By John Fanta
The BIG EAST provides wars every night, but on Wednesday, the Prudential Center is the place to be when the top two defensive teams face off as Seton Hall hosts No. 4 Villanova.
The Wildcats come in allowing just 60 points per game while The Hall is second, surrendering 65.9.
Now, riding a high and looking to get back at Villanova for winning the first meeting, 72-63, Seton Hall adds a ton of intrigue to this already-hyped up game because the Pirates are 13-4 and have the capabilities to do something special this season.
Here are three short keys to this match-up:
1. Many have told me this week that defensively, teams should completely cut off the three-ball from Villanova and force Daniel Ochefu, the big man, to hurt you. Yeah, not me. The center went off for 20 points and 18 rebounds against Seton Hall in the first meeting. The question for The Hall: Can Angel Delgado play his game? The reigning Big East Rookie of the Year has it in him. It is a big chance for him to show the rest of the conference something on Wednesday night. In the last three meetings between The Hall and Nova, Ochefu is averaging 16.7 points and 18 rebounds per game.
2. Who will guard Josh Hart? I will presume it is Desi Rodriguez but we could also see Derrick Gordon on the wing. The key for this Wildcats squad is the duo of Hart and Ochefu and their emergence together. Hart not only can hit from the perimeter, but his baseline drive is second to none. I would be intrigued to see Gordon, who got the start Saturday, on Hart to see what he can do.
3. Getting off to a quick start could do wonders for the home crowd, but I will go further and say that facing the pressure of Villanova will be a challenge. The Wildcats are second in the Big East with a +3.6 turnover margin. If they get out on the run for easy buckets for an extended period of time, watch out, because they are lethal. But, Seton Hall has the stellar backcourt of Isaiah Whitehead and Khadeen Carrington, who combined for 37 points in the victory over Providence on Saturday. It makes a fun tilt at The Rock.
Tune to 89.5 WSOU beginning at 8:45 pm for pregame coverage. Ryan Flannery and Clayton Collier will have the call and Hall Line will follow the game. Call 973-761-WSOU (9768) to give us your take on the game.
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