Villanova vs Saint Mary's 3/21/19 - College Basketball Picks & Predictions

The Villanova Wildcats are set to face the Saint Mary’s Gales in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament as they will meet at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. The Villanova Wildcats enter the tournament as a 6th seed with a 25-9 record, and they will be looking to continue their success after winning the Big East championship over Seton Hall, 74-72. Eric Paschall led the way for the Wildcats with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Saddiq Bey was able to record a double-double for Villanova as he contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Saint Mary’s Gaels enter the NCAA Tournament as a 11th seed with a 22-11 record, and they will be looking to continue their success after winning the WCC championship over the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 60-47. Jordan Ford led the way for the Saint Mary’s Gaels with 17 points despite going 1 for 6 from behind the three-point line. Jordan Hunter was able to hit the double-double mark in the win as he contributed 12 points and 15 rebounds. Phil Booth is the leading scorer and assists guy for the Villanova Wildcats as the senior guard is averaging 18.6 PPG and 3.8 APG. Eric Paschall is the leading rebounder for Jay Wright and company as the senior forward is averaging 6.2 RPG while also being a top scoring option as he is contributing 16.5 PPG. The Villanova Wildcats are shooting 43.9% from the field this season while connecting on 35.3% of their three-point attempts.

Jordan Ford is the leading scorer for the Saint Mary’s Gaels as the junior guard is averaging 21.3 PPG while also contributing a team-high 1.3 steals per game. Malik Fitts is the leading rebounder for Randy Bennett and company as the sophomore forward is averaging 7.6 RPG. Tommy Kuhse is the leading assists guy as the sophomore guard is averaging 2.9 APG. The Saint Mary’s Gaels are shooting 47.4% from the field this season while connecting on 37.8% of their three-point attempts.