NCAAB Game Preview - Xavier at Villanova
Mon Dec 30, 2019 6:30 PM EST

Detr
72
Gonz
93
F
JackSt
57
Baylor
83
F
Tul
73
Mem
84
F
Xav
62
Vill
68
F
NFla
59
Dayt
77
F
Canis
79
Pitt
87
F
(N/A)
57
UMBC
89
F
Hof
75
Tows
67
F
Dart
56
UNH
70
F
Wilbe
52
Mia-O
119
F
(N/A)
53
E MI
88
F
Stetsn
63
SouthCar
56
F
HuTil
77
PVAM
92
F
(N/A)
78
DelSt
76
F
(N/A)
63
NCC
108
F
(N/A)
53
GASt
83
F
UTRGV
72
Okla
91
F
SCSt
58
JU
52
F
YSU
70
IL-C
64
F
WIGB
73
NoKY
59
F
Clev
82
IUPUI
80
F
WIMil
70
WriSt
82
F
(N/A)
49
Rut
94
F
Yale
67
UNC
70
F
NE
88
JMU
72
F
Penn
81
How
62
F
APSU
48
UGA
78
F
Copp
56
Ford
62
F
W&M
74
Elon
73
F
UNCW
66
Drex
71
F
Charl
75
Del
63
F
Albany
67
Colum
66
F
StBon
79
Buff
84
F
UMass
79
Akr
85
F
David
71
Vand
76
F
LoyIL
66
Valpa
63
F
TXSo
55
TAMU
58
F
HiPt
58
Tex
89
F
LaTec
80
USM
49
F
ChiSt
33
Mizzu
91
F
Kent
68
MissSt
96
F
SIU
56
IndSt
68
F
Seton
74
DeP
66
F
GMas
53
TCU
87
F
Harv
84
USF
81
F(OT)
Ida
68
Web
69
F
NoAZ
61
MTSt
63
F
Sac
50
Mont
52
F
E WA
69
IdaSt
75
F
S UT
83
PorSt
81
F
No. 10 Villanova's youth set to tackle Xavier's experience
Sun Dec 29, 2019 1:09 PM

Villanova will be searching for its sixth consecutive victory when it opens Big East play against visiting Xavier on Monday.

The Wildcats (9-2), moved up eight spots in the national rankings to No. 10 following a 56-55 win over then-No. 1 Kansas on Dec. 21 in Philadelphia.

Villanova features one of its youngest teams in the career of head coach Jay Wright as two freshmen -- Justin Moore and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl -- are in the starting lineup for the first time since 2002.

In the win over the Jayhawks, experienced players such as Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels led the way. Samuels, a junior, hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 20.5 seconds left.

"We've seen it in this program over the years," Wright said. "As they get older, guys who have been in this program know how to make plays. They know what it takes at the end of big games because they've been in a lot of big games. Both Collin and Jermaine have been in a lot of big games."

This will be the first of 18 conference games for the Wildcats in one of the most balanced leagues in the country.

It will surely be a difficult challenge to close out the decade.

"Our league was a little young last year and we probably benefited from that because we had two experienced guys in Phil (Booth) and Eric (Paschall)," Wright said. "Now, the Big East has had a great preseason -- there isn't a deeper league in the country. We say it all the time, but every game is going to be a battle."

Xavier (11-2) has won two straight since a two-point loss at Wake Forest on Dec. 14. The Musketeers bounced back with victories against Western Carolina and TCU.

In the Dec. 22 win over the Horned Frogs, Tyrique Jones had 18 points and equaled a season best with 14 rebounds. Quentin Goodin recorded a season-high 11 assists and Paul Scruggs added 10 points. Goodin earned his 500th career assist and moved into fourth place all-time at Xavier in assists.

Xavier will now head to the Main Line to face one of the hottest teams in the country.

"As you know and the rest of the world knows, the Big East is the best conference in college basketball right now," said Jones, a senior. "It's gonna be a war every night."

The win over TCU was far from perfect as the Musketeers committed 21 turnovers that led to 19 points.

But the result was positive, both as a team and individually.

"I thought our mentality was great," Xavier head coach Travis Steele said. "It starts with Q and Tyrique. Tyrique was present the entire game and was engaged the entire game. Even when he was on the bench, I could hear him. Quentin dominated the game. He had 11 assists, I think three turnovers. He was terrific. It starts with those guys. We'll go as our seniors go, and those guys were terrific tonight.

"We got a lot of room for improvement, but I was proud of the way we performed, especially on the road."

--Field Level Media

Team Record Comparison

Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Xavier  
Villanova  

Hot Players (Last 10 team games)

--%>