NCAA Tournament Bracket: No. 3 Villanova vs. No. 14 American

The American Eagles have two huge hurdles to get over when they face the Villanova Wildcats in the opening round today. (AP Images)"]

Not only do the 14th-seeded Eagles have to deal with a powerful team on the court, they might have a very one-sided crowd to overcome as well.

The 17-point favored Wildcats will be not even 20 miles away from their suburban campus when they play their first-round game in the East Regional. Their fans don’t have to travel, a bonus in the depressed economy, and the Wildcats know every nook and cranny of the Wachovia Center.

The Eagles are one of the hottest teams entering the tournament, winners of 13 straight and 19 of 20. They went 11-6 on the road and are one of only five teams in the country with at least 11 road victories, which could be a boost up the road in Philly. For the best in NCAA basketball betting check out the Bodog Sportsbook.