Jay Wright and the Villanova Wildcats aim for another Big East Tournament crown on Saturday evening. After a semifinal win over UConn on Friday, Villanova faces the Creighton Bluejays in the 2022 Big East Tournament final at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Villanova vs Creighton: Prediction| Odds| Final picks| Result
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Prediction:
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Odds:
- Creighton vs. Villanova spread: Villanova -7
- Creighton vs. Villanova over-under: 128.5 points
- Creighton vs. Villanova money line: Villanova -300, Creighton +240
- CRE: The Bluejays are 12-7-2 against the spread in conference games
- NOVA: The Wildcats are 11-9-2 against the spread in conference games
Creighton’s offense is balanced and effective. Four players average in double-figures for the Bluejays, and Creighton is No. 3 in the Big East in 2-point accuracy.
Final Picks:
Creighton is converting more than 51 percent of 2-point shots in conference play, and Villanova has a weakness in rim protection.
The Wildcats are second-worst in the Big East with a block rate of only 8.7 percent. On the other end, Creighton is dominant, leading the conference in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Villanova is known for its offense, but the Wildcats are No. 2 in the Big East in defensive efficiency. Villanova is No. 3 in the conference in turnover rate, forcing a giveaway on 18.4 percent of possessions, and the Wildcats are also near the top of the Big East in defensive rebound rate, free-throw rate allowed and 3-point defense.
Result:
Villanova is hyper-efficient, leading the Big East in offensive efficiency. No team in the nation has a higher free- throw percentage (82.7 percent) than Villanova, and the Wildcats rank in the top three of the Big East in turnover rate, live-ball turnover rate, 2-point shooting, 3-point shooting and free-throw creation rate.
Creighton is also quite passive on defense, ranking No. 9 or worse in the Big East in steal rate, block rate and turnover creation rate.
Creighton is just No. 9 in the Big East in adjusted offensive efficiency, and the Bluejays are last in the conference in turnover rate.