Villanova vs. Nicholls State: College basketball game preview, TV schedule

BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 18: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats reacts against the Wisconsin Badgers during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 18, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

While the Champions Classic takes place on Tuesday, another top-ranked team plays as well, with the Wildcats taking on the Colonels of Nicholls State.

TV schedule: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m. ET, FS1

Arena: Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Villanova comes into the season a bit under the radar this season with much of the focus on the top five teams in the country, especially those taking part of the big time double-header on Nov. 14. Although they lost a lot in the backcourt in Kris Jenkins and Josh Hart, a couple of players are now eligible on the frontlines for the Wildcats.

After being declared academically ineligible last season, former five-star recruit Omari Spellman is now able to play. Fordham transfer Eric Paschall will be a key post player after sitting out per NCAA rules.

In their first game against Columbia, Villanova started out rather slow, and only had a 32-23 lead against the Lions. Things picked up some in the second half, and the defense held the Ivy program at bay to the tune of a 75-60 win. It was a balanced effort, with Paschall leading the way with 15 points and nine boards. Spellman had a good first game, registering a double-double with 11 and 11. Jalen Brunson led the perimeter players with 14 points.

The Wildcats take on a Nicholls State team who won a 111-106 shootout win over Texas-Rio Grande Valley. After losing four of their top scorers from last year, the question of where the offense will come from was quickly answered. Four guys had at least 18 points for the Colonels, with Lafayette Rutledge leading the way with 23 points. The best overall performance came from Tevon Saddler, who put up 19 points, eight boards, and six assists.

Next: 68 reasons to be excited about the college basketball season

Unfortunately for Nicholls State, Villanova has a slightly better defense than the Vaqueros had. Still, this should be a good test for the Wildcats who are still sorting things out in their rotation. The game might be a little more high scoring than fans of the Big East juggernaut might like, but things should go smoothly.

Prediction: Villanova 95 – Nicholls State 80