Villanova Preview: Can the ‘Cats Claim the Rematch With No. 5 UConn?

Villanova Men’s Basketball will attempt to push their winning streak to seven games on Saturday, Feb. 21 when they host No. 5 UConn at Xfinity Mobile Arena in South Philadelphia. Set to tip off at 5:30 p.m., TNT and truTV hold the broadcasting rights to this matchup, one that marks the return of Villanova legend and longtime assistant coach Mike Nardi as a member of UConn’s coaching staff.

The Huskies suffered a home upset against Creighton their last time out, while Villanova narrowly survived Xavier in overtime. The Wildcats (21-5, 12-3 Big East) enter as a slight home underdog, expected to win in 42.8 percent of ESPN Analytics simulations. DraftKings Sportsbook lists them as a -2.5 underdog with +130 money line odds, about as good as one could hope for against the No. 5 team in the country; the point spread sits at 140.5 in a battle of two well-rounded, slow-paced teams.

UConn and Villanova check in at No. 10 and No. 29, respectively, in the NET rankings, making this a Quadrant 1 matchup for both teams.

UConn junior Solo Ball led the field with 24 points during the first matchup, an overtime win for the Huskies that saw Villanova hold the lead for nearly two-thirds of the game. The Huskies dominated the extra period, however, as a young Wildcats’ team wasn’t able to close things out.

Scouting the Huskies

UConn’s defense proved the difference in the first matchup, holding Villanova to 20-of-59 shooting (10-of-26 from three); the Wildcats’ defense acquitted themselves well, allowing 41 percent of Huskies’ shots to fall (36 percent from three), but freshman Braylon Mullins (12.5 PPG) went down with a concussion early in the second half, taking away a key scoring option late.

The Huskies’ bench managed just six points even with Mullins out of the picture.

While UConn managed a 42-39 win on the glass, Villanova senior Duke Brennan (16 points, 14 rebounds) got the better of his matchup with Huskies’ center Tarris Reed Jr. (10 points, 11 rebounds): while each managed a double-double, Reed fouled out early in the extra period. Brennan received his fourth whistle with six minutes to play in regulation but managed to toe the line the rest of the way.

Always-steady Huskies senior Alex Karaban put up 17 points and eight rebounds, and Silas Demary Jr. rounded out the starting lineup.

Scouting Villanova

Wildcats’ head coach Kevin Willard went with his typical starting lineup of lead guard Acaden Lewis, guards Bryce Lindsay and Tyler Perkins, wing Matt Hodge and Brennan, who plays the five, against the Huskies.

Lewis and Lindsay struggled mightily, making just one of 21 shots combined; Lewis, who ranks second in the Big East in assists per game, managed to generate some offense with his passing, picking up five assists, but played just four of the final 17 minutes as Willard turned to sixth man Devin Askew (13 points). Lindsay, for his part, snapped out of a six week shooting streak during Villanova’s overtime win over Xavier. If he’s back to his out-of-conference self, that could give the Wildcats a major advantage.

Hodge, who stands 6-foot-8 and takes nearly two-thirds of his shots from three, made four of six triples against the Huskies as Villanova’s third-leading scorer.

Malachi Palmer (17 minutes) and Braden Pierce (five minutes) have come into their own in recent weeks, and their ability to step in off the bench could give the Wildcats the boost they need to win the rematch.