Villanova @ Seton Hall preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 8, 2020 ) Seton Hall 70, Villanova 64

Seton Hall can clinch the Big East regular-season title outright for a second straight season Wednesday with a win over visiting Villanova. The seventh-ranked Pirates defeated the 12th-ranked Wildcats last month and currently sit two games north of Villanova and Creighton in the Big East standings with two games to play.

Seton Hall has won three games in a row, most recently a nine-point triumph at Marquette, as Sandro Mamukelashvili had a career-high 26 points and Myles Powell contributed 29 to continue his strong senior campaign. Mamukelashvili, who missed significant time with a broken wrist earlier this season, shot 10-of-13 from the field and made all three of his 3-pointers to score in double figures for the sixth time in his last nine games. "He's a dynamic player. He spread the floor for us, he does a lot of good things," said Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard. "He takes a lot of pressure off Myles. Having him back and seeing him round into form has given us a nice added dimension." Villanova had a five-game winning streak snapped with a 58-54 home loss to Providence the last time out while suffering through its second-lowest scoring game of the season.

TIME: 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: Fox Sports 1

ABOUT VILLANOVA (22-7, 11-5 Big East): Collin Gillespie made 12-of-19 3-pointers in a two-game stretch last month but since is just 1-of-16 from the arc, and his shooting percentage from the floor over that span is 24.3 percent (9-of-37). Saddiq Bey had made 13 3-pointers in the previous three outings before going 1-of-7 from outside the arc against Providence as part of a 5-of-30 team effort from long range. Jermaine Samuels is struggling with his shooting of late, as well, as he is 0-of-7 from 3-point land and 3-of-14 from the field over the last two games.

ABOUT SETON HALL (21-7, 13-3): While Mamukelashvili may be the key to the Pirates' success, Powell is the team's obvious best player as he averages 21.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals. That said, the senior star has struggled from 3-point range over the last several months, shooting just 25 percent from the arc since shooting nearly 40 percent from the arc over the first nine games. Quincy McKnight had eight assists and no turnovers against Marquette but is shooting only 8-of-31 in the last four games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. In the first matchup between the teams, Mamukelashvili had 17 points, eight rebounds and no turnovers in 36 minutes as Seton Hall won 70-64.

2. Seton Hall C Romaro Gill recorded multiple blocks in 11 straight games before totaling only one against Marquette.

3. Villanova's bench combined for six points in 35 minutes in the loss to Providence.

PREDICTION: Seton Hall 79, Villanova 71