3 Things About No. 12 Seton Hall at No. 10 Villanova Saturday

2019-20 BIG EAST Game No. 12 Seton Hall Pirates (17-5, 9-1 BIG EAST) at No. 10 Villanova Wildcats (17-5, 7-3 BIG EAST)
Date/Time/Location	Saturday, Feb. 8 \| 2:30 p.m. \| Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Television Broadcast	FOX Broadcast Network (WNYW Channel 5 in NY) \| FOX Sports GO
Radio Broadcast	AM970 The Answer \| Sirius 137 \| XM 201 \| Pirate Sports Network
Game Notes	Seton Hall \| Villanova
Links	Live Stats \| Twitter \| Instagram

College basketball is supposed to be fun.

Myles Powell admitted that last week wasn't fun for him when the Pirates suffered a home loss to Xavier, but as Eamonn Brennan of the Athletic articulated, Powell's teammates picked him up and told him to start having fun again.

That 16-0 run to start the Georgetown game sure was fun.

College basketball is clearly fun for the fans who come in droves to watch the games. And perhaps sometimes people forget that it's supposed to be fun for the student-athletes too. They're out there playing the game they love representing the school that they love in front of the fans who love them.

So on Saturday, we have the No. 10 team in the country facing the No. 12 team in the country. The first place team in the BIG EAST against a team that is tied for second place. A sold-out arena and the only two coaches to have won a BIG EAST Tournament in the last four years. Two teams that have faced each other in four of the last six BIG EAST Tournaments with a combined margin of victory of just seven points.

Yeah, that sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun.

Saturday's big game will air on the FOX Broadcast Network with Tim Brando and Donny Marshall on the call and Andy Katz on the sidelines. Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin will sojourn down the Turnpike to bring you the radio broadcast on AM970 The Answer, simulcast on Sirius 137, XM 201 and the Pirate Sports Network.

Three Things to Know About Saturday's BIG EAST Battle in Philadelphia

1. Stopping Villanova's Offense is a Challenge
As usual, Villanova is a terrific three-point shooting team. The Wildcats average 9.5 makes per game, and they have five guys who have made at least 30 this season. They space the floor well and they are adept at driving to the basket to set up the kick-out three. On top of that, they have a strong inside presence in the leading BIG EAST Rookie of the Year candidate Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who is nearly averaging a double-double. To win on Villanova's home floor, the Pirates need to make winning defensive plays to slow down this offense and hold Villanova under 70 points.

2. Powell Power on the Road
Villanova will be a hostile environment for the Pirates, but at least this season, BIG EAST road games have helped elevate Myles Powell's game. He is averaging 28.6 points in Seton Hall's five BIG EAST road games, including the 34 points he scored Wednesday night at Georgetown. The Pirates know they could use a similar performance at Wells Fargo Center.

3. The Whistle Will Be Key
Villanova is the league's best free throw shooting team at 77.7 percent. In Villanova's home games, the Wildcats are called for an average of 13.5 fouls a game, and opponents are called for 17.2 fouls per game. Villanova averages 17.6 free throw attempts in its home games and opponents average 9.6. The Pirates must keep the Wildcats off the foul line. Defending without fouling is an art, and the Pirates need to display it Saturday.