Despite being seeded lower than #8 Villanova (24-8) in the West Region, #9 Utah State (28-6, -1.5) is favored to win today’s matchup in San Diego. MJ Collins (O/U 16.5 points) and the Mountain West champion Aggies have rattled off four straight victories ahead of this one.
Utah State vs Villanova Predictions - 4:10pm ET - 3/20
- MJ Collins Over 16.5 Points @ -120
- Utah State Over 76.5 Points @ +120
- Over 146.5 Points @ -115
All odds are courtesy of US Sportsbooks, correct at the time of publishing, and subject to change.
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Utah State vs Villanova Odds
- Spread: Utah State -1.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Utah State (-125), Villanova (+105)
- Total: 146.5 (O -115, U -105)
Utah State vs Villanova Picks
Collins to Call His Own Number - MJ Collins Over 16.5 Points (-120)
Utah State leading scorer MJ Collins was superb in the Aggies’ Mountain West Tournament triumph. Collins, who has averaged 17.6 points per game this season, scored 20 points in two of the Aggies’ three wins.
On Utah State’s current four-game winning streak, Collins has averaged a hair under 20 PPG. Villanova’s defense hasn’t exactly looked great as of late. The Wildcats have allowed three of their previous four opponents to shoot 40 percent or better from the three-point line.
Collins isn’t shy about letting it fly. He’s averaged six three-point attempts over the past five games. He’s scored 20+ points each of the past three times he’s made two threes, and don’t be surprised if he has some success from beyond the arc tonight. Take Collins over 16.5 points.
- Utah State vs Villanova Prediction 1: MJ Collins Over 16.5 Points @ -120
Aggies to Agitate the Wildcats - Utah State Over 76.5 Points (+120)
Villanova suffered an embarrassing 78-64 loss to Georgetown in the Wildcats’ first game of the Big East Tournament. Georgetown finished with the worst record in the entire conference and didn’t have problems scoring the basketball against Villanova.
The Wildcats have given up 78 or more points in three of their previous four games, all against teams with lower offensive efficiency ratings than Utah State. According to KenPom, Utah State has the 28th-best adjusted offensive rating in the country.
Villanova, which has to travel cross-country for this game, has played nine games against teams with top-50 offenses this season. In those matchups, the Wildcats have allowed 78.2 PPG.
Expect the Aggies to be able to rely on guards MJ Collins and Mason Falslev today and score over 76.5 points.
- Utah State vs Villanova Prediction 2: Utah State Over 76.5 Points @ +120
Plenty of Points - Over 146.5 Points (-115)
While Utah State should find offensive success today, the same could be said of Villanova. The Aggies aren’t used to playing an opponent with this many dangerous guards. Four Villanova guards score in double figures compared to just two players on Utah State, in total.
The only other time Utah State matched up against a team ranked in the top 50 in offensive efficiency, they managed a narrow 80-77 victory over VCU. That game went well over 146.5 points, even though neither team plays at a high tempo, like in today’s game.
Villanova shot just 7-for-29 from beyond the three-point line in its recent loss against Georgetown. That shouldn’t happen again against a Utah State team that is merely average at defending the three-ball.
Don’t be surprised if the over cashes in this Round of 64 matchup.
- Utah State vs Villanova Prediction 3: Over 146.5 Points @ -115
Utah State vs Villanova Start Time
- Start Time: 4:10pm ET
- Location: Viejas Arena
- Address: 5500 Canyon Crest Dr, San Diego, CA 92182
- TV & Streaming: TNT, HBO Max, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV
March Madness continues with an intriguing #9 Utah State vs #8 Villanova matchup in San Diego today. Utah State, which won the Mountain West regular-season and tournament crown, enters the tournament with a 28-6 record. Meanwhile, Villanova has been struggling.