#9 Villanova (22-3, 10-2) is undoubtedly a more talented team than #11 Creighton (21-4, 11-2). They're also likely a better team though neither of those two facts seem to matter when the two play. According to the results, Creighton is 49 points better over a span of two games.

"They're just a tough matchup for us," Jay Wright told ESPN. "Our style of play and their style of play kind of leads to these kinds of games."

Even if their meetings with the Blue Jays indicate a bad matchup more so than a fatal flaw, the Wildcats are just 4.5 point favorites over Providence (17-9, 7-6), a team that had been on the rise before losing three games in a row to St. John's, Xavier, and Georgetown. They recently ended that three game skid by beating the team everybody in the Big East has been beating, Depaul (10-16, 2-11).

On Jan. 5, Villanova beat Providence 91-61.

In some ways, the odds makers have a point. It took Villanova a few games of close calls (at Marquette, at Georgetown) before they returned to routing teams in the Big East (subsequent big wins over Xavier, Seton Hall, and Depaul) after their first huge defeat to Creighton. Yet, the Marquette, Georgetown games were likely to be close anyway, for even as those programs have struggled this year, they're always going to be a tough draw at home within the conference. Thus, you could say the same about Providence, even if they don't have quite the history of the previous two teams.

Ultimately, the argument begins and ends with that 30 point loss. Villanova couldn't overcome such an early blowout, and neither will Providence. Wildcats with the cover.

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Record: 17-22

Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)

UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)

Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)

Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)

Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)

Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)

Indiana @ Michigan State: L (picked Michigan State, -12)

Iowa @ Michigan: L (picked Iowa, + 1.5)

Colorado @ Arizona: W (picked Colorado, + 14.5)

Illinois @ Ohio State: W (picked Illinois, + 11)

Michigan @ Michigan State: W (picked Michigan, + 4.5)

Villanova @ Marquette: W (picked Villanova, -3)

Utah @ Arizona: W (picked Utah, + 15)

Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State: W (picked Oklahoma, + 4.5)

Villanova @ Georgetown: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)

Michigan State @ Iowa: W (picked Michigan State, + 5)

St. John's @ Creighton: W (picked St. John's, + 12)

Iowa State @ Kansas: L (picked Iowa State, + 8.5)

Syracuse @ Wake Forest: L (picked Syracuse, -10)

Purdue @ Michigan: L (picked Michigan, -12)

Florida @ Mississippi State: W (picked Miss. State, + 15)

Duke @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -3)

Xavier @ Villanova: L (picked Xavier, + 10)

Nebraska @ Michigan: L (picked Nebraska, + 13)

Boston College @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -13)

Oregon @ Arizona: L (picked Arizona, -11)

Oklahamo State @ Texas Tech: W (picked Texas Tech, + 6.5)

West Virginia @ Kansas: L (picked WVU, + 14)

Maryland @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -11)

Iowa State @ West Virginia: L (picked Iowa State, - 1.5)

Michigan @ Ohio State: L (picked Ohio State, -3.5)

Florida @ Tennessee: W (picked Florida, - 1.5)

Syracuse @ Pittsburg: W (picked Syracuse, + 2.5 -- absurd line)

Villanova @ Depaul: W (picked Villanova, -14)

Creighton @ Butler: L (picked Creighton, -8.5)

West Virginia @ Texas: W (picked Texas, -6)

Florida @ Kentucky: L (picked Kentucy, -2)

VCU @ Saint Louis: W (picked VCU, +4.5)

Villanova @ Creighton: L (picked Villanova, -3.5)