Villanova vs DePaul Game Preview and Expert Prediction

David will meet Goliath when #3 Villanova (20-3) goes on the road to take on DePaul (8-15), and the top team in the Big East meets the ninth-place team. The days when Ray Meyer had DePaul competitive in the Big Dance year in and year out are long gone. Let’s take a look at this Big East matchup slated for Tuesday night. Also, check out other NCAAB Betting Lines by clicking here.

DePaul vs Villanova NCAA Basketball Picks and TV Info

When: Tuesday, February 9, 8:30 PM EST Where: AllState Arena, Rosemont, Illinois TV: FS1 Radio: 97,5 The Fanatic Stream Option: FoxSports.com NCAAB Odds: TBA

Why Should You Bet on Villanova?

DePaul is coming off an 88-66 rout at Creighton on Saturday. Creighton is one of the middling teams of the Big East, currently sporting a 6-5 record in conference play. Cole Huff was the big player of the day for Creighton, pouring in 28 points while going 9 for 11 from the floor. Geoffrey Grosselle punished DePaul on the inside, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 boards. Meanwhile, Villanova is coming off a 12-point win at #11 Providence — even though they were missing their big man, Daniel Ochefu. This is an incredibly talented team both inside and out, with two handlers (Jalen Brunson and Ryan Arcidiacono) on the outside, along with Josh Hart on the wing. If Villanova can knock off the nation’s #11 team in their own gym without their big man, that shows you the resiliency of the team — and the depth of the talent on the bench. Take a look at Josh Hart, for example. Going into the Providence game, he averaged 15.5 points and 7.4 boards per game, and he has had at least 10 points in every game this year. Against Providence, he had 14 points (scoring 10 after halftime) along with 13 rebounds. In the second half, he knocked down three huge shots near the 10-minute mark after Providence had started to chip away at the lead, and he pulled down a huge offensive rebound with just over a minute left to seal the victory.

Why Should You Bet on DePaul?

I would take a close look at the line when it opens on Tuesday morning. If Villanova is favored by more than a dozen, I would consider looking at DePaul, particularly if Ochefu is still going to be out for Villanova. While I don’t think that DePaul has a chance to win this game straight up, this is the sort of game that DePaul could keep close at home, with Villanova likely thinking of bigger foes down the road, and so the final score could end up within eight or ten.

Expert Betting Pick and Final Score Prediction

Villanova appears to be a team on a mission this year. Their emphatic victory over the relatively talented Providence Friars, on the road, without their big man, shows just how focused they are — and how solid they are in the Big East. I like Villanova to win handily at DePaul, rolling 81-62. DePaul needs to increase the level of their recruiting if they want to become competitive in this hoops-heavy conference.