Game 19: Georgetown Hoyas (9-9, 1-6) at Villanova Wildcats (14-4, 5-2)
When: Wednesday, January 21 at 7:00 PM ET
Where: Finneran Pavilion, Villanova, Pa.
TV: Peacock (Mike Corey and Brendan Haywood); NBC Sports on some cable providers
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Radio: 106.7 The Fan, SiriusXM Ch. 387 (Rich Chvotkin)
Series: Villanova leads 51-47 all-time. However, Georgetown swept the series last season, including a dramatic 75-73 win in the last meeting on March 4, 2025 (GUHoyas.com).
Streaks: Villanova lost their last outing to St. John’s. Georgetown is looking to bounce back from a narrow loss to UConn.
KenPom Rankings: Villanova 26, Georgetown 100
Betting Odds: Villanova -8.5, Over/Under 143.5
The Villanova Report:
Your Georgetown Hoyas have traveled north to face a Villanova squad that is transitioning pretty well under first-year Head Coach Kevin Willard. The Wildcats sit at 14-4 and are receiving votes in the polls, driven by a highly efficient offense that ranks 23rd nationally in offensive rating.
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Villanova is coming off an 86-79 road loss to St. John’s, despite a 23-point effort from Tyler Perkins and 21 points from Devin Askew. The Wildcats rely on a balanced scoring attack led by Bryce Lindsay (14.9 ppg) and strong interior play from Duke Brennan, who is averaging a double-double with 10.6 rebounds per game.
Tonight, at Finneran Pavilion, Villanova honors the late Hall of Famer George Raveling.
This matchup also writes the next chapter in a familiar sideline rivalry. Cooley and Willard spent years battling in the BIG EAST during their tenures at Providence and Seton Hall, respectively, and Cooley currently holds a 17-14 edge in their career head-to-head matchups (GUHoyas.com).
What’s at Stake for Georgetown:
For Ed Cooley and the Hoyas, this game represents a chance to turn a “moral victory” into a tangible one. Fans saw the team push No. 3 UConn to the brink in a 64-62 loss at Capital One Arena, a defensive performance that showed significant growth.
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Vince Iwuchukwu was a force in that game, grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds, while KJ Lewis continues to lead the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and steals.
Ed Cooley said they were “blessed”—which probably should have been saved for the locker room speech.
To secure a win tonight, Georgetown must disrupt Villanova’s shooters. The Hoyas’ defense, currently ranked 125th in efficiency, faces a stiff test against a Villanova unit that takes care of the ball and shoots well.
If Malik Mack (14.3 ppg) can control the tempo and the frontcourt of Iwuchukwu and Julius Halaifonua can neutralize Brennan on the glass, the Hoyas might have a path to their second conference win.
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A victory here would be a massive confidence booster and a sign that Cooley’s Year 3 rebuild is gaining traction on the road.
