(Sports Network) - The third-ranked Villanova Wildcats and the Saint Joseph's Hawks will play a Philadelphia Big 5 rivalry game at The Palestra, one of college basketball's most revered venues.

Villanova is a perfect 8-0 to date, and with victories over the likes of Dayton, Ole Miss and Maryland, it is obvious that the team has faced its fair share of challenges. Sunday's 95-86 triumph over the Terrapins enabled the Wildcats to move to 4-0 on a neutral court. Jay Wright's 'Nova squad is a member of the Big East Conference, arguably the nation's elite league. With plenty of top-notch competition awaiting once conference play gets underway, it is important to continue racking up non-league wins. The 'Cats have won at least eight straight to open a season for the third time in the last five years.

Saint Joseph's kicked off the season with three consecutive victories, including a four-point decision over Boston College of the ACC. While the fast start sparked optimism and excitement, four consecutive losses since that point have muffled the enthusiasm. On Sunday, Phil Martelli's team fell to Cornell of the Ivy League in a 78-66 final.

The Wildcats hold a 42-24 series advantage over the Hawks, which includes a 59-56 triumph over Saint Joseph's last season.

In the win over Maryland on Sunday, the Wildcats struggled a bit with their shooting, something that has happened in many games this season. Scottie Reynolds poured in 25 points from the backcourt, but his 7-of-18 effort from the field wasn't exactly impressive. Fellow guard Corey Fisher added 20 points, and Corey Stokes netted 18 points. As for Taylor King, he provided 13 points off the bench. Reynolds dished out eight assists for the 'Cats, who got 11 rebounds from Antonio Pena. They forced 19 turnovers and earned a 45-33 rebounding advantage, two obvious reasons for the victory. Reynolds (15.3 ppg) and Fisher (12.9 ppg) are the top two scores for the team this season, but both are shooting no better than 38 percent from the field overall. Stokes, the third starting guard in the lineup, is a 39.1 percent shooter, and the efficiency from the backcourt trio must improve. Pena provides 12.8 ppg and 10.6 rpg, while King adds 11.5 ppg. Villanova is generating 82.4 ppg through eight outings, and the club is limiting opponents to 66.6 ppg on 38.5 percent shooting.

Saint Joseph's is scoring 68.6 ppg this season on 41.2 percent shooting from the field, and the team is allowing 73.7 ppg to opponents. Rebounding has been an obvious area of weakness, as the Hawks are pulling down 7.4 fewer rpg than the opposition. Darrin Govens leads SJU with 12.1 ppg, but his 33.8 percent field goal efficiency is downright embarrassing. Garrett Williamson checks in with 11.9 ppg, and he leads the team with 26 turnovers. Idris Hilliard provides 10.1 ppg for the Hawks, who shot a lackluster 36.2 percent from the floor while allowing 52.6 percent efficiency to Cornell in Sunday's loss. Saint Joseph's did earn a 21-7 edge in points from the foul line, but that advantage was overshadowed by otherwise poor play. Williamson scored 14 points against the Big Red, and Govens added 10 points.





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