BIG EAST BASKETBALL

NO. 3 VILLANOVA AT PROVIDENCE AT DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER, 7 P.M. TV/Radio: Records:

FS1/WTEL (610AM). Villanoa (23-2 overall, 10-2 Big East); Providence (16-9, 7-5).

Probable starters for Villanova:

Jalen Brunson 6-3 Jr. G (20.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.7 apg, 54 FG percentage, 44 3-point FG percentage); Mikal Bridges 6-7 Jr. G/F (16.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 48 FG percentage, 40 3-point field goal percentage); Donte DiVincenzo 6-5 RSo. G (14.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 49 FG percentage, 40 3-point FG percentage); Omari Spellman 6-8 RFr. F (10.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 48 FG percentage, 44 3-point FG percentage); Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree 6-9 Fr. F (3.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg).

Probable starters for Providence:

Rodney Bullock 6-8 Sr. F (14.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg); Alpha Diallo 6-7 So. G (12.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 47.5 FG percentage); Kyron Cartwright 5-11 Sr. G (10.9 ppg, 6.0 apg); Isaiah Jackson 6-6 Jr. G (8.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg); Kalif Young 6-9 So. F (5.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg).

The Wildcats embark on a tough finishing stretch. Villanova plays four of its last six games on the road including games at No. 4 Xavier Saturday, Creighton (Feb. 24) and Seton Hall (Feb. 28). Injuries continue to be a problem. Guard Phil Booth is out with a fractured bone in his right hand and forward Eric Paschall is still in the concussion protocol and is questionable. DiVincenzo is averaging 18.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists since being inserted into the starting lineup five games ago. Brunson is averaging 25.2 points per game over that same stretch. Villanova has won the last four meetings at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Like the Wildcats, the Friars have been plagued by injuries and illness, the latest being the head injury that kept guard Jalen Lindsay, the team’s best 3-point shooter, out of last Saturday’s 80-63 loss to DePaul at home. His absence was felt as the Friars went 2-for19 from deep. That was the third time Providence was held to two triples in a game. The Friars lost all three games. The loss to DePaul snapped a two-game winning streak. Providence has lost four in a row at home to the Wildcats, but three of those four losses were by single digits.

A look at Villanova: A look at Providence: