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Villanova women big favorites in opening round NCAA Tournament game over Cleveland State

Villanova is expected to roll over Cleveland State. What are the Wildcats' odds of making a deep run?

Fourth-seeded Villanova opens up the NCAA Tournament as a big favorite over No. 13 Cleveland State. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Fourth-seeded Villanova opens up the NCAA Tournament as a big favorite over No. 13 Cleveland State. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)Read moreMitchell Leff / Getty Images
    by Jeff Neiburg, Action Network
    Published 

Villanova’s historic season has reached its final stretch. The Wildcats, who have their best record (26-8) since 2003, earned the right to host opening weekend NCAA Tournament games.

Fourth-seeded Villanova, led by All-American Maddy Siegrist, hosts No. 13 Cleveland State Saturday at Finneran Pavilion in the first round of the 2023 women’s basketball tournament.

Unsurprisingly, the Wildcats opened up as a double-digit favorite.

Odds as of Thursday, March 16 at 5 p.m.

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No. 4 Villanova vs. No. 13 Cleveland State odds (BetMGM)

Point spread: Villanova -11.5

Moneyline: Villanova -1000; Cleveland State +650

Total: 131.5 points

Nearly half of the 32 first-round games feature point spreads of 10 or more points. It’s no surprise that Villanova-Cleveland State is in that group.

Villanova has been one of the best teams in the country this season. The Wildcats set a program record for weeks spent in the top 25 during a single season (14).

» READ MORE: Here are the five key moments that punched Villanova’s NCAA Tournament ticket for the second-straight season

Cleveland State was the second seed in the Horizon League tournament and knocked off top-seeded Green Bay in the conference tournament final to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings have mowed through their competition, going 17-3 in conference play. But No. 10 Villanova will be their biggest test of the season since playing then-No. 8 Iowa State in early November, a game Cleveland State lost by 33.

If Villanova gets by Cleveland State, the Wildcats get the winner of Washington State and Florida Gulf Coast. They’d likely be favored in that matchup.

How far do oddsmakers think Villanova can go?

FanDuel has Villanova at 130/1 to win the national championship. Twelve teams have shorter odds to win it all. To reach the Final Four, the Wildcats are 11/1.

South Carolina, led by Philly’s own Dawn Staley, is the massive favorite to win the national championship at -210. The Gamecocks are -900 to reach the Final Four.

» READ MORE: Denise Dillon explains exactly why whining is prohibited in her Villanova program

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