UConn men’s basketball hosts Villanova on Saturday for this season’s first meeting between these two teams. The Wildcats are led by former Seton Hall and Maryland head coach Kevin Willard, who has them off to a strong start, with wins over Wisconsin, Seton Hall, and Providence in his first season at the helm.
After four straight Husky wins in this series, the two teams split their regular-season games last year before UConn prevailed in a third matchup in the 2025 Big East Tournament quarterfinals. The Wildcats lead the overall series, 40-38, though it’s 7-6 in favor of UConn in the Dan Hurley era.
Villanova (15-4, 6-2 Big East) started the season 12-2 with losses to BYU and Michigan before a couple of setbacks in Big East play against Creighton and St. John’s. Willard’s squad is ranked 24th in KenPom with balanced offensive and defensive ratings. They’re a solid shooting and rebounding team with good discipline based on their free-throw and turnover rates.
Freshman point guard Acaden Lewis (12.3 PPG, 5.6 APG) stirs the drink, while three other teammates (Bryce Lindsay, a James Madison transfer, Tyler Perkins, who transferred from Penn last season, and Duke Brennan, a Grand Canyon transfer) are also averaging over 12 points per game and another two are averaging over nine PPG in Devin Askew and Matt Hodge. The 6-foot-10 Brennan is averaging a double-double with 10.6 RPG.
Villanova likes to slow it down (352nd pace) and shoot a lot of threes. Lindsay and Askew are hitting over 40 percent from behind the arc, while Hodge and Perkins are hitting 35 percent. The team boasts solid defensive ratings despite this shooting prowess. You can check out Brian Kervick’s scouting report for a deeper look at their on-court strategy.
UConn (18-1, 8-0 Big East) is succeeding in the standings and polls, but the course of certain games has raised concerns, and some guys are not at their peak right now. Injuries have played a role, but Dan Hurley has also said repeatedly that he’s looking for more of a killer instinct from his guys. For longtime Huskies who were part of championship rosters, that note must hit home.
This team clearly has upside beyond what it’s shown this season. Braylon Mullins has brought a new element and been incredible in big moments; Silas Demary Jr. leads the way on both ends of the court and is still gelling with his new teammates; Solo Ball has been playing through a left-wrist injury; Tarris Reed Jr. has been dominant at times but could be more consistent; Jayden Ross and Malachi Smith have proven what they can do and also need to find more consistency.
Even Alex Karaban, who’s quietly putting together one of the most efficient seasons in the country and climbing up UConn statistical career leaderboards, has room to find another level in this home stretch of the season. The Huskies will need it against the best teams in the country and the Big East.
Villanova represents as tough a challenge in league play as UConn has had to date. KenPom projects a nine-point Husky victory, but we know from recent history that anything is possible.
After surviving some close ones in the last few weeks in Providence, Newark, and DC, Hurley’s squad is surely hoping for a less eventful Saturday afternoon in Hartford. Hurley has also indicated that he’s hoping for a rabid showing from the fanbase after what they’ve experienced on the road.
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