VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova hosts its only matinee game of the 2023-24 regular season at Finneran Pavilion Saturday when St. John's (10-4 overall, 2-1 BIG EAST) comes to campus. Tipoff is set for just after 1 p.m.
 
The game will air nationally on the Fox network (Fox 29 in Philadelphia) with Tim Brando and Donny Marshall on the call. The Villanova radio call from courtside will be handled by Ryan Fannon and Whitey Rigsby on the Villanova IHeart Radio Network (1480 AM in the Delaware Valley).
 
The Wildcats (10-4 overall, 3-0 BIG EAST) survived a late push by Xavier Wednesday night to post a 66-65 BIG EAST triumph. Hakim Hart (14 points, Eric Dixon (13 points) and Brendan Hausen (12 points) led a balanced Nova attack. Villanova got the win despite not making a field goal over the final 6:07 thanks to a defense that limited the Musketeers to .367 shooting on the night.
 
"We've had a lot of different types of battles this season," noted Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune, "and played a lot of different types of teams. We've had some great experiences and I think we're jelling, especially defensively."
 
The Wildcats enter this weekend's action as the only one of 11 BIG EAST squads thus far unblemished in conference action.
 
"Seeing all the different styles we have seen really prepares us for the Big East," said Neptune. "Every night you know you are going to go against a really good team with an elite coach. I think we're well prepared. Now we just have to go out and execute."
 
Like Villanova, St. John's features a roster with multiple new faces under its new coach, Rick Pitino.
 
"First and foremost, they're extremely talented," said Neptune. "Every person they put on the floor is a threat offensively. They come at you in waves defensively. They play a lot of different defenses and play extremely hard."
 
Forward Joel Soriano is fourth in the BIG EAST in scoring at 17.1 points per game and leads the league in rebounding at 10.4 caroms per contest. The Red Storm has won four of its last five with the only loss in that stretch a 69-65 defeat at Connecticut in a battle that wasn't decided until the game's final possession.
 
For its part, Villanova has captured its last four games after a 72-71 overtime loss at Kansas State on Dec. 5. First team All-BIG EAST guard Justin Moore suffered a right knee sprain in the first half of that game and has missed the last four games. His status officially remains day-to-day.
 
The Wildcats are 9-1 this season when making 30 percent or higher of their 3-point field goal attempts.