Villanova is heating up. Creighton is attempting to bounce back against a loss to Georgetown. Read more for a full Villanova vs Creighton prediction and preview.
General Information:
Teams: Villanova (8-4 overall, 1-0 Big East) and Creighton (7-5 overall, 0-1 Big East)
Tip-Off Time: 4 p.m. EST
Watch: FS1
Listen: Villanova Sports Radio Network
Latest on Creighton basketball:
It has not been the season the Blue Jays have dreamed of or been the worst. Creighton is off to a 0-1 start in Big East play after being dominated by Georgetown, 81-57, on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
The injuries have piled up. Junior guard Pop Issacs is out for the rest of the season with a hip injury. He had 27 points in Creighton’s win over then-No.1 Kansas.
Fortunately, the Blue Jays have the Big East Preseason Player of the Year – graduate center Ryan Kalkbrenner.
Kalkbrenner is averaging 16.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists through 11 games. The three-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year is a tough matchup for almost any player in the country. The seven-foot-tall center has struggled against Villanova’s Eric Dixon, which will be a challenge presented again this season.
Creighton is averaging 76 points per game, ranking 184th in the country. The team succeeds offensively under the basket and from mid-range.
Their strength is defensive rebounding, and they average 30 rebounds a game. They are a top-10 team in the country.
Latest on Villanova basketball:
Villanova is trying to stretch their win streak to six games. It would be the team’s longest consecutive win streak since the 2021-22 season, Jay Wright’s final season.
Graduate forward Eric Dixon’s 25.7 points per game is tied for the best in the country. He has played Creighton and Kalkbrenner well. Last season, Dixon averaged 28.5 points per game against Creighton.
Villanova is heating up and it is not the best time to play them. Over the Wildcats’ last five games, they are averaging 79.8 points per game while holding opponents to 62.4 points.
Senior guard Wooga Poplar is in a rhythm, averaging 12 points in his last five games with 33.3% from three. He leads the team this season with 6.3 rebounds per game.
Villanova’s key to winning this game is using its offensive possessions to score efficiently. Creighton averages 41.8 rebounds per game and it will be tough to play from behind against a team who can do that.
The last two seasons have not been what the Main Line has known, but the team is headed in the best direction it can.
[…] Villanova has improved its offensive and defensive rebounding since the beginning of the season, but not consistently. […]