Deep into the conference schedule, Villanova (14–8 overall, 7–4 Big East) goes into its next two road matchups on the momentum of a convincing 69–41 victory over Seton Hall on Feb. 3. The win at the Finn moved the ‘Cats to fourth place in the Big East.
Villanova will travel to Milwaukee, WI on Saturday, Feb. 10 to take on Marquette (17–5 overall, 6–5 Big East). The game will be broadcast on FOX, and tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
After the weekend, the Wildcats will face Georgetown (15–7 overall, 5–6 Big East) in Washington, DC on Tuesday, Feb. 13. The matchup can be viewed on FloHoops at 11 a.m.
Scouting the Golden Eagles
Ending last season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Golden Eagles are looking to make another postseason appearance in 2024. They are in fifth place in the Big East.
Marquette defeated Providence, 66–62, on Feb. 3. Before hosting Villanova, however, Marquette will play Georgetown on Feb. 8.
The Golden Eagles boast an efficient offense, averaging 74.7 points and 48 percent shooting per game. Marquette’s overall leader is senior forward Liza Karlen, who averages 18.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Villanova’s trip to Milwaukee will also coincide with National Marquette Day. The Golden Eagles have an 11–1 record at the Al McGuire Center, only falling there to No. 8 UConn on Jan. 23.
Scouting the Hoyas
On Feb. 4, Georgetown recovered from a three-game losing streak (falling to Creighton, St. John’s and Seton Hall) with a slim, 44–42, victory over DePaul. The Hoyas are seventh in the Big East.
Junior forward Brianna Scott, 6’4, is central to Georgetown’s defense. Scott far exceeds the rest of the Hoyas in recording 32 blocks this season. Scott is also Georgetown’s second-leading rebounder, averaging 6.3 rebounds per game.
On the offensive side, the Wildcats must prepare for the Hoyas’ senior leader, guard Kelsey Ransom. Ransom leads Georgetown in both points, averaging 14.1 per game, and assists, averaging 4.2 per game.
The Hoyas benefit less from the home-court advantage than the Golden Eagles, maintaining a 6–4 record at the McDonough Arena.
A Confident Villanova Squad
Using a scoring committee to win recent contests, the Wildcats are now leaning less on the offensive energy of Lucy Olsen than earlier in the season.
A balanced offense helped Villanova recently in defeating Seton Hall, with four Wildcats scoring 10 or more points. Head coach Denise Dillon replaced two usual starters (junior forward Christina Dalce and freshman guard Maddie Webber) in the lineup due to “medical issues.”
However, both players contributed on the court against Seton Hall and are expected to return to their starting positions against Marquette.
Nevertheless, Olsen’s leadership will be essential on the court against the Golden Eagles after she dropped 37 points in their last meeting on Jan. 17. Olsen also drove the last Villanova win over Georgetown on Jan. 10 with 28 points.
Series History
In their most recent matchup this season on Jan. 17, Villanova defeated Marquette, 66–63. The teams are typically well-matched, with the Wildcats owning the all-time series record just 18–15.
The Wildcats last faced the Hoyas on Jan. 10 at the Finn in another close matchup that resulted in a 53–51 overtime win. Villanova has won 17 of its last 21 contests against Georgetown and leads the all-time series record of 48–24.
