While you are enjoying Harriton Rams Basketball this winter, take the time to turn on the television to watch local NCAA Division 1 College Basketball teams. Look for two local and dynamic teams: Villanova University and St. Joseph’s University. Villanova, a Big East perennial powerhouse, is right around the corner from Harriton, a mere mile down the road. St. Joe’s is located in Philadelphia, about 6 miles from Harriton. Both teams are aspiring to do great things this year. They posted positive results in the annual March Madness tournament last season, until falling to the eventual champion, the UConn Huskies, St. Joe’s in the second round, and Villanova consecutively.

The Villanova Wildcats have hit the ground running this season, gunning off to an undefeated 10-0 record. They now comfortably lead the Big East Conference. So far, the Wildcats have excelled at moving the ball and getting it in the hoop, ranking 54th in assists per game and points scored. Additionally, they are shooting the ball efficiently, coming in at 41st in the NCAA in field goal percentage. Dylan Ennis, the starting point guard, leads the Wildcats with 12.6 PPG, and is second in assists, posting 3.1 APG. Daniel Ochefu is a force below the basket, leading the team in rebounds with 7.1 RPG, and even posting a stellar 1.4 BPG. Another contributing factor to ‘Nova’s success is their stifling defense. The Wildcats rank 24th in points allowed, and 22nd in steals per game. Be sure to look out for this squad when March Madness comes around!

Meanwhile, the St. Joseph’s Hawks have played solid basketball, with a 5-4 record this season thus far. They are sitting in 1st place in the Atlantic 10 Conference. This year, sophomore forward DeAndre Bembry is the star with 14.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 2.6 APG, leading the Hawks in scoring and rebounding. Bembry has also been an absolute force on defense, averaging 2.1 BPG and 0.8 SPG. Another solid player to look out for is junior forward Isaiah Miles, averaging 8.9 PPG and 5.9 RPG. Miles is another key component of the Hawks’ defense, putting up 0.9 BPG and 0.7 SPG. Look out for the Hawks as they look to win the A10 conference again!

There are no upcoming match ups during the regular season for these local rivals to play each other. However, there is a small chance they could meet in March Madness tournament play. The rivalry between the Wildcats and Hawks has been described as the “Holy War,” a reference to the two different types of Roman Catholicism practiced by the schools. Currently, Villanova leads the series 46-25. The last matchup between the teams was played earlier this season on Hawks’ home turf, at Hagan Arena, where the Wildcats came out victorious 98-68.

Both teams took to the court this Saturday, December 20th. The Hawks took down the Marist Red Foxes in Poughkeepsie, New York, while the Wildcats bested their archrival, the Syracuse Orange, for an exciting overtime victory. These local gems should definitely provide entertainment throughout the season, giving us a much needed basketball team to root for while the Philadelphia 76ers work to rebuild.