Villanova Men's Basketball
Villanova Preview: Wildcats Renew Heated Series With Creighton

Just one month ago, this game looked like it might end up being one of the most difficult on the Villanova Wildcats’ schedule. Crieghton (7-5) opened the season on a five game winning streak that included a Top 25 win over Purdue in their season opener.
The Blue Jays climbed as high as No. 14 in the AP Poll as a result, but from there the slide began: they’ve gone just 2-5 since then, albeit with a home win over No. 1 Kansas on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Even with that recent skid — they’ve since fallen out of the Top 25, although they received 12 votes this past week — they’re obviously no slouch, and a 6-1 record at home testifies to the fact that the Wildcats (8-4) will have their hands full… as has been the case in every game these two teams have played in recent years.
Dating back to 1951, Villanova’s record against Creighton sits at 19-9, but they’re 5-5 against the Blue Jays since 2021. Creighton made the Sweet Sixteen last season, but that didn’t stop Villanova from playing the Blue Jays close, snatching a 68-66 overtime win on the road courtesy of an Eric Dixon three-pointer. The Blue Jays returned the favor in the regular season finale with a regulation buzzer beater that handed Villanova a 69-67 loss.
Creighton dropped their Big East opener, a 81-57 bloodbath at Georgetown on Wednesday, Dec. 18; Villanova, in contrast, rides a five game winning streak into this matchup, taking down Seton Hall 79-67 on Dec. 17. This marks the Wildcats’ Big East road opener, and their last game of 2024; after Creighton, they’ll next take the court at Butler on Wednesday, Jan. 1.
Where to Watch; Who to Watch
The game will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21 at Creighton’s CHI Health Center Omaha, and FS1 holds rights to the telecast. Senior center Ryan Kalkbrenner leads the Blue Jays in scoring, a 7-foot-1 presence in the paint who’s putting up 16.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
Point guard Steven Ashworth is also averaging 16.7 points per game, also leading the team in assists (six per game) as he runs the offense. Villanova will counter with wing Eric Dixon, whose 25.7 points per game lead the nation. Other key contributors include Wooga Poplar, leading the team with 6.3 boards per game, and point guard Jhamir Brickus, who’s averaging 5.8 assists.
As Creighton has strong contributors at every level, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The NET rankings currently list the Blue Jays at No. 80, behind Villanova’s No. 63. ESPN Analytics likes Creighton to win this matchup, however, giving them a 68.2 percent chance of winning. The point spread sits at -4.5 in Creighton’s favor, with the over/under set at 142.5 and Villanova a +180 underdog, per ESPN Bet. The Wildcats will be playing in the central time zone, and ESPN’s metrics give a heavy boost to home teams… but after their turnaround since Thanksgiving break, Villanova has to like their chances of pulling out the upset win.