Villanova Preview: Wildcats Slight Underdog in Ranked Battle

Villanova Men’s Basketball will take the court at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center for the final time this season when they host No. 16 Marquette at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21.

The Wildcats (15-12, 8-8 Big East) fell 87-74 to the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee back in January, staying within striking distance for much of the game but never posing a serious threat. Despite a two game losing streak that helped silence postseason dreams after a late season push, Villanova enters this game as a slight underdog, listed at -110 (moneyline) and +1.5 (point spread), both respectable marks against a Top 25 team. The over/under sits at 142.5.

ESPN Analytics gives the Wildcats a 46.1 percent chance of securing the home upset, once again solid odds for a vacillating team.

Marquette currently occupies the No. 23 spot in the NET rankings, while Villanova slots in at No. 54, so this will count as a Quadrant 1 matchup for both teams. The KenPom ratings rank them at No. 26 and No. 56, respectively. With both teams mostly healthy, this matchup will look similar to the last time the two teams faced each other.

Where to Watch; Who to Watch

FS1 holds the broadcasting rights for this matchup. While senior guard Kam Jones is the Golden Eagles’ undisputed star, leading the club in points (19.0) and assists (5.8), he’s one of four averaging more than ten points per game in Marquette’s well-balanced offense. David Joplin (13.8), Stevie Mitchell (11.2) and Chase Ross (10.9) are the other three, while Joplin paces the team in rebounds and blocks (5.3 and 1.0) and Mitchell’s 2.6 steals per game both lead Marquette and rank fifth in the nation.

Villanova, meanwhile, runs through Eric Dixon’s nation-best 22.9 points per game. Although he’s struggled in recent weeks (at least according to his lofty standards), other Wildcats scoring in double digits include Wooga Poplar (15.0) and Jordan Longino (11.9). Poplar leads the team in rebounds (6.5) and steals (1.3), point guard Jhamir Brickus puts up a strong 5.2 assists, and forward Enoch Boakye contributes 0.7 blocks, often in limited playing time.