3 keys to Villanova Wildcats pulling off potential upset of No. 1 UConn Huskies

3. Combined 30+ points from  the three key transfers

What makes UConn such a difficult matchup for anyone is how potent they are, inside and out. Guards Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer both average at least 15 ppg, with Newton (15.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and 6.1 apg) making an All-American case. Forward Alex Karaban is averaging 15.3 ppg, and I’ve already mentioned what Clingan is capable of. If guys like Stephon Castle and Hassan Diarra are going off, it’s lights out against most opponents.

But Villanova does have a path to keeping up with them. Besides Moore and Dixon, the team has a trio of rotation pieces who at one point, were elite scorers at their previous spots. But so far, Tyler Burton, Hakim Hart, and TJ Bamba are each averaging fewer than 10 ppg, despite still having big roles in the offense.

Looking back at Villanova’s key wins on the season, none of these three had big games. It was either Moore or Dixon going off during their non-conference success. But what was key was that these guys usually gave something, around 8-11 points each. That adds to around 30 points from the supporting cast.

If Armstrong continues to play well and Dixon keeps showing up in big games, you won’t need much combined from this trio. And just as important will be how they look defensively against the potent Huskies. If these guys can combine for 30+ on Saturday night, the Wildcats could be in position for an upset.