Providence at (11) Villanova
Time: 7 PM ET
Line: VIL -12
Total: 137

Betting Odds courtesy of Bovada

The No. 11 ranked Villanova Wildcats are 12-1 on the season and narrowly escaped defeat at the hands of Butler on Tues night. Nova defeated Butler 76-73 behind 22 points from JayVaughn Pinkston. The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the floor but did commit 16 turnovers in the game.

Pinkston leads the team in scoring with 15.8 points per game, though the 6’7″ junior swingman has had consistency issues. Pinkston took just four shots in the 78-62 loss to Syracuse on Dec 28 and has been prone to disappearing in games. He’s averaging 14.6 points per game in his last five, but that includes the three point game against Syracuse and a seven point game against La Salle.

Senior guard James Bell has also been big for the Wildcats this season and is averaging 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds on the season. Bell had his best game of the year in the loss to the Orange, as he scored 25 points on 7-of-16 shooting. When both Bell and Pinkston show, the Cats are a tough team to beat.

Providence is 10-4 on the season and lost 81-80 to Seton Hall on Tuesday night. The team relies heavily on its starters and four of the five average double figure scoring, paced by Bryce Cotton’s 19.9 points per game. Cotton, a 6’1″ senior point guard, averages 5.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game too, and he’s scored 21 points or more in his last four games. In the double overtime loss to Seton Hall, he played 50 minutes and scored 25 points. Cotton will need a lot more help from his teammates to take down a Nova team that is a double-digit favorite, though.

PROVIDENCE TRENDS: UNDER 9-3 in last 12 overall.

VILLANOVA TRENDS: 7-2 ATS in last 9 overall; 34-16-1 ATS in last 51 Sunday games.

Head-to-head: 11-3 ATS in last 14 meetings.