Wouldn’t you know it, Villanova’s rise back to the elite of college basketball has coincided with a recent dominance in this series. The ‘Cats have won the last three meetings by double-digits, and eight of the last ten overall.
The all-time series sits at 47-25 in Villanova’s favor, and this Saturday they’ll look to extend that lead. Here are three things to watch for:
The backcourt battle
With Phil Booth’s status up in the air, the Wildcats may operate with a short bench yet again. Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo will likely get a ton of run against the Hawks’ duo of Shavar Newkirk and Lamarr ‘Fresh’ Kimble.