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Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
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Villanova likely will be pushed to the wire at some point in the NCAA Tournament, but it's difficult to envision this test coming Sunday against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders bounced back from their late-season malaise and a subpar first-round performance to reach their first Elite Eight. They have a legitimate superstar in Keenan Evans,but The Wildcats do as well in veteran Jalen Brunson. Texas Tech has struggled with pressure defensive teams and Villanova suffocated West Virginia into 38.6 percent field-goal shooting. The Wildcats should again pull away in the second half and head to the Final Four.
Let's ignore the trends, which make the case for an Over, and hone in on other stats. The Pomeroy Ratings list Texas Tech as the country's fourth-most efficient defense, with Villanova just 10 spots behind. The analytics guru has the Wildcats 221st in average length of possession and the Red Raiders at 244th, which indicates that both teams go deeper than most into the shot clock. Tech allowed 64.6 points per game, good for No. 15 in the country. As explosive as 'Nova can be, these numbers add up to an Under.
Texas Tech has covered its last two games and both of those went Over the total, but In its previous seven games the Red Raiders went 0-7 ATS. Villanova has won eight straight and covered six of its last seven. The Wildcats have been underrated all season. They're No. 1 in the ratings, but not high enough. They've gone 25-12 ATS while the Over is 25-12 in their games. Villanova outclasses Tech here.