Villanova opened Big East play with a blowout of a top contender and some revenge against a possible sleeper. The next contest provides another shot at the latter.
The 11th-ranked Wildcats will continue their effort to prove they're still the team to beat in the Big East as streaking Seton Hall visits Wednesday night seeking its third win in this series in the last two years.
After a somewhat unimpressive nonconference showing that featured losses to its only two ranked opponents, Villanova (12-2, 2-0) opened Big East play with Thursday's eye-opening 95-64 win over No. 10 Xavier before settling a score with Saturday's 85-71 victory at Creighton.
Josh Hart scored 25 points and Daniel Ochefu finished with a season-high 19 against the Bluejays, one of two Big East teams to record two wins over Villanova since the conference was realigned in 2013. The other: Seton Hall.
The Pirates (12-2, 2-0) have won two of the last three meetings. The first was a 64-63 buzzer-beating quarterfinal victory in the 2014 Big East tournament, and last season they added a 66-61 overtime win Jan. 3. Those are just two of five Villanova losses in 42 Big East games since the conference's relaunch.
But Seton Hall still hasn't won at Villanova in 14 meetings since Feb. 26, 1994. The Wildcats rebounded from last season's loss to the Pirates with an 80-54 rout at The Pavilion on Feb. 16.
Villanova is riding a 34-game winning streak on its home court dating to February 2014, including 16 conference victories.
Ochefu averaged 15.0 points and 18.0 rebounds in the two meetings against Seton Hall last season, but Hart, Villanova's leading scorer with 15.5 points per game, made just 4 of 22 shots for 13 points.
The pair combined to make 19 of 24 shots Saturday, helping Villanova to a season-best 68.0 percent. Ochefu has made 27 of 33 shots over the last five games, improving his season percentage to 66.3.
"My teammates got me the ball in the right spots," the 6-foot-11 senior said. "I know if I miss a shot, they're going to me the next play."
Villanova is 31-2 when Ochefu scores in double figures.
In six games since being limited to a season-low 55 points in a loss to Oklahoma, Villanova has averaged 81.0 points while shooting 55.3 percent.
On the other end, these two teams have been the best defensively in the Big East. The Wildcats lead the conference by holding opponents to 60.3 points per game, while Seton Hall follows at 63.9. Opponents' shooting percentage of 37.9 against Villanova is also the best among conference teams.
The Pirates have held opponents to 61.7 points per game during their seven-game winning streak.
Sophomore Angel Delgado posted his seventh straight double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday's 78-74 win over DePaul, while Isaiah Whitehead scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half. Whitehead, who also had nine assists, scored or assisted on 10 of Seton Hall's 14 field goals in the final 20 minutes.
"He's playing great and operating at a really high level right now," coach Kevin Willard said of Whitehead, who averages a team-high 15.1 points. "He's letting the game come to him, taking good shots, and being aggressive when he needs to be."
The Pirates, who have won two of their three true road games, will try to open a season 13-2 for the first time since 2011-12.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...60106_SETON@NOVA/seton-hall-villanova-preview
The 11th-ranked Wildcats will continue their effort to prove they're still the team to beat in the Big East as streaking Seton Hall visits Wednesday night seeking its third win in this series in the last two years.
After a somewhat unimpressive nonconference showing that featured losses to its only two ranked opponents, Villanova (12-2, 2-0) opened Big East play with Thursday's eye-opening 95-64 win over No. 10 Xavier before settling a score with Saturday's 85-71 victory at Creighton.
Josh Hart scored 25 points and Daniel Ochefu finished with a season-high 19 against the Bluejays, one of two Big East teams to record two wins over Villanova since the conference was realigned in 2013. The other: Seton Hall.
The Pirates (12-2, 2-0) have won two of the last three meetings. The first was a 64-63 buzzer-beating quarterfinal victory in the 2014 Big East tournament, and last season they added a 66-61 overtime win Jan. 3. Those are just two of five Villanova losses in 42 Big East games since the conference's relaunch.
But Seton Hall still hasn't won at Villanova in 14 meetings since Feb. 26, 1994. The Wildcats rebounded from last season's loss to the Pirates with an 80-54 rout at The Pavilion on Feb. 16.
Villanova is riding a 34-game winning streak on its home court dating to February 2014, including 16 conference victories.
Ochefu averaged 15.0 points and 18.0 rebounds in the two meetings against Seton Hall last season, but Hart, Villanova's leading scorer with 15.5 points per game, made just 4 of 22 shots for 13 points.
The pair combined to make 19 of 24 shots Saturday, helping Villanova to a season-best 68.0 percent. Ochefu has made 27 of 33 shots over the last five games, improving his season percentage to 66.3.
"My teammates got me the ball in the right spots," the 6-foot-11 senior said. "I know if I miss a shot, they're going to me the next play."
Villanova is 31-2 when Ochefu scores in double figures.
In six games since being limited to a season-low 55 points in a loss to Oklahoma, Villanova has averaged 81.0 points while shooting 55.3 percent.
On the other end, these two teams have been the best defensively in the Big East. The Wildcats lead the conference by holding opponents to 60.3 points per game, while Seton Hall follows at 63.9. Opponents' shooting percentage of 37.9 against Villanova is also the best among conference teams.
The Pirates have held opponents to 61.7 points per game during their seven-game winning streak.
Sophomore Angel Delgado posted his seventh straight double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday's 78-74 win over DePaul, while Isaiah Whitehead scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half. Whitehead, who also had nine assists, scored or assisted on 10 of Seton Hall's 14 field goals in the final 20 minutes.
"He's playing great and operating at a really high level right now," coach Kevin Willard said of Whitehead, who averages a team-high 15.1 points. "He's letting the game come to him, taking good shots, and being aggressive when he needs to be."
The Pirates, who have won two of their three true road games, will try to open a season 13-2 for the first time since 2011-12.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...60106_SETON@NOVA/seton-hall-villanova-preview
