The Providence Friars get together with the Villanova Wildcats in the third round of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden. The game starts at 6:30 pm ET on Friday, Mar. 11 and will air on FS1.
The Wildcats were victorious over Georgetown 81-67 in the 2. Josh Hart led all scorers with 25 points on 7-for-12 shooting. The Friars, meanwhile, are coming off a 74-60 win over Butler in the 2. Ben Bentil led the game in scoring with 38 points on 16-for-24 shooting.
Over the last five games, Hart and Kris Jenkins have played well for the Wildcats. During that stretch, Hart has averaged 18.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.6 three-pointers. Not to be outdone, Jenkins has put up 20.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 4.2 three-pointers. Bentil has also been on a tear in the same span, averaging 29.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.4 blocks, and 3.4 three-pointers while leading the Friars.
The game should be a battle of strength against strength, as the high-octane offense of Villanova (25th in the nation with an offensive efficiency of 114.5) takes on the top-notch defense of Providence (35th in the nation with a defensive efficiency of 98.6). Also, the Friars commit the 23rd-fewest errors in the nation (TO% of 16.5%), while the ball-hawking defense of the Wildcats causes the 19th-most (opponents’ TO% of 20.6%).
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The Wildcats had the upper hand in the most recent game, an 81-67 win. Bentil was the game’s leading scorer with 38 points.
Notes
The Villanova Wildcats rank 25th for their offensive rating of 114.5. The Providence Friars have a defensive rating of 98.6 (ranked 35th).
The Providence Friars average 69.7 possessions per game and 1.064 points per possession. The Villanova Wildcats earn fewer possessions with 67.5, but they score more points with 1.145.
The Providence Friars average an effective field goal percentage of 47.9% this season. The Villanova Wildcats have a solid 7-4 record in games where opponents have an eFG% of 47.9% or greater.
Villanova ranks 28th in assists, recording 16.3 per game. Providence ranks 34th with 16.0 assists per game.
Villanova ranks 99th in defensive rebounding. When it comes to offensive rebounds, Providence ranks 96th.
On average, Villanova forces a turnover rate of 20.6%, ranked 19th in the nation. When Providence turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has an outstanding 5-1 record.
