Villanova looks for rebound and revenge against #18 Marquette

Happy Wednesday Nova Nation! It’s another game day for the Wildcats, and another matchup with a ranked team as the gauntlet that is the Big East season continues. Marquette jumped into the rankings this week at #18, and now the Wildcats will need to defend their home court in order to avoid a fourth straight loss.

You’d have to go back to 2012 for the last time Nova dropped three straight home games, but that’s what they’re in danger of tonight. The team’s been over-reliant on Collin Gillespie and Saddiq Bey through this rough stretch, and it’ll be up to players like Jermaine Samuels, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Justin Moore, and Cole Swider to step up on the scoring end.

And that brings us to today’s Game Day Poll. Someone outside the big two needs to step up, but who will it be?

In other “news”, Ryan Arcidiacono will have his jersey retired tonight, Mikal Bridges’ shot is back on track, and an update on all things Bracketology. Enjoy!

Villanova Men’s Basketball

College Basketball Powerhouses That Won’t Make it Past First Weekend of NCAA Tournament | 12up
These five legendary college basketball programs will struggle to even win one game in the NCAA tournament.

Big East Basketball Schedule: Week 15 | Anonymous Eagle
It’s a very busy and very important week in the league, both for men’s and women’s hoops.

NCAA Tournament: Villanova stays a No. 4 seed in bracket projections despite three-game losing streak | The Inquirer
The Wildcats were seeded No. 3 and ranked 12th of 16 teams overall in Saturday's bracket reveal. They were one of five teams that lost this weekend.

City 6 observations: Speedy Morris had one of the great City 6 teams ... ever | The Inquirer
The Morris coaching tree also lives on and keeps branching out.

Villanova vs Marquette

No. 15 Villanova looks to rebound vs. No. 18 Marquette | Sports Illustrated
Villanova will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak when it hosts Marquette on Wednesday. After ascending to No. 10, the Wildcats (17-6, 7-4 Big East)

Villanova seeks to end three-game losing streak Wednesday night at home vs. Marquette | The Inquirer
The 15th-ranked Wildcats need to fix some holes in a defense that has allowed each of their last three opponents to score 70 or more points.

Villanova seeks to reverse course against streaking Marquette | Sports | delcotimes.com
RADNOR — There were no signs of worry, no indication that confidence was low as 15th-ranked Villanova walked off the practice court at the Pavilion Tuesday.

'Cats to Host Marquette, Honor Arcdiacono Wednesday | Villanova University Athletics
No. 15 Villanova hosts No. 18 Marquette Wednesday

NBA Wildcats

DiVincenzo, Hahn voted Delaware's top basketball players of 2010s | wdel.com
Salesianum's Donte DiVincenzo and Ursuline's Adrianna Hahn, who both went on to play at Villanova, were selected Delaware's basketball Players of the Decade by a panel of coaches and media

The fix is in: With assistants’ help, Mikal Bridges has rediscovered his smooth shooting stroke | The Athletic
After seeing a hitch in his shot on video, the second-year pro went to work to fix it.

Timberwolves Have Yet To Decide Whether To Keep Spellman | SI
Power forward was acquired from Warriors as part of D'Angelo Russell trade.

Villanova Women’s Basketball

Women’s City Six: Senior leaders keeping Drexel hungry; defensive change sparking Penn’s winning streak | The Inquirer
Penn and Villanova's winning streaks highlight this week's notebook.

Villanova Football

Football Has 45 Student-Athletes Named to CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll for Fall Semester | Villanova University Athletics
RICHMOND—Villanova was recognized for the academic achievement of its student-athletes during the fall semesters with 45 selections to the CAA Football Commissioner's

Villanova Adjacent

East Stroudsburg basketball player Ryan Smith, dealing with leukemia treatments, appreciates support from highest levels of Pennsylvania hoops | The Inquirer
“I’m not doing that. Why would I do that?’’ Charles Barkley said about making a video for Smith. He had a better idea.

Villanova Athletics

Athlete of the Week: Soccer and Basketball Player Rebecca Gartner | Sports | villanovan.com
Rebecca Gartner is one of many athletes at Villanova University. However, unlike most players, Gartner is on two varsity sports teams. The 5’7” graduate student is a goalkeeper for the

Kern, Rauch Earn BIG EAST Honor Roll | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa. – The first weekend of the 2020 softball season has wrapped up and Villanova is sitting in a good position with a 3-2 record. The Wildcats competed

Baseball Season Preview | Villanova University Athletics
Villanova, Pa. – Villanova baseball is set to kick of its 2020 campaign with a series out west at Arizona State this weekend. After laying the foundation last season,

Wildcats Travel to Orlando for Second Tournament of the Season | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova softball is getting ready to embark on its second trip of the 2020 season. Fresh off of a weekend in Jacksonville, Fla. for the River

Two Wildcats Receive BIG EAST Weekly Awards | Villanova University Athletics
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The BIG EAST announced on Tuesday morning that two Wildcats, freshman midfielder Catherine Field and senior attack Katie Comerford, both earned

Bracketology

College Basketball Bracketology Seed List For February 11, 2020 | Blogging the Bracket
This is the complete seed list for Tuesday’s SB Nation bracket projection, complete with team record and NET info.

Bracketology Projected Field: Gonzaga, Dayton earn committee respect | Busting Brackets
With the Bracket Reveal in the past, there were several shifts in my bracketology projected field. Gonzaga and Dayton were among the recent winners.

Bracketology 2020: Selection Committee’s preview bracket goes up in smoke | SBNation.com
Five of the committee’s top 16 teams lost over the weekend, so today’s bracket projection differs significantly from what you saw Saturday.

Bracketology: NCAA tournament projection as of February 11, 2020 | Inside the Hall
As mentioned last week, the Selection Committee released its Top 16 seeds on Saturday.

Bubble Watch: Five more teams are locked in, and we have a clue what the committee truly cares about | The Athletic
Though not listed among the top 16 seeds in the early bracket reveal, Kentucky and LSU seemed to have made an impression.

College Basketball

Four takeaways from the name, image, likeness debate as NCAA prez Mark Emmert appears before Congress | CBSSports.com
The issue of college athletes being compensated for their name, image and likeness hit Washington, D.C.

Bob Knight and Indiana make up, but many college basketball grudges remain | ESPN
Bob Knight and Indiana have reconciled, but beef in college basketball is alive and well.

Is the Ivy League transfer policy helping players, or hurting them? | ESPN
A 66-year-old rule and untimely injuries have cast players like Columbia's Mike Smith out of the Ivy League before the end of their collegiate careers.