Top March Madness sportsbooks like the higher-seeded team as favorites when the second-seeded Villanova Wildcats go for their second straight win over a Big Ten opponent on Thursday in their Sweet 16 game against the 11th-seeded Michigan Wolverines. They knocked out the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday.
Michigan is for once playing like the top-10 team that opened this season prior to a 4-3 start that made their return to the NCAA Tournament field more difficult than anyone could have guessed. The Wolverines were a top seed last year. They gained a lot of confidence with a 76-68 win versus the Volunteers as seven-point underdogs at the best online sportsbooks.
Meanwhile, Villanova bested Ohio State 71-61 as a five-point favorite to earn its seventh straight win and 12th in 13 games. The Wildcats enjoyed an 11-point halftime lead and held off a late rally by the Buckeyes. The relative ease with which Villanova defeated Ohio State has translated into an almost identical spread and total at top offshore sportsbooks. This one may be contested with a similar style and pace.
2022 Sweet 16 Michigan vs. Villanova Odds
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | +5½ ( -110 ) | 135 ( -110 ) | +190 |  |
| Villanova | -5½ ( -110 ) | 135 ( -110 ) | -230 | |
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Betting Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines exited the Big Dance in the Elite Eight last season. They fell to the 11th-seeded UCLA Bruins. They are now trying to return to the Elite Eight as double-digit seeds with the worst record of any team.
The question is do you keep riding them at top offshore sportsbooks or fade them instead? Considering how sophomore center Hunter Dickinson is playing, you might want to keep striking while the iron remains hot.
His 27 points and 11 rebounds made the difference against Tennessee. Villanova does not have an answer for him inside should he have another strong performance.
Betting Villanova Wildcats
The Wildcats had a much better start against the Buckeyes in the second round than they did against Delaware in the first. Ohio State closed the gap late in the second half to cast doubt over the spread in the last five minutes.
Villanova rewarded its backers with a couple of big shots by Collin Gillespie and Eric Dixon down the stretch. After they lost to eventual national champion Baylor Bears in the Sweet 16 a year ago, things are looking much better this time around.
Especially with Tennessee out and top-seeded Arizona Wildcats betraying some weaknesses before coming back to defeat the ninth-seeded TCU Horned Frogs 85-80 in OT late Sunday.
Pick: The biggest factor for Michigan is hanging around early on and gaining momentum in the second half. Dickinson has great size and the ability to take over a game at any point. In that sense, he is not unlike Drew Timme of the top-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Villanova does not really have a player who can match up with him. This makes the underdogs an intriguing pick provided he can remain involved and avoid foul trouble. Coaching could make a difference for Villanova. Jay Wright has been in this stage before. He knows how to ready his players to succeed in the key moments.
He is one of the reasons that the Wildcats reached the Elite Eight in 2016 and 2018, winning the national championship on both occasions. Also should make the difference-maker opposite Michigan’s head coach Juwan Howard, who has his moments but is still seeking to solidify himself.
The Villanova Wildcats have been by far the more consistent team. They’re playing some of their best game. Villanova has won its last five games by an average of eight points, allowing 40.4% shooting from the field. Take Nova and the points.
