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The 27th annual Jimmy V Classic will take center stage tonight with a pair of games tipping off at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The second matchup of the doubleheader will pit two former Big East foes against each other as the No. 6 Villanova Wildcats face the Syracuse Orange.
Villanova (6-2) is riding a three-game winning streak into the Garden and was last seen pummeling crosstown rival Saint Joseph’s for an 81-52 victory. Senior Collin Gillespie delivered a solid performance for the Wildcats, putting up 23 points and four rebounds. Justin Moore backed him up with 16 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
Syracuse (5-3, 1-0 ACC) successfully opened conference play on Saturday with a 63-60 road victory at Florida State. This game was a rollercoaster of momentum as the Orange trailed by 11 at the start of the second half but stormed back to lead by as many as 11 with just over five minutes remaining in the ballgame. Both Cole Swider and Jesse Edwards were able to pull down double-doubles in the win.
How to watch Villanova vs. Syracuse
When: Tuesday, December 7th, 9:00 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: ESPN
Where to live stream online: WatchESPN, ESPN app
Live updates and stats: At DraftKings Sportsbook
Odds
Spread: Villanova -9.5
Total: 144.5
The Pick
Syracuse +9.5
Syracuse have been on the wrong side of a few ugly losses this year but have picked up back-to-back quality wins over Indiana and Florida State. Villanova has played well at 6-2 but the majority of its wins have come against teams ranked 200 or lower in KenPom. It is 1-2 against teams ranked higher than that, creating a scenario for the Orange to give them a fight in the Garden.
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