Villanova Preview: Philly Native Budd Clark Heating Up For The Hall

Villanova Men’s Basketball will continue their Big East schedule when they host Seton Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The Wildcats (16-5, 7-3 Big East) put on a dominant defensive performance against the Pirates in Newark back in December, winning 64-56, but Seton Hall played without key forward Najai Hines in that game. Hines, who stands 6-foot-10 and leads the Pirates in blocks (2.3 per game) could play a pivotal role as Seton Hall attempts to return the favor.

Villanova enters as a -430 favorite on the money line (FanDuel Sportsbook). The point spread sits at -7.5, while the over/under rests at 132.5 in another expected defensive tilt. ESPN Analytics sees the Wildcats winning in 77.8 percent of simulations.

The Wildcats check in at No. 33 in the NET rankings and No. 28 in the KenPom ratings as of the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 3; Seton Hall occupies the No. 49 and No. 48 spots, respectively, making this a Quadrant 2 opportunity for Villanova. The Pirates’ No. 10 ranked scoring defense (64.2 PPG) is their calling card. They play at a slow tempo, much like the Wildcats, and have a middle of the pack offense. 

Philadelphia native Adam “Budd” Clark managed just four points against Villanova the last time these teams faced off, but he earned Big East Player of the Week honors after averaging 21.5 points, five rebounds and five assists last week. His ability to get involved could prove pivotal in this matchup, set for broadcast on Peacock.

Scouting the Pirates

Pirates’ head coach Shaheen Holloway, who spent eight years under Wildcats’ head coach Kevin Willard at Seton Hall, has gone with a starting lineup of Clark, fellow guards Elijah Fisher, Mike Williams and AJ Stanton-McCray, and 6-foot-9 forward Stephon Payne in every game this season. 

Stanton-McCray (11.6 PPG), Clark (11.3 PPG) and bench guard Tajuan Simpkins (11.1 PPG) all average in double figures. Payne is the leading rebounder, with 7.5 boards per game, while Clark cleans up in assists (4.5 per game) and steals (2.2 per game).

Fisher (13 points) led the Pirates in scoring the last time they played Villanova, with bench wing Josh Rivera (10 points) the only other player in double figures. The Wildcats managed to win on the glass, but that could change with Hines back healthy.

Seton Hall holds opposing teams to a 31.9 shooting percentage from three-point range, where the Wildcats attempt close to half their shots. The opportunities are there, as they allow more than 21 attempts per game, but Villanova’s ability to cash in could prove pivotal: they made 10 of 23 their last time around.

Scouting Villanova

The Wildcats roll with a starting lineup of point guard Acaden Lewis, guards Bryce Lindsay (14.6 PPG) and Tyler Perkins, 6-foot-8 wing Matt Hodge and forward Duke Brennan. Lewis (16 points) and Lindsay (15 points) led Villanova’s offense the last time they played Seton Hall. They’ve both endured shooting slumps in the weeks since, although Lewis remains a prolific passer, leading the Wildcats with 5.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game. 

Perkins (12.8 PPG) and sixth man Devin Askew (10.5 PPG) have taken over the Wildcats’ scoring since the calendar flipped to January, with Askew clearing the 20 point barrier in three of the past five games. 

Hodge (10.0 PPG) is a forward who takes more than half his shots from three, but he’s also capable of rotating down to the five, leading the team with an average of 0.7 blocks. Brennan (12.1 PPG) leads the team in rebounds (10.6 per game) and is a double-double machine. Villanova recently got freshman guard Chris Jeffrey back from injury, playing him for three first half minutes against Providence. He and fellow bench guard Malachi Palmer could pick up critical minutes down the stretch, giving the team a defensive boost.