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The 3rd-ranked Villanova Wildcats are on the road to take on their Big East rivals, the UConn Huskies, on Thursday.
The Wildcats defended their standing as a top-three team in college basketball last week with back-to-back wins against conference opponents.
The Huskies, on the other hand, are coming off a much-needed victory over the Butler Bulldogs, improving to 5-3 in Big East play.
Match Details
Fixture: Villanova Wildcats vs. UConn Huskies - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Thursday, January 28th, 2021, 9 PM ET
Venue: Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, Connecticut
Villanova Wildcats Preview
The Villanova Wildcats have picked up right where they left off following a six-game break due to COVID precautions. They are looking healthy and in-shape, winning their last two games with great team performances.
Offensively, the Wildcats are led by senior guard Collin Gillespie. They are far from a one-man show, however, featuring four starters who average 10 or more points per game.
Having successfully defended their top spot in the Big East on multiple occasions, the Villanova Wildcats should be favored to outlast the UConn Huskies on Thursday night.
Key Player - Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
Despite entering this matchup as Villanova's second-leading scorer, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl has been on a bit of a cold streak recently.
The 6-foot-9 forward has put his outstanding talent on display with multiple 20-point performances thus far but has not broken 10 points in the past two games.
This season, the sophomore is averaging 14.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
The Villanova Wildcats will be hoping to see Robinson-Earl return to his dominant form and win his matchup with UConn big man Isaiah Whaley.
Villanova Wildcats Predicted Lineup
F Jermaine Samuels, F Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, G Caleb Daniels, G Collin Gillespie, G Justin Moore
UConn Huskies Preview
The UConn Huskies appeared to be heading in the wrong direction after back-to-back losses to Big East opponents. However, they have snapped back into shape with a 12-point win over Butler.
The Huskies have not been as efficient as they would like on the offensive end but have been showing great defensive performances.
The UConn Huskies' recent win took them to 4th place in the Big East standings, leaving them with a chance to shake up the conference with an upset victory on Thursday.
Key Player - Tyrese Martin
The UConn Huskies have been getting great output on both ends of the floor from their guard, Tyrese Martin.
The 6-foot-6 junior is shooting the ball well, averaging 11 points per game on 44% shooting from the field.
More importantly, Martin is leading the Huskies in rebounding, averaging a whopping 7.3 boards per game from the guard position.
If the UConn Huskies are going to pull off the unthinkable on Thursday, they will need a career night from Tyrese Martin.
UConn Huskies Predicted Lineup
F Adama Sanogo, F Isaiah Whaley, G Tyrese Martin, G Brendan Adams, G R.J. Cole
Villanova vs. UConn Prediction
There are many things to like about this year's Villanova Wildcats squad. Head coach Jay Wright has implemented a culture of fundamentally sound basketball, and the results have spoken for themselves.
The UConn Huskies will need to bring out their best performance and hope for a little luck if they are going to upset the Wildcats.
I expect the Villanova Wildcats to control the pace of the game for two full halves and secure their 9th straight victory.
Where to watch Villanova vs. UConn
The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports One.
