Villanova vs. Seton Hall: College basketball preview, prediction, TV
Villanova shows no signs of slowing down in Big East play. Can the Seton Hall Pirates give them a legitimate challenge?
TV Schedule: Sunday, February 4, 12:00 p.m. ET, FOX
Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Before fans settle in for football on Super Bowl Sunday, there are big college basketball games to be played. The most prominent of those games will be played in Philadelphia, where football fans will be glossing over the hardwood for a day.
The Villanova Wildcats are on a tear. They’re the top team in the country, with just one loss at Butler on their resume. Four of their past five wins have come by at least 20 points, showing how no team in the Big East comes close to matching the Wildcats when they’re running on all cylinders.
Villanova is arguably the hottest team in the country.
All of that obscures just how good Seton Hall is this season. They’re 17-5, including 6-3 in Big East play. The Pirates are on a two-game winning streak, with those wins coming by a combined 32 points.
Averaging 78.5 points per game makes Seton Hall one of the deadlier offenses in the country. Villanova averages nearly ten more, at 88.3 points per game.
The Wildcats have scored at least 75 points in all but two games this season. Jalen Brunson is averaging 19.4 points per game while making nearly half of his three-point attempts.
Jay Wright plays a tight rotation, but nearly everyone in it can bomb from long-range. The top five scorers on the Wildcats are all shooting at least 41% from three-point range. Six players average at least ten points per game.
By all accounts, it’s one of the greatest offenses in recent college basketball memory.
The Seton Hall Pirates have a lot going for them. Their senior leadership should make them a threat in the NCAA Tournament.
With Villanova romping opponents and playing in their home city, Seton Hall is going to struggle to pose a big challenge.
Prediction: Villanova 84, Seton Hall 71