After demolishing Canisius Monday, 108-37, Maryland men’s basketball has a more formidable opponent on the horizon in Villanova.
The Terps will take on the Wildcats in the Empire Classic at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The contest should serve as another litmus test as to where Maryland stands in the national landscape.
Villanova has struggled to begin its 2024 campaign. It has suffered three losses — against Saint Joseph’s, Columbia and Virginia. At the same time, the Wildcats have three sizable wins under their belt, against NJIT, Lafayette College and Penn.
Nonetheless, the Terps can’t put stock into some early lapses and come out flat — after all, Villanova is a storied program with plenty of pedigree.
Sunday’s game will begin at 1 p.m. and air on ESPN.
Villanova Wildcats (3-3, 0-0 Big East)
Head coach Kyle Neptune is in his third season at the Wildcats’ helm after taking over for the legendary Jay Wright in 2022. Neptune began his coaching career with Villanova in 2008 before taking the reigns at Fordham during the 2021-22 season. Prior to his coaching career, he played four years of college basketball at Lehigh. Neptune has amassed a 35-33 record over his first two years with the Wildcats.
Players to watch
Eric Dixon, graduate student forward, 6-foot-8, No. 43 — Dixon is clearly the engine of the Wildcats’ offense. Over the last two seasons, he was a All-Big East second-team selection and one of only 12 Villanova players to score 1,400 or more career points. So far this season, he leads the team in points per game (24.4) and rebounds per game (7.8). He also scores at an efficient clip, shooting 56% from the field and a whopping 56.7% from 3-point range.
Wooga Poplar, senior guard, 6-foot-5, No. 5 — Poplar is a lengthy guard that could cause some problems defensively for the Terps, but he’s also a gifted scorer. He transferred in from Miami, where he was a steady contributor on the 2023 NCAA Tournament Final Four squad. Poplar is second on the team in points (14.5) and rebounds (6.5) per game.
Jhamir Brickus, graduate student guard, 5-foot-11, No. 2 — Brickus spent the first four seasons at La Salle, where he was named to the All-Atlantic 10 third team. Now, the skilled guard has made his presence felt on the Wildcats. He is third on the team in points per game (11.8) and first in total assists (29).
Strength
Three-point proficiency. Villanova’s top scorer is a staggering 56.7% from behind the arc. But the team is prolific from distance, too, as it ranks third in the Big East in 3-point field goal percentage (39.9%).
Weakness
Scoring defense. No matter which way you slice it, the Wildcats have been unable to consistently stop their opponents. They rank last in the Big East in scoring defense, giving up an average of 68.2 points per game.
Three things to watch
1. Will Rodney Rice continue to shine with the starters? The transfer guard has made a significant mark thus far, ranking third in scoring on the team. He was elevated to the starting lineup against Canisius, but the Golden Griffins didn’t present much of a challenge to the newly minted combination. It will be interesting to see how he gels with the rest of the starters against Big East competition.
2. Will Malachi Palmer see more playing time? The former 4-star freshman saw a season-high in minutes against Canisius and showed some flashes, nailing two 3-pointers and adding six rebounds. It will be worthy to note whether head coach Kevin Willard chooses to play the versatile, athletic guard more off the bench.
3. What will the offensive approach be? So far, some games have been 3-point heavy, while others have been paint-dominated. It will be interesting to see whether Julian Reese and Derik Queen see a fair share of touches, or if Maryland comes out shooting.
