Halftime Report
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, Creighton looks much better today on their home court. A win is still up for grabs for either team after one quarter, but Creighton is up 40-38 over Villanova. The finale is shaping up to be a lot like these teams' last head-to-head, which was decided by just two points.
If Creighton keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 8-5 in no time. On the other hand, Villanova will have to make due with an 8-5 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who's Playing
Villanova Wildcats @ Creighton Bluejays
Current Records: Villanova 8-4, Creighton 7-5
How To WatchWhen: Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 4 p.m. ETWhere: CHI Health Center Omaha -- Omaha, NebraskaTV: Fox Sports 1Follow: CBS Sports AppOnline streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)Ticket Cost: $4.00What to Know
After two games on the road, Creighton is heading back home. They and the Villanova Wildcats will face off in a Big East battle at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at CHI Health Center Omaha. The Bluejays are strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 76 points per game this season.
The experts predicted Creighton would be headed in after a victory, but Georgetown made sure that didn't happen. Creighton might have been a little too into the holiday spirit, gifting Georgetown an easy 81-57 win. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Bluejays have suffered against the Hoyas since March 13, 2021.
Despite the defeat, Creighton had strong showings from Steven Ashworth, who had 21 points, and Jackson McAndrew, who went 5 for 8 en route to 13 points plus three steals.
Meanwhile, Villanova came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 18.8 points) and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 79-67 victory over the Pirates.
Villanova's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Tyler Perkins led the charge by going 6 for 7 en route to 17 points plus five rebounds. Another player making a difference was Eric Dixon, who scored 25 points along with six rebounds.
Villanova was working as a unit and finished the game with 17 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Seton Hall only posted eight.
Creighton's loss dropped their record down to 7-5. As for Villanova, their win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-4.
Keep an eye on the arc in Saturday's contest: Creighton has made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having averaged 9.9 threes per game. However, it's not like Villanova struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.7. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
While only Villanova took care of their fans the last time they played, neither team managed to cover. Going forward, Creighton is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 4.5 points. This will be Villanova's first time playing as the underdogs on the road this season.
Odds
Creighton is a 4.5-point favorite against Villanova, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 4.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is 145 points.
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Series History
Creighton and Villanova both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
Mar 09, 2024 - Creighton 69 vs. Villanova 67Dec 20, 2023 - Villanova 68 vs. Creighton 66Mar 09, 2023 - Creighton 87 vs. Villanova 74Feb 25, 2023 - Villanova 79 vs. Creighton 67Feb 04, 2023 - Creighton 66 vs. Villanova 61Mar 12, 2022 - Villanova 54 vs. Creighton 48Jan 05, 2022 - Villanova 75 vs. Creighton 41Dec 17, 2021 - Creighton 79 vs. Villanova 59Mar 03, 2021 - Villanova 72 vs. Creighton 60Feb 13, 2021 - Creighton 86 vs. Villanova 70