No. 1 Villanova (10-0) vs. Temple (7-3)
7 p.m. at the Pavilion on FOX Sports 1
Game notes as Villanova carries its No. 1 ranking and a record Big 5 win streak into Tuesday’s matchup against Temple for city supremacy at the Pavilion.
Last time out
Top-ranked Villanova used a second-half surge for a 74-66 comeback win over No. 21 Notre Dame on Saturday. Josh Hart was a monster with a career-high 37 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals.
“I honestly didn't know how many points I had. I was just trying to make the right play," Hart said after the Wildcats were able to rally from an 11-point deficit for the victory. Hart was 10 for 14 from the field, 3 for 4 from three and 14 for 14 from the line.
Temple took the opposite route in its last game. The Owls had a 17-point advantage over DePaul at halftime before hanging on down the stretch for a 74-65 win. TU was led by Obi Enechionyia and Shizz Alston Jr., who each had 15 points and seven boards.
Scouting report
It would be easy to pencil in defending champion Villanova as a two-man show with Hart and fellow senior Kris Jenkins leading the way. However, the Wildcats’ balance and togetherness across the board is what makes them special.
The 'Cats have four players who average double figures in scoring (Hart, Jenkins, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges). They're shooting an even 50.0 percent from the field as a team (15th in the nation). And they're playing championship-level defense, holding opponents to 62.9 points a night.
While Temple also features four players who average double digits in scoring (Enechionyia, Alston, Daniel Dingle and Quinton Rose), the Owls go as their junior forward takes them. Enechionyia has reached double figures in scoring every game this season and leads Temple in per-game averages in points (18.6), rebounds (7.7), blocks (2.9) and three-point percentage (49.2).
What it means
With both teams coming in sporting 3-0 records in Big 5 play, Tuesday’s game will decide the outright Big 5 champion.
'Nova will try to keep its record unblemished and continue its dominance in the city series. The Wildcats have won a record 17 straight Big 5 matches.
Temple will go for the program’s third win ever over a No. 1 team in the country. The Owls' last win over the top ranked team in the nation was Feb. 20, 2000 at Cincinnati. Their only other such win came four years earlier at home against Kansas, three days before Christmas 1995.
"We're the underdogs as always and we look forward to proving everybody wrong," Dingle said after practice on Monday. "I guess that's the challenge."
Series history
Tuesday’s game marks the 91st meeting between the two schools in the all-time series, which dates back to 1914-15. Villanova leads the series, 47-43, and has won the last three matches.
What’s next?
Villanova returns to action on Wednesday night with a home date against American.
Temple is off until a Saturday afternoon battle at home vs. NJIT.