Villanova battles Creighton in South Philly to begin February | Villanova vs. Creighton Preview
Written by David Szczepanski on February 1, 2025
PHILADELPHIA, PA—Villanova (12-9, 5-5 Big East) will host Creighton (15-6, 8-2) at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats are looking to secure their first victory since January 17th. They concluded January with four losses in their last five games. As its March Madness hopes diminish, Villanova desperately searches for a win against the Bluejays in South Philly.
Villanova has not played since last Friday against #10 Marquette. The Golden Eagles defeated the Wildcats, 87-74, at Fiserv Forum. The Wildcats’ defense allowed 51 points in the second half, marking the first time Villanova has allowed more than 85 points since December 21st against Creighton.
Villanova’s Eric Dixon continues to lead the country with 24.6 points per game. He scored 18 points against Marquette, including 15 points in the second half. Dixon ranks ninth in Villanova program scoring history with 1,991 points. Jordan Longino also finished the contest with a career-high 27 points.
Previous Matchup on December 21st
In the first matchup between these Big East rivals on December 21st, Creighton defeated Villanova, 86-79, in Omaha, Nebraska. Eric Dixon scored 27 points in 35 minutes, while Wooga Poplar added 19 points and 10 rebounds. However, Villanova’s perimeter defense struggled against Creighton.
The Bluejays converted 56% of their three-point attempts against Villanova. Jamiya Neal, a transfer from Arizona State, made six three-pointers and finished the game with 20 points. Ryan Kalkbrenner led the Bluejays with 23 points and five rebounds.
Things to Watch: Villanova’s Perimeter Defense
Based on this last matchup, the main thing to watch will be Villanova’s three-point defense. Creighton converts 35.4% of its three-point attempts this season. In their most recent contest against Xavier on Wednesday, the Bluejays knocked down 44% of their threes.
Creighton’s Six-Game Winning Streak
Creighton has won six consecutive games since January 11th, including victories against UConn and Xavier. The Bluejays have only suffered one loss since playing Villanova on December 21st. Marquette defeated Creighton, 79-71, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on January 3rd.
In early December, Creighton’s Pop Isaacs suffered a hip injury that required surgery. He will miss the remainder of the season. Isaacs, a junior guard transfer from Texas Tech, averaged more than 16 points per contest in his eight games this season. Despite a tough month of November and losing Isaacs with an injury, Creighton has played extremely well against Big East competition.
Kalkbrenner, Ashworth, and Neal
Ryan Kalkbrenner averages 18 points and eight rebounds per contest. He was 12-for-17 from the field with 29 points against the Musketeers. Steven Ashworth, a fifth-year guard from Alpine, UT, scores more than 16 points per game. He has scored at least 10 points in 19 of his 20 games this season.
In addition to the strong duo of Kalkbrenner and Ashworth, Jamiya Neal has stepped up in Isaacs’s absence. Neal converts 35% of his three-point attempts and scores 11.6 points per game.
Creighton averages 74 points per game in conference play. The Bluejays have scored at least 70 points in six of their last seven games.
Their defense has also improved in conference play. They have only allowed 67.8 points per game in Big East play. In their last three games against DePaul, Seton Hall, and Xavier, the Bluejays have limited opponents to 60 points per contest.
Although Creighton’s defense, especially from behind the arc, has vastly improved, the Bluejays still struggle to force turnovers. They only force eight turnovers and four steals per contest.
According to Kenpom.com, Creighton is ranked 32nd in the country. The Bluejays are a balanced team with good offense and defense, especially in conference play.
All-Time Series Info
Villanova leads the all-time series against Creighton, 51-45. However, Creighton has won four of its six games at the Wells Fargo Center. Villanova’s head coach, Kyle Neptune, is 2-4 against Creighton in his coaching career.
The Wildcats won their first home game at the Wells Fargo Center this season on January 17thagainst Providence.
WXVU’s Live Coverage of Villanova vs. Creighton
WXVU’s live coverage of Villanova vs. Creighton starts at 12:30pm with the pregame show. Tipoff is scheduled for 1pm at the Wells Fargo Center.
