VILLANOVA, Pa. – The two teams atop the BIG EAST standings throughout the 2020-21 regular season, No. 10 Villanova and No. 14 Creighton, are set to meet Wednesday night with much on the line in the final week of the regular season. The BIG EAST Tournament is scheduled to begin on March 10.
 
            The Wildcats, who dropped a 73-61 verdict at Butler Sunday, bring a 10-3 league mark (.769) into Wednesday night's contest. Creighton, which fell at Xavier on Saturday is 17-6 overall, 13-5 BIG EAST (.722). In the season played under the shadow of COVID-19 with all teams not able to reach the scheduled 20-game campaign, winning percentage will be used to determine the regular season champion.
 
            The clash Wednesday night airs on FS1 with Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery describing the action for the national audience. Ryan Fannon and Whitey Rigsby have the Villanova radio call from Finneran Pavilion, which can be heard locally on 95.7 Ben FM and everywhere on the TuneIn app.
 
            Tipoff is set for approximately 8:40 p.m.
 
            Prior to the game, Villanova will recognize six of its student office assistants and managers in a revamped ceremony respectful of COVID realities. That group includes Alex Arrigale, Liz Ford, Arlene Niles, Bridget Kennedy, Mack Muller, and Ryan Susanin.
 
            It will then honor a quartet of student-athletes who have played a part in 101 victories, two BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles and the 2018 NCAA national championship.
 
            Kevin Hoehn, a former practice player who earned a roster place in December of 2018, has missed all of 2020-21 due to a torn achilles tendon suffered in the fall. In addition, 6-9 forward Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree has not played a minute this season and underwent surgery on his left tibia after Christmas. In the prior three seasons, Cosby-Roundtree appeared in 105 games, including 17 starting assignments.
 
            Recently Cosby-Roundtree has been completing his surgical rehab work outside the team's COVID bubble. Yet his voice remains an important one internally for the Wildcats.
 
            "Da Da's still a huge part of what we do now," noted fellow senior Collin Gillespie. "His voice is still there as one of our leaders."
 
            Hoehn and Cosby-Roundtree will take part in Wednesday night's pregame festivities.
 
            Villanova's other two seniors, Jermaine Samuels and Gillespie, have been front and center throughout 2020-21. On Sunday, Samuels became the 50^th Wildcat to haul down 500 or more career rebounds (504) and his team is 31-5 when the native of Franklin, Mass., scores in double digits since the start of the 2018-19 season.
            Gillespie, of course, is a decorated senior who is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award as well as the Senior CLASS Award.
 
            The Bluejays, of course, will pose a formidable challenge once the pregame fanfare is complete. Creighton has taken the last two meetings between the teams, including an 86-70 decision on Feb. 13 in Omaha. The 86 points were the most allowed by the 'Cats all season.
 
            "When they get going offensively, as they did in the second half of that game," noted Wildcats head coach Jay Wright, "they are as dangerous as anybody in the country. We had a real tough time guarding them."
 
            Villanova will close out the regular season Saturday at Providence (2:30 p.m. on Fox and 95.7 Ben FM).