rivals.
Hopefully the Wildcats are quick healers. Villanova had all of one day to lick its wounds following the loss at Georgetown on Saturday, the first Big East defeat for Jay Wright's crew that finds itself in Morgantown for a Monday match vs. the Mountaineers. No. 2 in both polls last week, 'Nova will surely drop a few rungs when the new rankings come out later today while West Virginia, No. 6 last week, will surely rise a spot or two.
If you adhere to the as-Scottie Reynolds-goes, so-goes-Villanova school of thought, you should definitely stay away from the Wildcats (20-2 SU, 15-6 ATS) for their battle with West Virginia (19-3 SU, 9-12 ATS) on Monday night in Morgantown (7 PM ET, ESPN).
In three career games against the Mountaineers, Reynolds is averaging only 9.3 points per game on 31.8% shooting. Reynolds has also fouled out in both his trips to WVU Coliseum, including in ‘Nova’s 93-72 loss to West Virginia (-4½) last season.
The defeat was the worst of the 2009 campaign for the Wildcats, who got 12 points on 3-of-11 from the floor from Reynolds in the loss. Reynolds was outplayed to the point of embarrassment by Mountaineers guard Da’Sean Butler, who put up a career-high 43 points for West Virginia when the schools met last year.
Despite last season’s shellacking, oddsmakers have installed the same spread for Monday night’s affair. Sportsbooks opened the Mountaineers as 5-point chalk, but they were set at -4½ at most outlets on Monday morning. With about 59% of wagers on the line having come in on the Wildcats, the number could slide down to -4 or beyond before tip-off.
Villanova is coming off a 103-90 defeat at Georgetown (-2) on Saturday afternoon, but the final score was indicative of just how much the Wildcats were outplayed by the Hoyas. ‘Nova trailed by 23 points in the first half before dropping 59 points in a failed second-half comeback attempt, but it was never really in the game at the Verizon Center.
It didn’t help that the Wildcats were atrocious on the defensive end of the floor against the Hoyas: Georgetown shot 56.2% (27-of-48) from the field on Saturday, including 10-of-19 (52.6%) from three-point land. Villanova also sent GT to the line an amazing 50 times, and the Hoyas converted 39 times to shoot 78% from the charity stripe.
The defeat was the first for the Wildcats since they were upset as 3-point road favorites in a 75-65 loss against Temple on December 13 – a span of 11 games during which they went an impressive 9-2 ATS.
West Virginia is coming off a 79-60 win at St. John’s on Saturday in which it covered as 7½-point chalk. Butler went for 33 points and six rebounds for the Mountaineers, while shooting 7-of-7 from long distance. West Virginia rallied from 16 points down to get past the Red Storm for its sixth straight SU win (3-3 ATS) since falling 72-71 to Syracuse (+5) on January 16.
This is the Mountaineers’ first home game since their 70-51 win as 10-point faves against Pittsburgh last Wednesday, when several fans threw objects onto the court. The behavior prompted WVU head coach Bob Huggins to get on the public address and ask fans to stop – to little avail. Along with placing a wager on the matchup, it’s a good idea to tune in to see how the rowdy crowd in Morgantown handles itself on Monday night.
The total is set at 150 after opening at 151 on Sunday, and the over is the sharp play. Villanova is a bankable 14-7 O/U this season, including a 6-1 O/U mark on the road. Looking back over their last nine games, the Wildcats have played under seven times, going 8-1 SU and 6-3 against the number in the process.
The over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings, which have most recently been dominated by West Virginia. The Mountaineers have won four of their last five both SU and ATS against the Wildcats, who are 1-3 against the number during a current four-game losing skid at WVU Coliseum. Villanova hasn’t won in Morgantown since a 73-62 win as 5-point pups in 1999.
West Virginia is a sturdy 10-1 SU at home this season, but it’s a pedestrian 4-6 ATS in the 10 games where spreads were offered by books. The Mountaineers do have one trend working in their favor, however: The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight contests between the Big East rivals.
