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The DePaul Blue Demons look to keep their late-season surge alive as they host the #22 Villanova Wildcats at Wintrust Arena this Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 8:00 PM ET on Peacock. DePaul (16-13, 8-10 Big East) enters the matchup having won four of their last five games, including a dominant defensive effort against Marquette. Meanwhile, Villanova (22-7, 13-5) is looking to steady the ship after a crushing 32-point loss to St. John’s that also saw them lose a starter to a season-ending injury. Despite the setback, Villanova has already secured the #3 seed in the upcoming Big East Tournament, while DePaul is fighting to maintain their top-five standing to earn a first-round bye.
The Wildcats open as 3.5-point road favorites, a line that accounts for both their overall dominance in this rivalry—winning 29 of the last 30 meetings—and the current momentum of a surging Blue Demons squad playing in front of their home crowd.
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Villanova vs DePaul Odds
These are the current betting lines for this Big East clash. Bettors should check the latest college basketball odds as the public adjusts to Villanova’s recent injury news.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Villanova | -187 | -3.5 (-109) | O 135.5 (-110) |
| DePaul | +148 | +3.5 (-112) | U 135.5 (-110) |
Villanova Betting Form
Villanova’s regular season had been a model of consistency until a disastrous weekend in New York. The Wildcats were throttled 89-57 by St. John’s, but the scoreline was secondary to the loss of Matt Hodge. The redshirt freshman, who started every game this season averaging 9.2 points, suffered a torn ACL and is out for the year. This significantly thins a Villanova rotation that relies on defensive versatility. Sophomore Malachi Palmer is expected to see increased minutes, but Hodge’s absence leaves a void in the frontcourt alongside Duke Brennan.
Despite the recent loss, the Wildcats have been reliable as favorites this season, boasting a 19-1 straight-up record in that role. They are 12-8 against the spread as favorites, often utilizing their elite three-point defense—which leads the Big East—to stifle opponents. Leading scorer Tyler Perkins (13.3 PPG) will need to bounce back from a 3-point performance last Saturday. You can monitor their roster adjustments on the Villanova stats and results page. Be sure to check the Villanova injury report to see if any other contributors are limited following the physical St. John’s game.
DePaul Betting Form
Chris Holtmann has the Blue Demons playing their best basketball in years. DePaul is fresh off a 62-51 road win over Marquette, where they held the Golden Eagles to 18% from three-point range. The resurgence of NJ Benson has been the catalyst; the big man is averaging 17.4 points and 10.6 rebounds over his last five games and is coming off his fifth double-double of the year. Benson’s ability to control the glass will be vital against a Villanova team missing one of its primary interior defenders.
DePaul has been especially profitable for bettors as an underdog, covering the spread in 11 of 17 such games this season. With an 8-10 conference record, one more win would match a program record for Big East victories, giving the Blue Demons plenty of motivation to break their seven-game losing streak to the Wildcats. You can find detailed trends and home-court splits on the DePaul schedule and stats page. Additionally, the DePaul injury report lists Isaiah Medina as questionable, which could impact their depth in the paint.
Villanova vs DePaul Matchup Breakdown
This game pits Villanova’s elite perimeter defense against a DePaul team that has found a gritty, defensive identity in the last month. The Wildcats typically want to use high-volume three-point shooting (9.7 makes per game) to pull away, but DePaul has allowed just 64.2 points per game over their current 4-1 stretch.
- NJ Benson vs. Duke Brennan: With Matt Hodge out, the battle in the paint becomes the game’s focal point. If Benson can get Brennan into foul trouble, Villanova lacks the height to stop DePaul’s interior scoring.
- Tempo Control: Both teams play at a methodical pace (65.5 possessions for Nova, 63.6 for DePaul). In a low-possession game, every turnover is magnified—Villanova’s 10.2 turnovers per game gives them a slight discipline edge.
- Emotional Response: Villanova is playing for pride and tournament seeding after a blowout loss. DePaul is playing for history and a first-round bye.
If you are new to handicapping Big East basketball, our college basketball betting guide offers insights into how conference rivalries often produce tighter scores than the season-long metrics suggest.
Villanova vs DePaul Predictions and Best Bets
I’m taking DePaul at +3.5. Villanova is the better team on paper, but losing a versatile starter like Hodge right before a road game against a surging opponent is a difficult spot. DePaul’s defense is legit, and NJ Benson is playing like one of the best bigs in the conference right now. With the Wintrust Arena crowd behind them and a potential first-round bye on the line, the Blue Demons should keep this within a single possession or potentially win it outright.
For the total, I am siding with the Under 135.5. Both teams rank in the bottom tier of adjusted tempo, and both defenses have been the story of their recent games. Villanova’s offense struggled to find rhythm without Hodge, and DePaul has made a living lately by dragging opponents into low-scoring slugfests.
Best Bet: DePaul +3.5 (-112).
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