NCAA Tournament Opening Round: Villanova To Battle Delaware

SOUTHEASTERN PA — Philadelphia will take center stage during the NCAA tournament on Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh, as Villanova University's storied basketball program takes on the University of Delaware.

The second seeded Wildcats are among a handful of favorites for the title, as they look to win their third national title in six years with head coach Jay Wright. They'll battle a 15th-seeded Delaware team that bulldozed their way into the tournament.

The Villanova men's team won in both 2016 and 2018, and reached the Sweet 16 before a heartbreaking elimination in 2021. The 2022 version of Villanova's perennial contender went 26-7 during the regular season, and most recently topped both UConn and Creighton on its way to the Big East title.

Nova is led by guard Colin Gillispie, the Huntingdon Valley native who averaged 14.3 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and a steal per game during the season.

Delaware is led by another name with legendary Philadelphia sports ties: Jameer Nelson Jr., son of St. Joseph's star Jameer Nelson, who went on to a successful career in the NBA after giving Philly a taste of March Madness back when he took the Hawks to the Elite Eight in 2004. The younger Nelson has racked up 13.7 points per games for the Blue Hens.

The game brings conflicted loyalties into play for many in the region, as Delaware pulls much of its student body and fanbase from Philadelphia. In some cases the choice may be nearly impossible, as Twitter user JeffMcDev notes, like for the Mare of Easttown.

"Who is Mare Sheehan pulling for in Villanova/Delaware? Like most Delco moms I assume she pulls for the underdog, but I also bet she took a night class at Villanova or something. Definitely has a hoodie. Tough call."

Tip off is 2:45 p.m. Friday out at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.