Things are going to get a bit dramatic as ‘Nova and Seton Halll battle for a Big East title. (Getty)
And then there were two.
Villanova and Seton Hall are set to square off on Saturday night, battling for Big East glory in the conference championship game at Madison Square Garden.
It isn’t exactly the game you expected was it?
Sure, we all thought Villanova would make the final. A projected No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament should probably show up in its conference final. But Seton Hall, the No. 3 seed in the Big East, is a bit of a surprise. Don’t overlook these Pirates though. This group is a mix of youth and experience, grit and determination and a squad that is only thinking victory on Saturday night.
Here’s everything you need to know about the final:
Date: Saturday, March 12
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
TV Channel: FOX
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Game Preview: Don’t overlook Seton Hall.
The Pirates have notched their most victories since the 1992-93 season and are making their first appearance in the Big East final for the first time in nearly 20 years. They will not be intimidated.
Yes, Villanova is the top seed. Yes, Villanova is the reigning champion. Yes, Villanova has 20 wins this season.
Seton Hall does not care and that attitude is going to make for one heck of an entertaining basketball game.
The Pirates have won seven of their last eight, including two over Xavier, coming into the Big East title game and sophomore sensation Isaiah Whitehead has scored at least 20 points in his last six games. This team is confident and the addition of Derrick Gordon as a leader on the court this season has done wonders for Seton Hall’s consistency.
That being said, Villanova can shoot. The Wildcats have five players averaging double digits and is shooting, on average, 46.7 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from distance. If ‘Nova can get into a shooting rhythm, it’s going to be a tough team to stop, even for a Seton Hall squad with nothing to lose.