Villanova vs. UCLA: 2021-22 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
Friday night the Villanova Wildcats head to Pauley Pavilion to take on the UCLA Bruins in one of the higher-profile games of the week. Can the Wildcats pull off the upset?
TV Schedule: Friday, November 12, 11:30 PM ET, ESPN2
Arena: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, California
One of the marquee contests of the first week takes place late Friday night at Pauley Pavillion when No. 4 Villanova (1-0) travels to Los Angeles to take on No. 3 UCLA (1-0). This is one of those games where we as college basketball fans are so incredibly lucky. This could be a game we get to see in New Orleans come April, but it’s happening on the 4th day of the season! Yes, a lot can change between now and then, these two teams won’t be the same they are now, but Pauley should be rocking for this one.
Jay Wright’s Wildcats are certainly shying away from games early on. In addition to this one, Villanova also plays Tennessee, UNC/Purdue, Baylor, and Syracuse before Big East play. The Wildcats are led by a returning Collin Gillespie who suffered a torn MCL last season, but the Wildcats still went on to win the Big East and made the Sweet Sixteen without their leader. He’s back, as is classmate Jermaine Samuels who announced early on that he would be returning for another year.
In fact, the only losses to the roster were Cole Swider and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. That experience showed in the team’s opener, a 91-51 win over Mount Saint Mary’s. Gillespie, Samuels, and Caleb Daniels netted 36 of the 91 points and Justin Moore showed he’s ready to be a star with a 27- point, 2-rebound,7-assist effort. But, are the Wildcats ready for the glitz and glam of Hollywood?
Mick Cronin’s Bruins were the latest team to go from the First Four to the Final Four last season and their tournament was bookended by a pair of overtime games, beating Michigan State to start and then falling to Gonzaga in the thriller of the tournament in the national semifinals.
The junior trio of Johnny Juzang, Tyger Campbell, and Jaime Jaquez all return along with senior Cody Riley to give the Bruins a formidable foursome, add to that the additions of 6-8 freshman Peyton Watson and senior big man Myles Johnson who comes from Rutgers and gives the Bruins a threat in the middle that they lacked last season. The added depth was on display in their first game, a 95-58 win over Cal State Bakersfield with five players scoring in double figures including Jules Bernard who is had a team-high 19 for the Bruins.
This is a spot where Villanova has the chance to make an early statement to the Big East and the rest of the country with a win here that despite all they lost they are still a national contender. UCLA has the chance to make a statement of their own that should be considered in the conversation as the best team in the country.
Next. 5 key storylines for UCLA vs Villanova. dark
This game should be one of the better contests of week one, Villanova’s starting five is really strong and UCLA is ready to show last year’s run was no fluke. For me, this game tilts in UCLA’s favor for two reasons, up and down their roster the talent is just a little bit better, especially coming off the bench no matter who Cronin decides to put in the starting five, and the addition of Johnson, I think he is going to pay huge dividends for the Bruins this season. Villanova keeps this one close but the Bruins pull away and make a bit of a statement.
Prediction: UCLA 76 Villanova 66