VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Villanova Wildcats (2-1 overall, 0-0 BIG EAST) make their first ever visit to the Breslin Student Events Center, home of the Michigan State Spartans (2-1 overall, 0-0 BIG EAST) for a Gavitt Games matchup Friday night. The contest is set to tip just after 8 p.m. on FS1 (Aaron Goldsmith and Bill Raftery).
 
Ryan Fannon and Whitey Rigsby will have the radio call on the Villanova Sports Radio Network.
 
The Wildcats shook off a pesky challenge from Delaware State on Monday night at Finneran Pavilion to post a 60-50 win. The Hornets held a 27-24 lead at halftime before Villanova – with a boost from freshmen guards Mark Armstrong and Brendan Hausen – rallied and eventually put the game in the win column.
 
Eric Dixon led the way with 17 points and seven rebounds.
 
Michigan State, meanwhile, knocked off No. 4 Kentucky in double overtime, 86-77, at the Champions Classic Tuesday night in Indianapolis. Last week, the Spartans fell to No. 2 Gonzaga 64-63 in a game played on an aircraft carrier in San Diego.
 
Villanova is 1-2 in its previous Gavitt Games appearances, winning at Purdue (79-76) in 2016 and then falling to Michigan (73-46) at Finneran Pavilion in 2018 and Ohio State in 2019 (76-51).
 
With Justin Moore and Cam Whitmore still recovering from their injuries, the Wildcats have leaned on a veteran core of Brandon Slater, Caleb Daniels and Dixon in the early going. Each played a prominent role in 2021-22 as Villanova captured the 2022 BIG EAST Tournament title at Madison Square Garden and then reached the NCAA Final Four in New Orleans.
 
The rest of the cast surrounding the trio has very limited experience. Sophomore Jordan Longino averaged 9.4 minutes per game a season ago before his campaign ended prior to the NCAA Tournament due to arthroscopic surgery on his knee. Current senior Chris Arcidiacono averaged 8.6 minutes per game. Angelo Brizzi redshirted and is now in his first season while forward Trey Patterson logged a total of 63 minutes.
 
Armstrong and Hausen are both freshmen.
 
"We're a work in progress," noted Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune after Monday night's win.
 
Of Friday night's clash, Neptune said the focus remains the same.
 
"We're always looking forward to our next game," stated the first year Wildcats head coach, who served as an assistant coach to Jay Wright from 2013-21 before assuming the head coaching duties at Fordham University in April 2021.
 
"Our ultimate goal is to be the best team we can be by the end of the season. It doesn't matter who we play. On Monday, (Delaware State) was the biggest game on our schedule. Now, that becomes Michigan State. That's all we're thinking about right now."
 
Friday night's contest kicks off a stretch of four in a row played away from the Delaware Valley for Villanova. Next week, the Wildcats travel to Portland, Ore., to take part in the PK Invitational at Thanksgiving. The first of three games in Oregon is set for Thanksgiving Day at 3:30 p.m. eastern, as the 'Cats meet Iowa State.