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No. 2 Villanova vs. No. 15 Delaware preview for March Madness first-round matchup

The No. 2 Villanova and No. 15 Delaware face off in the first round of the 2022 NCAA tournament. We’ve got an initial preview of what and how to watch following Selection Sunday.

By DKNetworkStaff Updated
Villanova Wildcats guard Collin Gillespie (2) dribbles up court during the first half against the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA Tournament begins on Tuesday, March 15th with the First Four, and then moves on to the first round on Thursday, March 17 and Friday, March 18. No. 2 seed Villanova will face No. 15 seed Delaware in the first round on Friday. Here’s an early look at what we can expect from the Wildcats and Blue Hens in this year’s March Madness Tournament.

Once the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook are made available for this game, we’ll add that information below. We’ll also add the game time and TV channel once it’s settled.

Game date: Friday, March 18
Game time: 2:45 p.m. ET
TV channel: CBS
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Odds: Villanova -17

No. 2 Villanova

The Villanova Wildcats finished second in the Big East behind Providence, but they still went to the Big East conference championship. The Wildcats are known for their guard play and teammates Collin Gillespie and Justin Moore led the team in scoring. Villanova went 8-5 in the regular season against teams ranked in the AP Top 25.

Record: 26-7, 16-4 Big East
KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency: 8
KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: 28
Against The Spread: 16-15-2
Over Total: 16-16-1
Odds to win NCAA Championship: +2200

No. 15 Delaware

The Blue Hens stumbled into the CAA Conference Tournament, dropping their last three games to fall to the No. 5 seed. But from there, they got hot, winning three games in three days to grab their NCAA tourney spot. They are in the Big Dance for the sixth time in program history but still looking for their first victory.

Delaware boasts four players averaging double-digit points per game. The only non-senior of the group is the team’s leader and a familiar name for many basketball fans: Jameer Nelson Jr. The son of the former Temple Owl and Orlando Magic guard puts in 13.7 points per game. The Blue Hens rank inside the nation’s top 40 in effective field goal percentage at 53.5%.

Record: 22-12, 10-8 CAA
KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency: 100
KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: 212
Against The Spread: 15-18
Over Total: 18-15
Odds to win NCAA Championship: +100000

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