The Villanova Wildcats take on the Providence Friars in Providence, RI. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Villanova is favored by 2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -155. The total is set at 158 points.
Here’s my Villanova vs. Providence prediction and college basketball picks for January 13, 2026.
Villanova vs Providence Prediction
My Pick: Providence +1 or Better
My Villanova vs Providence best bet is on the Friars against the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Villanova vs. Providence Odds
| Villanova Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -115 | 158 -110o / -110u | -155 |
| Providence Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -105 | 158 -110o / -110u | +130 |
- Villanova vs Providence spread: Villanova -2.5
- Villanova vs Providence over/under: 158 points
- Villanova vs Providence moneyline: Villanova -155, Providence +140
Villanova vs Providence College Basketball Betting Preview
Villanova Basketball
Villanova is eager to prove itself as the second-best team in the Big East. Saturday didn't help those efforts, though.
St. John's went to Creighton and won in a rout, while Villanova limped to a victory against Marquette. It's hard to criticize a team for a road win against a conference rival, but this season's Marquette Golden Eagles don't pack the punch we've seen from Shaka Smart's clubs in recent years.
Villanova escaped with just a three-point win, with several of the Wildcats' season-long flaws on display.
Depth is a real concern for Villanova, which ranks 294th in bench minutes played this season. Nine Wildcats average 10 minutes per game, but freshman Chris Jeffrey is sidelined after arthroscopic knee surgery and veteran big Tafara Gapare left the program recently due to personal issues. That leaves the rotation thin.
Kevin Willard played two freshmen — Matt Hodge and Acaden Lewis — more than 35 minutes on Saturday. In Villanova's prior game — a loss to Creighton — Hodge battled foul trouble and eventually fouled out, leaving the frontcourt without his size and scoring ability.
When Villanova's best five are on the court, the Wildcats can compete at a high level. Smart coaches will look to exploit that issue, picking up the pace or creating foul trouble issues in the lineup.
Things are especially dangerous around the rim, where Duke Brennan is really Willard's only reliable center. When he exits, Villanova tends to go small and plenty of teams would love to battle that matchup.
Providence Basketball
The last two weeks have provided a roller coaster ride for Providence. The Friars picked up a signature win by toppling St. John's on the road at Madison Square Garden.
Providence followed that performance with a stellar first 37 minutes at home against UConn. The Friars led by 11 points with 3:12 on the clock, before collapsing and losing in overtime.
Providence responded to that letdown by continuing to slide, getting smoked by a lackluster Xavier team on the road. Providence's defense was great against St. John's, but it was miserable against UConn and Xavier, allowing each of those opponents to score better than 1.2 points per possession.
The Friars are allowing the 26th highest percentage of points scored from 3-point shots. Some of that is due to the luck of facing 37.9% shooting, among the highest in college hoops. Some of that is not luck at all, as Providence time after time has struggled to identify, find and contest shots from opponents.
A trio of UConn scorers combined for 15 made 3s against Providence, and Xavier's two best shooters sank nine 3s. This has been happening all season long and is symptomatic of Providence's poor perimeter defense.
This should be a team forcing opposing shooters to drive into Oswin Erhunmwunse, a top-15 shot blocker in the country.
Instead, the Friars fail to close out and allow open 3s.
Villanova vs. Providence Betting Analysis
Villanova definitely has the shooting to worry Providence's perimeter defense. Bryce Lindsay sinks 42% from deep, with Devin Askew, Hodge and Tyler Perkins all above average marksmen, as well.
If Villanova gets hot, there's no question the Wildcats can steal a road win here.
I'm skeptical that will happen, given Providence's recent opponent shooting splits and the Friars' tendencies at home. Providence is 16-7 ATS as a home underdog since 2020.
That's a reliable trend that bit me last week when I talked myself into UConn's chances to cover at Providence.
I won't do it again, trusting the Friars this time.
My Pick: Providence +1 or Better
