Big East Basketball
Villanova Preview: Must-Win Rematch With Creighton

The Villanova Wildcats get back in action on Saturday, Feb. 1 after more than a week off, looking to snap a two game losing skid as they host the Creighton Blue Jays at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center beginning at 1 p.m.
Last time out, they suffered an 87-74 loss at the hands of No. 10 ranked Marquette, keeping the Golden Eagles within reach until the final minutes. Creighton rides a six game winning streak into Philly and downed Villanova 86-79 in Omaha back in December, sinking 14 of 25 three-pointers as Ryan Kalkbrenner, Jamiya Neal and Steven Ashworth all scored 20 or more points.
Nevertheless, Villanova stands as a slight favorite in this matchup — typical for the home team in college basketball — with the money line set at -140 in the Wildcats’ favor; the point spread sits at -2.5 with an over/under of 143.5, all per ESPN Bet. Interestingly, ESPN Analytics gives the Blue Jays a narrow advantage, with Villanova winning in just 49.3 percent of simulations.
The NET rankings list the Wildcats and Blue Jays at No. 60 and No. 39, respectively; the KenPom Ratings at No. 54 and No. 32. With Villanova’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament hovering around ten percent, this looks like a must-win game for the Wildcats. Creighton, on the other hand, looks like a team no one wants to face as they aim to continue their winning ways… and creep their way into the AP Poll. Not ranked last week, they did receive 12 votes, and another strong performance will bolster their résumé.
Where to Watch; Who to Watch
Fox holds the broadcasting rights for this matchup. 7-foot-1 senior center and Wooden Award contender Ryan Kalkbrenner leads the Blue Jays in points (18.3), rebounds (8.4) and blocks (2.8 per game, the fifth-highest mark in the country). Ashworth paces Creighton with an average of 6.8 assists per game, while Neal’s 1.0 steals per game lead the Blue Jays. Neal nailed six of seven threes back in December, and limiting his effectiveness could prove crucial to victory.
Villanova’s offense runs through senior forward Eric Dixon, whose 24.6 points per game lead the nation. Guard Wooga Poplar leads the small-ball heavy Wildcats in rebounds with 6.5 per game, while point guard Jhamir Brickus (5.6) guard Jordan Longino (1.5) and big man Enoch Boakye (0.9) lead in assists, steals and blocks, respectively.