Villanova Preview: Wildcats Host No. 9 UConn Huskies

They’ll have the advantage of playing at the Finneran Pavilion, but the Villanova Wildcats will face perhaps their toughest test yet when they host the UConn Huskies at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Currently ranked the No. 9 team in the nation, the Huskies — reigning back-to-back national champions — hold a 12-3 record, with all three of their losses coming during an uncharacteristic slide at the Maui Invitational during Thanksgiving break. Holding a 4-0 record in the Big East to date, UConn sits at the No. 2 spot in the Big East standings, behind only 5-0 Marquette.

A Matchup to Keep an Eye On

The Huskies recently ended up on the wrong end of some injury luck, as head coach Dan Hurley said following their Sunday, Jan. 5 win over Providence that star freshman forward Liam McNeeley would miss “weeks, not days” with an ankle sprain suffered the previous game against DePaul. A member of the Huskies’ starting lineup, McNeeley averages 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

Hurley used a committee approach to replace McNeeley against the Friars with sophomore forwards Jayden Ross and Jaylin Stewart filling in.

They’re one of the best teams in the country once again this season, but that hasn’t protected UConn from some close calls: a three point win over Providence in McNeeley’s absence, needing overtime to take down Xavier at home and a five point road win at Butler, to name three examples. ESPN Analytics gives Villanova a 44.4 percent chance of defending their home court successfully, not bad given the opponent, while ESPN Bet actually likes the Wildcats as a -1.5 favorite (-125 moneyline), with the over/under set at 145.5.

The Huskies are good (No. 22 in the NET rankings, No. 23 in the KenPom ratings) but they aren’t flawless. Both they and the Wildcats possess some of the best offensive ratings in the country, No. 2 and No. 5 respectively, with less stellar defenses: this game could turn into a barn burner, even though both teams rank towards the bottom of Division 1 in possessions per game, preferring a methodical approach to the basket.

Where to Watch; Who to Watch

FS1 possesses broadcasting rights for this game.

Right now, junior forward Alex Karaban leads the Huskies with 16.3 points per game. Guard Solo Ball and center Tarris Reed Jr. both clear the 10 point barrier on a nightly basis as well, with 13.4 and 10.9 points per game, respectively.

Karaban occupies a role similar to that of Eric Dixon with the Wildcats, a versatile wing who can pour it on from three and leads the Huskies with 1.8 blocks per game. How they stack up could prove a crucial matchup, as could Villanova big man Enoch Boakye‘s ability to even out Reed’s presence in the low post. Reed, who stands 6-foot-10, averages 7.9 boards per game in an average of 20.9 minutes, similar to Boakye’s 6.7 boards and 1.0 blocks in 21.2 minutes per game.

Point guard Hassan Diarra leads the Huskies with 6.5 assists per game, the No. 11 mark in the nation, and adds an average of 8.9 points as he leads UConn’s vaunted offense.

Dixon (25.9 points per game, first in the nation), shooting guard Wooga Poplar (6.9 rebounds per game) and point guard Jhamir Brickus (5.9 assists per game) lead the Wildcats in their respective statistical categories.