In an upcoming college basketball matchup, the Villanova Wildcats (7-2) are set to face off against the Pittsburgh Panthers (5-5) at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, December 13, starting at 4:30 PM. With a betting line currently favoring Villanova by 9.5 points, fans and analysts are eager to see how the teams perform.
For those interested in watching the game, it will be broadcast on truTV and HBO Max, while listeners can tune in via the Villanova Sports Radio Network. The current net rankings place Villanova at 37, significantly ahead of Pittsburgh, which sits at 163. Analytical tools like KenPom and Torvik also reflect Villanova’s stronger position, ranking them 37 and 46 respectively, compared to Pittsburgh’s rankings of 108 in both.
The Panthers have had a tumultuous season thus far, having been predicted to finish 14th out of 18 teams in the ACC Preseason Poll. Despite their struggles, Pittsburgh has showcased moments of resilience, notably a buzzer-beater victory at home against Ohio State. However, they have also suffered disappointing losses at home to teams like Quinnipiac and Hofstra. Leading the charge for Pittsburgh are returning players Cameron Corhen and Brandin Cummings, who average 14 points and 13.7 points per game, respectively. They are joined by transfers Barry Dunning Jr. and Damarco Minor, both of whom are also contributing solidly to the team’s scoring, with Dunning Jr. averaging 11.4 points and Minor at 11.2 points per game, while also leading the team with 3 assists per game.
On the other side, Villanova is looking to bounce back after suffering their first loss since the opening night against BYU. The defeat against Michigan served as a wake-up call for the Wildcats, providing head coach Kevin Willard a wealth of teaching moments to utilize in practice. In this challenging match-up, Villanova hopes to regain their momentum against their rivals. A notable development in recent games is Zion Stanford’s reduced role in the rotation—averaging only 4.5 minutes over the last two games—while teammates Chris Jeffery and Malachi Palmer have benefitted from increased playing time, each logging double-digit minutes in both contests.
With both teams facing unique challenges and opportunities, Saturday’s game promises to be an engaging encounter for fans and a crucial test for both programs as they seek to establish themselves in their respective conferences.
