Two of Philadelphia’s Big Five teams step out of conference on Sunday afternoon for an intense rivalry game, as the No. 15 Villanova Wildcats visit the Temple Owls. On the road, Villanova is a six-point favorite with an over/under of 137 points.
At the moment, the Owls are miles from the NCAA Tournament picture. They are just 13-11 overall and 5-7 inside the AAC. However, Temple could be making a late-season push, winning three of its last four games, including a win over tournament hopeful SMU.
However, they need to keep winning and beating Villanova might be a prerequisite for keeping their hopes alive.
As for the Wildcats, they are breathing a sigh of relief after escaping Wednesday’s game against Marquette with a 72-71 win. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Villanova, who is now 18-6 overall and 8-4 in Big East play, two games out of first place.
The Wildcats are solidly in the Big Dance, but they need to string some wins together to assure a good seed and head into March with some momentum.
Two-Man Game
The Wildcats have five players who average double figures, but they’re largely a two-man team with Saddiq Bey and Collin Gillespie. Both players are averaging over 15 points per game and are knockdown three-point shooters.
At the same time, Gillespie is averaging better than four assists per game and does a great job of getting his teammates involved. Bey is also a key rebounder and an underrated passer.
While Bey and Gillespie make up one of the best tandems in the country, Villanova still needs help from other sources. Freshmen Justin Moore and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are the two players they need to start playing like sophomores.
Robinson-Earl has two double-doubles in his last five games and needs to be a consistent force inside. Meanwhile, Moore is a streaky shooter who is just 3 for 12 from the outside over his last three games.
Smelling Roses
Senior Quinton Rose is attempting to carry Temple on his back late in the year to give the Owls a fighting chance at the tournament. He rarely leaves the floor and has scored at least 20 points in the team’s three most recent wins.
At 6-8, Rose has the skill set of a guard, making him a difficult matchup for any opponent, even a team like Villanova.
Of course, Rose can’t do it himself and needs some help. Nate Pierre-Louis is another big guard who is Temple’s leading rebounder at 6’5’’ but can be inconsistent as a scorer. Senior Alani Moore is also key for the Owls, as he helps to stretch defenses with his three-point shooting.
He’s also been playing the role of playmaker with 11 assists over his last two games. However, the Temple frontcourt leaves a lot to be desired, especially with the Owls suffering key injuries over the last month.
Cat Food
Big 5 games are usually close and competitive regardless of the records of the teams. However, Temple should be a step down from the teams Villanova has played recently. The Wildcats should be too much for the Owls and eventually put them away. Bet on Villanova to cover the 6-point spread.
