Villanova vs. Notre Dame betting: Odds, preview, picks, start time for Sunday college basketball from Rome — SkimNews
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- NCAA granted the teams a waiver to play Sunday, Nov. 1, at 9:30 a.m. ET at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, one day before the official Nov. 2 season start.
- Pope Leo XIV, a 1977 Villanova graduate, is the figure the Rome game was set up in part to honor; the contest falls on All Saints’ Day.
- DraftKings Sportsbook lists Villanova as the 7.5-point favorite with a 147.5-point total, and the preview converges on Villanova -7.5, citing travel and scheduled activities in favor of a lower-scoring game.
- Villanova finished 24-8 overall and 15-5 in the Big East in Kevin Willard’s first season, losing 86-76 to Utah State in the NCAA Tournament and 74-68 to Georgetown in the conference final.
- Tyler Perkins returns to lead a rebuilt Villanova offense after four of its five leading scorers departed, having averaged 13.7 points and 5.4 rebounds and earned Big East Most Improved Player honors.
- Luigi Suigo, a 7-foot-3, 19-year-old center, joined Villanova after averaging 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18 minutes in Serbia; the preview identifies his size as the central matchup advantage.
- Notre Dame went 13-18 overall and 4-14 in the ACC, lost nearly 35 points of scoring through Markus Burton and Jalen Haralson, and added Ethan Roberts, who averaged 16.9 points and shot 40.4% from three.
Why it matters: Villanova retains leading returning guard Tyler Perkins and adds 7-foot-3 Luigi Suigo, while Notre Dame lost nearly 35 points of scoring in Markus Burton and Jalen Haralson. That roster contrast is the clearest basis for the 7.5-point edge, making the rebuilt Irish offense the central variable in a 147.5-point market.
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