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Texas to host Villanova in Big 12-Big East Challenge

Shaka Smart’s team won’t play Gonzaga this season, but maintained a marquee home non-conference game against ‘Nova.

By Wescott Eberts
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NCAA Basketball: Providence at Villanova Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The first of four Big 12-Big East Challenges will feature the No. 19 Texas Longhorns and the No. 3 Villanova Wildcats at the Erwin Center on Dec. 6 on ESPN, the school announced on Monday.

The matchups were determined by the two conferences and will continue annually through the 2022-23 season.

Texas is 2-1 against Villanova, with the first matchup occurring in 2006, a 58-55 win by the No. 6 Longhorns over the No. 3 Wildcats. Villanova notched a win in Philadelphia the next season, but fell to Texas in 2008 during the Jimmy V Classic.

Villanova head coach Jay Wright returns for his 20th season at the helm of the Wildcats after going 24-7 last season and finishing first in the Big East. Leading scorer Saddiq Bey declared for the 2020 NBA Draft, but ‘Nova does return four players who averaged double-digit points per game in 2019-20. Included in that group are point guard Collin Gillepsie, who led the team in assists, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who led the team in rebounding.

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