Both teams look to remain unbeaten as the No. 11-ranked Villanova Wildcats (3-0) meet the Akron Zips (3-0) at The Pavilion. Action begins at 4:30 pm ET on Sunday, Nov. 22 and will air on FS1.
The Wildcats easily got past East Tennessee State 86-51 on Friday. Daniel Ochefu fueled the Wildcats, recording his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 16 rebounds. The Zips, meanwhile, are coming off an 88-80 win against Arkansas on Wednesday. Antino Jackson led the team in scoring by accumulating 23 points on 8-for-18 shooting.
Villanova is a substantial 14-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is sitting at 142 points. The Wildcats have started off well with a 3-0 record Straight Up (SU) as well as Against The Spread (ATS). Few teams in the nation have a higher assist-to-turnover ratio than Villanova, which ranks 27th at 1.74.
Over on the other bench, the Zips are clearly doing something right with a 3-0 record SU and 2-0 ATS so far. Teams seem to consistently miss shots against the Zips, who are the top team in the nation in terms of opponent field goal percentage allowed at .284.
This game marks the first time Villanova and Akron have played one another in recent seasons.
Predictions: SU Winner – Vill, ATS Winner – Akron, O/U – Under
Notes
Villanova is 19-1 SU in its last 20 games.
Villanova is 24-1 SU in its last 25 games at home.
Villanova averages 88.0 points per game this season. Akron is one of the best teams in points allowed, giving up just 54.3 points per game (ranked 12th).
In its last game, Villanova won by a margin of 35 points. Akron is 1-0 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Villanova has a 3-0 record in blowouts.
Ranked 19th, the Villanova Wildcats have one of the top defenses in the country, giving up just 78.7 points per 100 possessions. The Akron Zips rank 44th in offense, scoring 119.4 points in the same number of possessions.
The Villanova Wildcats and the Akron Zips both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Villanova is 62nd and 34th in the nation for FG% and eFG% respectively, while Akron is 83rd and 41st in these categories.
Villanova ranks among the best in the nation in assists at 21st (19.7 assists per game). Akron is ranked 91st with 15.7 assists per game.
Villanova, the 85th-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 4.7 per game. Akron does worse, ranked 105th with 4.3.
Villanova ranks 102nd in offensive rebounds, while Akron ranks 14th in defensive rebounds.
Villanova makes 8.0 steals per game. In games where it gives up 8 or more steals, Akron is undefeated at 2-0.
