Delaware ready for test vs. No. 20 Villanova

No. 20 Villanova will be looking for its fourth consecutive victory when it battles Delaware Saturday afternoon in the Never Forget Tribute Classic in Newark, N.J.

The Wildcats (7-2) have been off since defeating Big 5 rival Saint Joseph's 78-66 last Saturday.

Saddiq Bey, who was named to the Big East Honor Roll, led the way with 22 points and nine rebounds. Collin Gillespie added 20 points and freshman Justin Moore had 14 in the balanced effort.

"I was proud of our guys," Villanova head coach Jay Wright said. "A big part of their run was Collin getting his fourth foul. He's our leader. We've got Justin Moore, a freshman, running the point. We were running our offense through Saddiq Bey, a sophomore, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, a freshman. On the road, they really did keep their composure."

Wright rarely focuses on statistics. It's always about defense, effort and energy in practice which translates to the games. The Wildcats won two national championships in the last three years using these principles.

"Every day in practice we just make it tough on the first team," Bey said. "We simulate playing on the road so come game time we know what it's going to be. We know it's going to be tough."

Having a week off during final exams is always tricky because young teams respond in different ways. Villanova has been starting two freshmen -- Moore and Robinson-Earl -- for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

''This will be good for us,'' Wright said. ''We've gone through a really tough stretch here, and we really haven't had a chance to practice. Now, we'll get a gap where we can work on some things. And it's always good when you can work on it after a win.''

Delaware will be entering this matchup following its first loss of the season, a 66-56 setback last Saturday at George Washington.

The Blue Hens (9-1) were led by Collin Goss' career-best 15 points, 12 from Nate Darling and 10 points and five assists from Kevin Anderson.

"There's a chip on your shoulder anytime you leave a school, and you always want to play better against them," said Goss, who transferred from George Washington to Delaware. "As a team we feel like we're in a good place at 9-1 heading into the Villanova game."

The nine consecutive wins to open this season set a school record and this battle against Villanova will be a major litmus test for the Blue Hens.

"We got some good looks around the rim and in transition, but just couldn't get the ball to go in the basket," Delaware head coach Martin Ingelsby said. "Our defense kept us in the game, but they were able to get downhill in the last five minutes. This was a tough, physical game and the experience will help us moving forward.

"We're disappointed we didn't get it, but we'll use it as a learning experience and as motivation back at practice."

For the first time this season, Delaware will be looking to start a new winning streak.

"We've made unbelievable progress, not just on the basketball court, but in our basketball program, in our culture and what we've established," Ingelsby said. "I love our team. I love our group."

--Field Level Media