Villanova vs Michigan State: 2022-23 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Joey Loose
One of the more highly anticipated of the Gavitt Tipoff Games pits Villanova against Michigan State; can the Spartans turn in another big performance or will the Wildcats get things back on track?
TV schedule: Friday, November 18, 8:00 pm ET. FS1
Arena: Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan
Villanova (2-1) has certainly had a bit of a rocky start to the Kyle Neptune era. Replacing a Hall of Fame head coach as well as multiple important contributors has made things a bit interesting early for the Wildcats. They dropped a tough game on the road to Temple last Friday before a dreadful performance in a 10-point win against a pretty bad Delaware State team a few days later. Can they get back on track in another hostile road environment?
This season has seen the Wildcats lean heavily on a trio of seniors. Forward Eric Dixon (18.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg) has scored at least 17 points in each of their first three games while guard Caleb Daniels (16.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg) had a 24-point performance on opening night against La Salle. The other big name to watch is senior forward Brandon Slater (12.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), while the play of sophomore guard Jordan Longino (10.0 ppg) has taken a step forward this season as well.
Ranked to begin the season, Villanova’s recent performances have seen them take a tumble, sitting at just 32nd in the most recent KenPom rankings. The offense looked efficient on opening night but has really struggled ever since, as the Wildcats made just 5 of 27 attempts from long range against Delaware State. These types of performances are survivable at home against low majors, but this will not suffice on Friday night.
A major threat awaits, as Michigan State (2-1) has certainly exceeded expectations in the early going. They pushed Gonzaga to the limit last week in San Diego and pulled out a double-overtime win in Indianapolis over #4 Kentucky. Tom Izzo has gotten all he can out of this roster, and perhaps it’s a much better team than many envisioned.
The top option for these Spartans has been senior forward Joey Hauser (14.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg), the Marquette transfer who has certainly found a home in East Lansing. Fellow senior forward Malik Hall (12.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg) had 20 points, including numerous game-saving buckets, in that win over Gonzaga. Big man Mady Sissoko (11.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg), a junior center with limited experience before this season, has really emerged as well.
Michigan State is up to 19th in the KenPom rankings and will almost certainly be ranked next week, barring a collapse against the Wildcats. Their defense has been phenomenal in the opening weeks of the season, limiting Gonzaga to 64 points in that loss and handling their business against Kentucky. The Spartans have a killer schedule and are passing their tests three games in.
Some are starting to write off Villanova, but this is the perfect chance to prove that they belong. They still have significant weapons with Daniels and Dixon and will get Justin Moore back at some point during the year. The problem is the Spartans might just be the hottest team in the nation, surprising Gonzaga and then handling Oscar Tshiebwe and the Wildcats back on Monday.
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Heading into a hostile environment will be a significant challenge for Villanova and it’s hard to imagine them coming away with the victory. If that does happen, they’re going to need to play smart basketball, especially on the offensive end. Sissoko has really emerged as a great option down low and they’ll need their frontcourt to be up for that challenge. Winning in East Lansing seems hard for the Wildcats in their current state, but never say never.