Villanova, PA -- (Sports Network) - The eighth-ranked Villanova Wildcats are clearly favored in tonight's non-conference clash with the Delaware Blue Hens.

Delaware has won two of its last three games, good news considering the fact that the team lost six of its first seven. The 3-7 Blue Hens were most recently in action on Sunday when they knocked off Vermont by a 56-50 final. They are members of the Colonial Athletic Association and lost the only league game they have played to date back in early December.

As for Villanova, it opened the season with nine consecutive victories before finally dropping a decision to Philadelphia rival Temple by a 75-65 final. The Wildcats were upset with the way that they played in that contest and took out their anger on Fordham on Saturday, crushing the Rams by a 96-58 final. Villanova is once again expected to contend for the Big East Conference crown this season, but the competition will be stiff as usual.

Villanova has won all seven previous meetings with Delaware.

The Blue Hens are scoring only 63.3 ppg on 39.3 percent shooting from the field, including 26.8 percent from three-point range. Clearly, there are major problems to be worked out at the offensive end of the court. The club is committing more than 17 turnovers per tilt while surrendering 74.4 ppg to the opposition. Jawan Carter is shooting a mere 35.7 percent from the floor, but he is scoring 17.2 ppg to go along with 4.5 apg. Alphonso Dawson is the only other double-digit scorer in the fold, as he provides 11.1 ppg. Carter poured in 26 points in 39 minutes against Vermont on Sunday, and he got plenty of help from Kelvin McNeil, who finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds. The Blue Hens turned the ball over 21 times and shot a mere 33.9 percent from the floor, but they earned a 46-35 rebounding edge and held the Catamounts to 30.4 percent shooting.

There are five players averaging double figures in scoring for Villanova this season, and guard Scottie Reynolds leads the way with 16.7 ppg. Antonio Pena provides 13.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg, while Corey Fisher (13.4 ppg, 4.5 apg) and Taylor King (11.2 ppg) have also performed well for the 'Cats, who are generating 83.4 ppg while limiting opponents to 68.6 ppg on 39.6 percent shooting from the field. In the recent rout of Fordham, Pena, Reynolds and Fisher all scored 17 points. Reggie Redding made his first appearance of the season and tallied 15 points in hitting 6-of-9 field goal attempts, and he added nine rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks to his impressive stat line. Maalik Wayne contributed 12 points for VU in the win, and the team as a whole connected on 52.9 percent of its total shots while holding the Rams to 32.3 percent. A 46-30 rebounding edge also helped the Wildcats' cause.