Villanova Preview: Wildcats vs Knights a Clash of Conflicting Styles

Villanova Men’s Basketball will face UCF in the semifinal round of the College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 5 with a trip to the championship game — and at least $100,000 in NIL pool money — on the line.

The Wildcats eked out a 60-59 win over USC during the quarterfinals thanks to a Herculean second half effort from star forward Eric Dixon, while the Knights took down Cincinnati 88-80 in their last game.

This marks Villanova’s third meeting with UCF all time: they’ve won every meeting with the Knights to date and are the favorites to keep that streak alive, given a 66.2 percent chance of moving on to the championship game per ESPN Analytics. ESPN Bet lists the Wildcats, led by interim head coach Mike Nardi, at -170 on the money line with a point spread of -3.5 and an over/under set at 156.5.

UCF plays at the fifth-fastest pace in the country, averaging 75.8 possessions per game; Villanova plays at the fifth-slowest pace, their 65.3 possessions per game good for the No. 360 spot. The Knights’ fast pace helps them cover up for making just 42.6 percent of their shots… but it also weighs down a defense that allows 80 points per game, the No. 337 mark in the country.

Where to Watch; Who to Watch

FOX holds the broadcasting rights for this matchup.

6-foot-7 guard Keyshawn Hall leads UCF in points (18.8) and rebounds (7.1) per game. Three other Knights average double digit scoring: Darius Johnson (17.1 points per game, the other half of an excellent 1-2 punch), Jordan Ivy-Curry (12.4) and 7-foot-2 center Moustapha Thiam (10.6).

Thiam, unsurprisingly, leads UCF in blocks with 2.6 per game, the seventh-best rate in the country, while Johnson takes care of assists (4.3) and steals (2.3).

Dixon, meanwhile, leads Villanova and the nation with 23.1 points per game. Wooga Poplar puts up 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals, while point guard Jhamir Brickus adds 4.8 assists per game. Enoch Boakye blocks 0.7 shots per game, averaging just 22.4 minutes in the Wildcats’ small ball offense. UCF also rolls with a four guard lineup much of the time, but Boakye’s ability to counterbalance Thiam should make for an excellent sideshow.

Rounding out the list, Poplar (14.8) and senior guard Jordan Longino (11.3) average double digit scoring, with the former on a tear during the Crown, putting up 20 points per game.