After the holiday break, college basketball action returns with a marquee Big East matchup. DePaul travels to Villanova, both teams aiming to build momentum as conference play ramps up. The Blue Demons seek redemption after back to back losses, while the Wildcats look to extend a three game winning streak at home.
DePaul vs. Villanova: Odds & Insights | December 31, 2025
Written by: Colby Marchio
Published: Wed Dec 31, 2025, 10:44 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
ncaab
FINAL
DePaul Blue Demons
66
Villanova Wildcats
71
Write Up Transparency
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Awful Month. Fading may be the move.
DePaul vs. Villanova Odds
Is tonight the night DePaul picks up their first Big East win on the road?
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Spread
DePaul: +12.5 (-109)
Villanova: -12.5 (-111)
Total
Over: 135.5 (-112)
Under: 135.5 (-108)
Moneyline
DePaul: +625
Villanova: -1100
DePaul vs. Villanova Bet
After a long holiday break, the DePaul Blue Demons head to Villanova to take on the Wildcats. Both teams are looking to end the year on a high note and attack conference play head on. The Blue Demons are coming off back-to-back losses, while the Wildcats are riding a three-game winning streak. With DePaul listed as 12.5-point underdogs, the question becomes whether their losing ways continue, or if they can pull off the upset on Villanova's home floor.
Letdown City, USA
I feel the same way about Villanova tonight as I did with San Francisco last night against Oregon State. The Dons were on a five game tear, covering all five, and in three of those games they were away from their home gym and won outright as underdogs. Villanova enters this matchup having gone 5-1 against the spread and 5-1 straight up over their last six games. Their lone loss came against No. 2 Michigan, where they fell 89 to 61 as 17.5-point underdogs. Since that loss, the Wildcats have won three straight, with two of those wins coming outright as underdogs. I believe they are due for some regression.
Meanwhile, the Blue Demons are coming off a stretch against the top teams in the Big East. On December 16, they lost at St. John's 79 to 66, and on December 21 they fell to UConn 72 to 54. With ten days of rest, Chris Holtmann and his group should be more than ready to keep this game close and give the Wildcats a legitimate run for their money.
Scrappy Demons
So far this season against top 100 teams, DePaul is 3-2 against the spread. Those five games are also the only games in which the Blue Demons were underdogs. If Holtmann can maintain the defensive intensity he has honed in on with this team in year two, they should be able to stay within the 12.5 point number.
Chris Holtmann has repeatedly said DePaul's identity this year will be its defense.
Here are the numbers per BartTorvik, filtered to begin on December 9 as of the Morgan State game:
DEFENSE – 17
OFFENSE – 223And on December 13 as of Wichita State:
DEFENSE – 27
OFFENSE – 256 pic.twitter.com/QrGQ3q91Fg— Andy Thompson (@andythompson610) December 23, 2025
In away and neutral site matchups this season, DePaul has been strong defensively. They rank inside the top 100 in adjusted efficiency, three-point rate, and three-point percentage allowed. They are not giving up much from deep, which is critical against a Villanova team that ranks 36th in three-point rate and 49th in three-point percentage. If DePaul can limit clean looks from the perimeter, they can stay competitive in this matchup.
Despite offensive struggles at times, the Blue Demons have been serviceable against top 100 competition. They do a solid job creating second chance opportunities, ranking 149th in offensive rebounding. Frankly, if DePaul could simply knock down free throws at a more efficient rate, the offense would look much better overall.
Fortunately for this matchup, Villanova has struggled in several areas that DePaul can exploit. At home, the Wildcats rank bottom 75 in effective field goal percentage defense, three-point defense, and defensive block percentage. Through 13 games, the Blue Demons rank 190th in three-point percentage and 194th in three-point rate. If they are able to get their shots off comfortably, they should be just fine.
Coming off back-to-back tough losses against the best of the Big East and benefiting from ten days of rest, this sets up as a strong spot to back the Blue Demons. For Villanova, this feels like a potential letdown after their last three performances, especially with a road trip to Butler looming on Saturday.
Give me the Blue Demons plus the points.
Best Bet: DePaul +12.5 (-109) on Lucky Rebel
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Former D1 (club) baseball player, Colby has been betting since his college days at DePaul, where he had to endure the worst collegiate basketball the Big East has ever seen. He is an advanced analytics nerd and has never seen an underdog he has not liked. Hot. Corn. Bull. It does not matter the dog he loves them all.
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