Villanova and the nation’s main rebounder will make their first journey up the Primary Line to renovated Glaser Enviornment in Philadelphia to tackle Large 5 rival La Salle on Wednesday night time.
The sport is a part of the Large 5 Basic. Each groups are within the three-team Pod 1, with the sequence concluding on the Xfinity Cell Middle with a tripleheader on Dec. 6.
Villanova has received three video games in a row underneath new coach Kevin Willard and has 5 gamers averaging in double figures in scoring, together with James Madison switch Bryce Lindsay, who’s at 23 factors per recreation and is capturing 50% from 3-point vary.
“I feel we’re doing loads of good issues offensively,” Willard mentioned after his staff’s 87-77 win over Duquesne on Saturday. “We’re sharing the ball, however we actually wrestle defensively. If we are able to ever get our protection to be good with what our offense is doing, that might be good for us.”
Villanova’s Duke Brennan, a 6-foot-10 senior, leads the nation with a median 14.8 rebounds a recreation. The Wildcats are fourth within the nation in offensive rebounding, however Brennan echoed his coach’s sentiments about getting higher on protection.
“I really feel like we’ve got to speak higher,” Brennan mentioned. “I do not discuss fast sufficient, and my man cannot react fast sufficient to return over. We’ve to speak higher.”
La Salle enters Wednesday’s contest averaging 73 factors a recreation and likewise permitting 73. The Explorers have misplaced their final two video games, together with 83-69 Saturday vs. Penn State. The Nittany Lions went on a 20-0 run within the first half and led by as many as 21 factors.
The Explorers have been with out two injured gamers who had anticipated to contribute. Level guard Jaden Johnson has but to play, and Fact Harris, who came visiting with new La Salle coach Darris Nichols from Radford, suffered a foot harm within the season opener.
Freshman Ashton Walker has needed to play level guard. He is averaged just below 10 factors, and had 4 turnovers towards Penn State.
“An enormous factor is getting some extra handlers again wholesome. Ashton Walker and Eric Acker are getting worn down and picked up full court docket each recreation,” Nichols mentioned. “Guys are getting used to taking part in with one another. You construct that collectively in recreation conditions. It is completely different in apply, however you attempt to simulate what it may be.”
Senior guard Jaeden Marshall leads the Explorers with a median of 15.3 factors a recreation.
La Salle hasn’t had a profitable season since 2014-15. Glaser Enviornment reopened in 2024 on the La Salle campus and seats about 3,000. The 2 colleges are lower than 15 miles aside however have not met in basketball since 2022.
–Subject Stage Media
