Villanova and Oklahoma will meet Saturday on CBS within the Big East/Big 12 Battle with every workforce in search of a marquee nonconference victory. It’s been a tough begin for the Wildcats, however a game with the Sooners represents an opportunity for Villanova to get headed in the precise path earlier than Big East play begins later this month. Oklahoma is coming off a title within the ESPN Events Invitational, is 6-1 and is taken into account a top-40 workforce within the nation by many metrics.
If nothing else, the game figures to be comparatively shut due to how slowly each groups play. Oklahoma ranks No. 343 of 363 Division I groups in tempo, in line with KenPom.com whereas Oklahoma ranks No. 337. The Wildcats have reached 80 factors simply as soon as this season whereas the Sooners have but to cross the 80-point threshold.
But in a three-game sweep by Nebraska, Seton Hall and Ole Miss final week, the Sooners allowed a median of simply 58.3 factors per game. For a Villanova workforce taking pictures simply 31.4% from past the arc, scoring in opposition to Oklahoma can be a problem. The Wildcats may have house courtroom benefit, although, as they play inside Wells Fargo Arena for the primary time this season after enjoying their first two house video games on the smaller Finneran Pavilion venue on campus.
A 2-5 begin amid the transition to Kyle Neptune from Jay Wright doubtless is not what Villanova followers envisioned for this season, however there a few causes for them to tune in Saturday. For one factor, Wright is predicted to make an look on the published with Tom McCarthy, Bill Raftery and Jon Rothstein as he prepares to make his CBS Sports studio debut on Dec. 17 in his new position as an analyst with the community. Wright may also be on the decision for the Villanova-Penn game on CBS Sports Network on Dec. 7.
Additionally, five-star freshman Cam Whitmore might see motion. Neptune described the 6-foot-6 wing as a game-time determination this week, that means he might make his season debut after present process preseason thumb surgical procedure. The arrival of Whitmore into the rotation and the eventual return of senior guard Caleb Daniels from a torn Achilles present causes for optimism that Villanova might nonetheless be an element within the Big East this season.
How to watch Villanova vs. Oklahoma live
Date: Saturday, Dec. 3 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Wells Fargo Arena — Philadelphia
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Villanova vs. Oklahoma prediction, choose
Featured Game | Villanova Wildcats vs. Oklahoma Sooners
Villanova’s Whitmore might make his season debut right here, however he’ll want time to acclimate to the trials of faculty basketball. Oklahoma has been among the many high defensive groups within the nation whereas Villanova has struggled to attain. The Sooners aren’t precisely offensive stalwarts, both, however they’ve proven the power to grind out wins in shut video games. This figures to be a low-scoring, defensive-oriented affair and Oklahoma has the chops to outlast Villanova in that sort of game. Prediction: Oklahoma +2.5
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