#9 Utah State vs. #8 Villanova Picks and Predictions: Round of 64
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Thu Mar 19, 2026, 9:47 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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Another No. 8 vs. No. 9 matchup hits our screens on Friday afternoon as the Mountain West regular season and tournament champions take on a team from the Big East. The Utah State Aggies may be seeded lower than the Villanova Wildcats, but the books still think they win as they find themselves as a short favorite in San Diego. It's a much closer trip for the Aggie faithful to make as well, but can the Wildcats remind them that they are a mid major school facing a Power Five ball club? Check out our expert picks to find out.
Check out our March Madness Betting Guide to get in on all the action this month!
Best Bet: Utah State ML (-130) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
#9 Utah State Aggies vs. #8 Villanova Wildcats NCAA Basketball Insights
Can Malachi Palmer and the Wildcats redeem themselves after losing early in the Big East Tournament?
I am a huge mid major advocate, and I love watching these smaller schools get to take on the big dogs in the Big Dance. Utah State is a VERY good basketball team. They dominated the Mountain West, and now are eager for the chance to prove their worth against a Power Five opponent. This team only lost once during the non conference part of their schedule. That lost came against South Florida on the road (who ended up making the tournament). However, the Aggies have yet to face a team from one of the bigger leagues.
However, Villanova barely plays in one of those "bigger leagues". The Big East was absolutely horrendous this season, and I don't know if that will properly prepare the Wildcats for this high pressure situation, especially considering they look awful against the Georgetown Hoyas in the conference tournament.
Matchup Information – Utah State vs. Villanova – March 20
- Venue & Location: Viejas Arena (San Diego, CA)
- Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
- Kick Off: 4:10 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: TNT
Utah State vs. Villanova Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of March 19, 2026 at 8:03 p.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- Utah State -2 (-106)
- Villanova +2 (-114)
Moneyline
- Utah State +130
- Villanova +106
Total
- Over 147 (-113)
- Under 147 (-108)
#9 Utah State vs. #8 Villanova NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Can MJ Collins lead the Aggies to a victory over Villanova in the Round of 64?
Utah State vs. Villanova Prediction: Utah State Wins Outright, Over 147
Best Bet: Utah State ML (-130) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
I am all over the Aggies in this matchup, and have been since it dropped on Sunday. You can play the moneyline like me or lay the points, as fouls down the stretch should help Utah State cover this spread. They aren't afraid to play fast in order to push the pace and score some extra trips up and down the floor.
Plus they shoot from deep a ton, and do all the little things right offensively, such as crashing the boards and getting to the stripe. Defensively, they are top 15 in forcing turnovers, which will absolutely disrupt the Villanova offense.
Villanova likes to play slow. Plus, they don't get to the free throw line, and don't make them when they do get there, shooting less than 69.5% from the charity stripe as a team. If this comes down to free throws, which it might, the Aggies have the clear advantage. Give me Utah State to set up a date with a different set of Wildcats in the Round of 32, assuming Arizona can get by Long Island.
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Check Out the Other March Madness Content from Betting News
For college basketball bettors, March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year. And at Betting News, we have you covered for this festively fun season with expert picks throughout the tournament from Nate Hornung and Eddie Griffin, consensus picks for every March Madness game from the First Four to the Final Four, a rundown of the best March Madness betting sites, and more.
Also, through our streams and social media channels, you can get even more insight from Nate and other members of the Betting News team, as well as offer your own thoughts and tips for the tournament.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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