Utah State vs. Villanova Prediction, Odds, Best Prop Bet for NCAA Tournament 1st Round

The Utah State Aggies are this year's only representative from the Mountain West. They won both the regular season and conference tournament titles, and the committee seemingly didn't think any team deserved an at-large bid.

The Aggies will face the Villanova Wildcats in the Round of 64. The Wildcats were given an 8-seed after finishing in third place in the Big East.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for Friday's showdown.

Utah State vs. Villanova Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Utah State -1.5 (-110)
Villanova +1.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Utah -125
Villanova +105

Total

OVER 146.5 (-115)
UNDER 146.5 (-105)

Utah State vs. Villanova How to Watch

Date: Friday, March 20
Game Time: 4:10 pm ET
Venue: Viejas Arena
How to Watch (TV): TNT
Utah State Record: 28-6
Villanova Record: 24-8

Utah State vs. Villanova Betting Trends

The OVER is 8-4 in Utah State's last 12 games
Utah is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games as a favorite
Villanova is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games
The OVER is 14-5 in Villanova's last five games

Utah State vs. Villanova Best Prop Bet

Tyler Perkins OVER 15.5 Points (-108) via FanDuel

Tyler Perkins posted some strong performances late in the season, scoring 18+ points in two of his last three games. Now, he and the Wildcats get to face a Utah State team that ranks 178th in the country in opponent three-point field goal percentage. Perkins has a chance to have a strong shooting day, especially if he can attack the perimeter of the Utah State defense.

Utah State vs. Villanova Prediction and Pick

San Diego State three years ago was an exception, but the Mountain West has historically struggled in the NCAA Tournament. Let's fade the only Mountain West team in this year's edition of the tournament by betting on the Villanova Wildcats to upset them at +117.

UConn and St. John's were the talk of the Big East this season, and while Villanova may not be on their level, they are still a very good team and were a step above the rest of the conference this season. They're 76th in effective field goal percentage and 90th in defensive efficiency.

When the Wildcats get hot from three, they're tough to beat. Utah State ranks just 178th in opponent 3-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 33.9% from beyond the arc.

Pick: Villanova +1.5 (-110)

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