jaredbutlerbaylor-1.jpg
USATSI

Upon entering the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the Villanova Wildcats are in somewhat unfamiliar surroundings. They are a No. 5 seed for the first time in program history. The Wildcats (16-6) were knocked off in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament by the Georgetown Hoyas, after winning the three previous conference tourneys. Villanova has never faced its first round South Region opponent, the No. 12 seeded Winthrop Eagles, who have won 23 of 24 games this season and have the momentum after taking the Big South title in convincing fashion. The Wildcats have lost three of their last four games, and are without co-Big East Player of the Year Collin Gillespie, who is out for the season with a torn MCL

Tip-off for this first-round 2021 March Madness contest is set for 9:57 p.m. ET from Indianapolis. The Wildcats are 6.5-point favorites per William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points is set at 144 in the latest Villanova vs. Winthrop odds. Before making any Winthrop vs. Villanova picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. It has also returned almost $500 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Villanova vs. Winthrop in the NCAA Tournament 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Winthrop vs. Villanova:

  • Villanova vs. Winthrop spread: Villanova -6.5
  • Villanova vs. Winthrop over-under: 144 points
  • Villanova vs. Winthrop money line: Villanova -280, Winthrop +230
  • Villanova: The Wildcats have a 65-37 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament and have made the Final Four six times. 
  • Winthrop: The Eagles only loss came on Jan. 29, and they have since won seven straight games. 

Why Winthrop can cover

Winthrop's offense averages 79.5 points per game and ranks 30th in the nation. The Eagles have scored 80 points 13 times this season. Chandler Vaudrin is the only player in the country with three triple-doubles this season. He has averaged 12.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game. He was named the Big South Player of the Year and was the tournament MVP as the Eagles won their second consecutive conference title. 

D.J. Burns shot 11 of 12 from the field and finished with 22 points in the Big South championship game, an 80-53 win over Campbell. The Eagles set a conference finals record by shooting 62.7 percent from the field. Winthrop's 17 Big South wins were a conference record. Pat Kelsey was named conference Coach of the Year. This will be Winthrop's 11th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles have lost all three tourney matchups since 2008. 

Why Villanova can cover

Despite their one-point loss to Georgetown in the Big East tournament, and the absence of Gillespie, experience and other significant contributors can give the Wildcats an edge in this first-round matchup. Most notably, head coach Jay Wright knows what it takes to advance during March Madness. He has led Villanova to eight consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and piloted the Wildcats to national championships in 2016 and 2018. Villanova has at least advanced to the Round of 32 in each of its past six tournament appearances under Wright. He was the Associated Press Coach of the Decade in the 2010s and is a 2021 Finalist for the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.

Villanova still has Jeremiah Robinson-Earl as a major guiding force for opponents to contend with. He was also a Co-Player of the Year in the Big East. Robinson-Earl was named a third team All American by the Sporting News. He is averaging 15.7 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. The Wildcats may also be sparked by the recent return of Justin Moore, who unexpectedly returned from an ankle injury against Georgetown and scored 10 points off the bench. Moore has averaged 12.6 points per game this season. Robinson-Earl scored 26 points against Georgetown and Jermaine Samuels had 20. Villanova is 5-1 ATS away from home this season. 

How to make Winthrop vs. Villanova picks

The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 152 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Winthrop vs. Villanova? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.