Buckeyes to Host Villanova in Gavitt Games Nov. 13
5/29/2019 2:00:40 PM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State will face Villanova Nov. 13 in Columbus as part of the 2019 Gavitt Games, the Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday. The teams last met in the Maui Invitational Nov. 26, 2003, a 67-66 win for the Buckeyes, who are 2-1 in the all-time series with the Wildcats.
Time and television (FS1 or BTN) will be announced at a later date.
“The Gavitt Games, in honor of the late Dave Gavitt, once again are providing an outstanding opponent in this series,” Chris Holtmann, Ohio State head coach, said. “Villanova has proven to be a premier and model program in college basketball. They have terrific players and a Hall of Fame coach. This will be an outstanding home game for our fans and a tremendous challenge to an already very difficult non-conference slate.”
The teams first met during NCAA Tournament play March 18, 1939 in Philadelphia, a 53-36 Ohio State win. Villanova’s series victory was an 87-86 triumph in Honolulu, Hawaii, as part of the 1974 Rainbow Classic (12/30/74).
Holtmann, now in his third year as head coach of the Buckeyes, and Jay Wright, who has spent the last 18 years with the Wildcats, are familiar foes. While coaching in the Big East at Butler, Holtmann earned a pair of wins vs. Villanova while the Wildcats were ranked No. 1 or 2 nationally. The first was a 66-58 win Jan. 4, 2017 in Hinkle Fieldhouse vs. top-ranked Villanova. The second, vs. the No. 2-ranked Wildcats, was a 74-66 win at Villanova Feb. 22, 2017.
This is the third time Ohio State has played in the event and the fifth year overall for the games between the Big Ten and Big East. The event honors Dave Gavitt, founder of the Big East. Ohio State defeated Creighton (69-60) Nov. 15, 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska, and Providence (72-67) Nov. 17, 2016 at Value City Arena in Ohio State’s two prior appearances in the Gavitt Games.
Ohio State opens the 2019-20 season with a home game vs. intrastate foe Cincinnati. The Buckeyes also will face an ACC opponent in the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Kentucky in Las Vegas (Dec. 21) in the 2019 CBSSports Challenge and West Virginia Dec. 29 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse as part of the inaugural Cleveland Classic.
The Buckeyes, who have gone to the NCAA Tournament in each of Holtmann’s two years in Columbus, finished the 2019-20 season with an overall record of 20-15. Both Villanova and Ohio State have been rated among the Top 25 teams in several early 2019-20 season projections. Kentucky and Cincinnati are considered Top 25 teams.
