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UCF vs. Villanova Prediction, Odds & Preview Today: Best College Basketball Crown Picks

Mike Spector

Last Updated: April 5, 2025 8:59 AM EDT • 3 min 29 sec read.

UCF vs. Villanova Prediction: Today's Best College Basketball Crown Odds, Picks & Preview
Pictured: Villanova Wildcats guard Wooga Poplar reacts after Seton Hall Pirates guard Jahseem Felton loses the ball. Photo by Brad Penner via Imagn Images.

The College Basketball Crown semifinals head to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where UCF (19-16) takes on Villanova (21-14) on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET (FOX).

The Wildcats enter as a slim 1.5-point favorite, but our UCF vs. Villanova prediction, odds, and preview backs the underdog Knights and their balanced offensive approach to secure a spot in the tournament final.

📈 UCF vs. Villanova line movement

Villanova opened as a 1.5-point favorite, and the line continues to move in the Wildcats' direction with most books offering them between -2 and -3. The game total at our best sports betting sites hasn't seen much movement, though, and remains between 155.5 and 156.5.

🏀 UCF vs. Villanova prediction & picks today: College Basketball Crown

Here are my best UCF vs. Villanova predictions for the College Basketball Crown; use our parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay:

✅ Against the spread pick: UCF +1.5 (-110 via ESPN BET) vs. Villanova ⭐⭐
🔥 Over/Under pick: Under 155.5 (-105 via ESPN BET) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎯 Exact score prediction: UCF 75, Villanova 72

👉 Want more picks? Check out our latest college basketball picks and the rest of our March Madness predictions.

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🏆 Best UCF vs. Villanova pick & score prediction

Our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool can help you find the best odds for any March Madness market across legal sportsbooks in your area!

✅ UCF to cover the spread: +1.5 ⭐⭐

What a difference one game makes for the UCF defense. The Knights allowed an Oregon State team missing its entire frontcourt to shoot 60% from 2-point range while allowing a 35% offensive rebounding rate as well. But the Knights tightened things up against Cincinnati, holding the Bearcats to 50% shooting inside the arc.

UCF’s tournament preparation shouldn’t be understated, as its first meeting with Cincinnati saw 176 points scored despite only 10 made 3-pointers between the two teams.

Villanova is still playing because of Eric Dixon’s heroic performance against USC. He helped the Wildcats claw back from a 12-point second-half deficit by scoring a career-high 24 points after halftime.

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The concerning thing for Villanova is that three players (Dixon, Wooga Poplar, and Jahmir Brickus) combined for 54 of the team’s 60 points. Thus, I am backing UCF with its more balanced scoring, even if its roster is more portal-depleted than Villanova’s.

📊 Best odds: -110 via ESPN BET ($10 to win $9.09)

🔥 Over/Under pick: Under 155.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

We easily cashed our five-star play on the Under in the Villanova vs. USC game, as that game on Thursday stayed under the projected total by 32.5 points.

This is a second consecutive play on the Under in a game involving the Wildcats, who all year long have preferred a methodical pace (352nd in adjusted tempo) as opposed to hunting easy opportunities in transition.

📊 Best odds: -105 via ESPN BET ($10 to win $9.52)

🎯 Score prediction: UCF 75, Villanova 72

Only one game in Villanova’s last 20 has ended with a combined score of 156-plus points, so I am expecting a lower-scoring game even though the Over is 9-3-1 in the Wildcats’ 13 non-conference games this season. Thus, I am predicting a final score of UCF 75, Villanova 72.

Odds for this final score wager are not available yet, but I’d expect DraftKings to offer between +15000 and +19000 odds for this prop when they surface.

📊 Best odds: OFF

🤖 UCF vs. Villanova AI prediction

For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze college basketball stats and trends before predicting the winner and exact score for UCF vs. Villanoa. Our AI prediction projects a final score of Villanova 72, UCF 64.

🖥️ AI score prediction: Villanova 72, UCF 64

  • UCF's Defense vs. Villanova's Offense: UCF’s defense will be put to the test against Villanova’s offense, which excels in ball movement and shooting from distance.
  • Free-Throw Shooting: Villanova's advantage from the free-throw line could be significant in a close game, where every possession counts.
  • Villanova's Offensive Firepower: With a balanced attack, Villanova’s high basketball IQ and efficient offense will likely outpace UCF's defense, especially if it can hit timely 3-pointers.

🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean Villanova covering the spread (-1.5) and a total of Under 155.5 points. ChatGPT is not a dedicated sports betting model, but it can identify data that college basketball bettors might overlook.

📊 Live UCF vs. Villanova odds

Follow the latest live college basketball odds and real-time college basketball scores.

🔢 UCF vs. Villanova opening odds

  • Spread: UCF +1.5 (-110) | Villanova -1.5 (-110)
  • Moneyline: UCF +105 | Villanova -125
  • Over/Under: Over 155.5 (-115) | Under 155.5 (-105)

📺 How to watch UCF vs. Villanova: College Basketball Crown

📅 Date: Saturday, April 5
🕗 Time: 4 p.m. ET
📍 Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
📺 TV: FS1
💻 Streaming: FOX Sports App

💰 March Madness betting odds pages

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Written By:
Mike Spector
Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he's especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike's a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." When making wagers, Mike always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He's tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”