University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Villanova
Huskies Meet Villanova In Top 25 Matchup
2/21/2022 9:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Last Game Of Season At XL Center
UConn Athletic Communications / Feb. 22, 2022
HARTFORD, Conn. – The final XL Center game of the season for the UConn men's basketball team will be a Top 25 matchup.
The No. 21/20 Huskies play host to No. 8/8 Villanova on Tuesday night, pitting two teams who are on separate hot streaks. Villanova (21-6 overall, 14-3 BIG EAST) has won five in a row and eight of its last nine, while UConn (19-7, 10-5) is riding a three-game winning streak and has won four of its last five.
Villanova is currently in second place in the BIG EAST, while UConn is right behind in third.
With just four games remaining in the regular season, UConn are aiming to secure one of the BIG EAST Tournament byes that go to the top five teams in the standings.
The Huskies, 5-2 at the XL Center this season, bowed to Villanova, 85-74, on Feb. 5 in Philadelphia, their only double-digit loss of the season. UConn has already faced two other teams that it lost to on the road – Seton Hall and Xavier – and evened the series against both.
UConn has been led all season by its "Big Three" – guards R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin and forward Adama Sanogo. Cole, the graduate student, leads the Huskies in scoring (16.2) and assists, while Sanogo, a sophomore, is also averaging double figures (15.1) and is the team's leading rebounder (8.6), and Martin, a senior, is also in double figures (13.6).
They are joined in the Huskies' usual starting lineup by grad student forward Isaiah Whaley and sophomore guard Andre Jackson. Grad Tyler Polley, who came off the bench to score 16 against Xavier last week, leads the UConn reserves, along with freshman Jordan Hawkins and junior Jalen Gaffney.
Villanova has been its usual picture of efficiency this season, led by graduate student guard Collin Gillespie, the preseason Player of the Year in the league. Gillespie is the Wildcats' leader in scoring (16.6) and assists (2.9), with sophomore Eric Dixon is tops in rebounds (6.6).
The Wildcats lead the league in scoring margin (+9.5), scoring defense (64.1), and they lead the country in free throw shooting percentage (.854), while UConn tops the BIG EAST in rebounding margin (+7.2), offensive rebounds (13.5), and blocked shots (6.5).
The game will be the third consecutive sellout for the Huskies.
