Villanova looks for another statement win against #9 UConn | Villanova vs. UConn Preview
Written by David Szczepanski on January 8, 2025
VILLANOVA, PA—Since the start of 2025, Villanova is 2-0 in Big East play with wins against Butler and DePaul. The Wildcats will look to continue their hot streak tonight against the University of Connecticut Huskies, one of the best teams in the country and the reigning NCAA National Champions.
Villanova enters Wednesday’s battle against #9 UConn with a 10-5 overall record. The Wildcats are also 3-1 in conference play. They have won seven of their last eight contests.
The Wildcats scored 100 points against DePaul on Saturday for the first time since 2021. Eric Dixon, a forward from Willow Grove, PA, accumulated 25 points. Dixon continues to lead the country in scoring with 25.9 points per game.
Villanova defeated DePaul, 100-56, on Saturday afternoon at the Finneran Pavilion.
Longino’s Career Day against DePaul
Jordan Longino, a senior from Doylestown, PA, had one of the best games of his career on Saturday. He scored a career-high 19 points against the Blue Demons. Longino also made a career-best five threes.
Villanova converted 60% of its field goals against DePaul. The Wildcats finished the game with a 59% success rate from behind the arc.
Defending Champion Huskies travel to the Finn
Although DePaul entered Saturday’s game at the Finn with nine wins, Wednesday’s battle against UConn presents a much tougher task for Villanova. The Huskies are back-to-back defending NCAA National Champions. UConn is currently ranked ninth in the country with 12 wins in its first 15 contests.
UConn is second in the Big East with an undefeated 4-0 record in conference play. The Huskies have defeated Xavier, Butler, DePaul, and Providence. Despite UConn’s success in conference play this season, three of the Huskies’ four wins in Big East play have been decided by five or fewer points.
The Huskies most recently defeated Providence, 87-84, on Sunday. They trailed Providence by 12 points at halftime, but UConn outscored the Friars, 60-45, in the second half to complete the comeback. Hassan Diarra, a fifth-year guard from Queens, NY, led UConn with 19 points.
No McNeeley for UConn
UConn will face Villanova tonight without its star freshman forward, Liam McNeeley. McNeeley is the Huskies’ second-leading scorer with more than 13 points per contest. According to ESPN, UConn’s head coach, Dan Hurley, announced that McNeeley suffered an ankle sprain against DePaul on January 1st. Hurley also said that McNeeley will miss weeks.
Karaban’s Hot Start
Alex Karaban, a junior from Southborough, MA, has stepped up in McNeeley’s absence for UConn. He averages 16.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest. Karaban has scored at least 13 points in the last four contests, including a season-high 21 points against Butler on December 21st.
Solo Ball, a sophomore from Leesburg, VA, has also played well in his second season with the Huskies. He averaged only 3.3 points per game last season in 39 games played. However, Ball averages 13.4 points per game this season. He also converts 45% of his three-point attempts.
UConn’s High-Powered Offense and Lackluster Defense
UConn averages 84 points per contest in 2024-25. According to Kenpom, UConn is ranked 23rd in the country and second in offensive efficiency. However, the Huskies’ defense has sometimes struggled to limit high-powered offenses. UConn is ranked 131st in Kenpom’s defensive efficiency rating this season. UConn allows an average of 68.6 points per game.
The Huskies have not played good defense in conference games. They have allowed an average of 78.8 points per contest in their four Big East games in 2024-25.
The Huskies’ Eight-Game Winning Streak
After losing to Memphis, Colorado, and Dayton in the Maui Invitational, the Huskies have won eight consecutive games. They have scored at least 70 points in their last eight games.
Villanova and UConn have some of the country’s most efficient offenses, so this game will likely be decided by defense and which team can get more stops.
UConn’s Rare Visit to Lancaster Avenue
It’s the first time the Huskies have visited the Finn since the COVID season in 2021 and the first time UConn has visited the Pavilion with fans since January 5, 1995. Villanova leads the all-time series against UConn, 39-36. However, the Wildcats have lost their last four matchups against the Huskies in the Coach Neptune era.
Villanova has won seven consecutive home games. The Wildcats are 8-1 at the Finneran Pavilion in 2024-25. The only loss came against Columbia on November 6th.
WXVU’s Coverage of Villanova vs. #9 UConn
Tonight’s Big East battle starts at 6:30pm at the Finneran Pavilion. WXVU’s pregame coverage live from the Finn begins at 6pm.
