Villanova at UConn: 2023–24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
UConn looks to bounce back from a loss to Creighton while Villanova aims to strengthen their tournament resume.
TV Schedule: Saturday, February 24, 8:00 pm ET (FOX)
Location: Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut
Bitter rivals face off Saturday in a classic Big East matchup as the Villanova Wildcats travel to Storrs, Connecticut to take on the #1 ranked UConn Huskies. ESPN’s Gameday will be live from the stadium during the morning.
The teams last met January 20th with the Huskies barely defeating the Wildcats by one point in Philadelphia.
A win would be key for Villanova, who are currently sitting on the bubble of the NCAA tournament. They will have several chances in the coming weeks to strengthen their resume, but a win against the #1 overall in the nation would be a large boost to the tournament chances of this Wildcats squad.
However, they will need to take down a Huskies squad that is angry and looking for retribution.
UConn is coming off a rough loss against Creighton on the road where they failed to look like the #1 team in the nation. Dan Hurley’s squad came into the mid-week matchup with a historic 14-game win streak on their belts. They were left stunned after the Bluejays took them down 85-66.
Coach Hurley was brutally honest about the team’s performance following the game. “Our players did a bad job playing. I did a bad job coaching,” Hurley remarked following the loss.
Villanova is coming off a three-game win streak, capped off with a strong home win against Butler. Eric Dixon had a game-high 22 points for the Wildcats in the win.
According to ESPN bracketology expert Joe Lunardi, the Wildcats are one of the “first four out” teams in the tournament. Villanova ranks #31 on the KenPom rankings and #34 in the NET. A win over the #1 team in the nation on the road would assuredly bump them into the tournament picture.
dark. Next. Coach of the Year from each conference. Coach of the Year from each conference
UConn has won three straight games against the Wildcats dating back to 2022. The Huskies have not lost to the Wildcats at home since returning to the Big East in 2018. Gampel Pavilion will surely be on fire as the Wildcats look to claim a win against the top-ranked Huskies.
Prediction: UConn 78, Villanova 65