The first spot in the Final Four of March Madness 2022 will be determined when No. 2 Villanova takes on No. 5 Houston in the South Regional Final. Saturday’s Elite Eight matchup could go either way, though the lower-seeded team is given the slight advantage.

Houston is a two-point favorite over Villanova, according to the latest betting odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Cougars are given -135 odds to win outright. The Wildcats are +115 underdogs one day before the game.

The over/under for the Elite Eight matchup is 128.

A 72-60 win over No. 1 Arizona in the Sweet Sixteen has turned Houston into the South Region favorites. The Cougars had little trouble with the top team in their portion of the bracket. It marked Houston’s third straight NCAA Tournament win by double digits, led by one of the best defenses in college basketball

Houston is third in the country, giving up just 59.0 points per game. Arizona had the sport’s third-highest scoring offense until it was stymied by Houston. Arizona was held to 33.3% shooting with 14 turnovers in Thursday’s upset.

The Cougars’ defense was even better in a 68-53 second-round win over No. 4 Illinois. In the first round of March Madness, Houston made easy work of No. 12 UAB in an 82-68 win.

Villanova has been nearly as impressive as Houston in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats haven’t been given the chance to face a top national championship contender, but they’ve won all three games convincingly.

In victories over No. 15 Delaware, No. 7 Ohio State and No. 11 Michigan, Villanova has allowed fewer points than Houston. No Villanova tournament opponent has scored more than 61 points. The team held Michigan to just 55 points on 34.4% shooting in the Sweet Sixteen.

Both Houston and Villanova have had a different leading scorer in each game. Throughout the season, Collin Gillespie has been the best player on either team. The Big East Player of the Year averages 15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Gillespie is shooting 41.5% from three-point range on 7.0 attempts per contest.

Gillespie and Justin Moore make up one of the best backcourts in college basketball. With eight seasons of experience between them, the guards won’t have any fear this deep into the NCAA Tournament.

With an above-average defense of their own and more offensive firepower than the Cougars, Villanova can outlast Houston in a nail-biter.

Prediction: Villanova over Houston, 67-63

Collin Gillespie Villanova Basketball
Collin Gillespie #2 of the Villanova Wildcats guards DeVante' Jones #12 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the game in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 Round at AT&T Center on March 24, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas. Megan Briggs/Getty Images
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