Villanova’s last tune-up before the basketball opener raises a question: Who’s No. 2 behind Eric Dixon?

Villanova defeated Robert Morris, 87-73, in a preseason charity exhibition game Sunday afternoon at the Finneran Pavilion. Here are three observations from the Wildcats’ win:

Eric Dixon led all scorers with 28 points for Villanova, as one would expect. The preseason All-Big East first team forward displayed his full offensive arsenal, converting on 11 of 16 shots, including five three-pointers.

“I look at Eric Dixon as the most versatile player, possibly, in the country,” coach Kyle Neptune said after the game. “Offensively, there’s nothing that he can’t do. Catch and shoot, post up, he can isolate from the perimeter, finish around the rim, and I think he’s a much improved passer. Any time you can fill that many boxes, it makes it tough on the defense.”

Dixon’s 5-of-9 day from beyond the arc was a welcome sight for the Wildcats. In his redshirt sophomore season, Dixon converted on 48.6% of his triples in a 35-shot sample size. In the two proceeding seasons, Dixon was below 38% from deep in at least three times as many attempts.

Even with the grad student’s skills, a question still looms for the Cats: Who will lead the offense with Dixon off the floor?

It’s an important question in the short term, as Dixon will sit out the team’s opener against Lafayette, serving a one-game NCAA suspension for participating in the Portsmouth Invitational in the summer. in the long term, the Wildcats will need to find an offensive option to go to in short periods when Dixon is on the bench.

» READ MORE: 5 big questions about Big 5 men’s basketball teams this season

Senior guard Wooga Poplar, who averaged 13.1 points last season at Miami, struggled against the Colonials. He shot 2-for-10 from the field and 0-for-8 from three. Graduate guard Jhamir Brickus commanded the offense well, but he struggled from the floor as well.

Senior guard Jordan Longino may be an option. He had an impressive 21-point showing Sunday, shooting 8-for-12 from the field. Longino, who has dealt with several lower-body injuries over the course of his time at Villanova, has never logged a 20-point regular-season performance. But a healthy offseason was a gift for Longino.

“I don’t think a lot of people have seen him a lot when he’s healthy,” Neptune said. “We know what he’s capable of. None of this is a surprise to us. When he’s healthy he’s a high-level defender, a number one defender who can guard one through five. He’s a guy that can play every position on the floor. He can shoot it, he can pass it, he can finish at the rim, he can post up. He’s a really versatile guy for our team. He’s a force.”

Matthew Hodge, a four-star freshman forward, did not appear in the exhibition, as he is waiting on the completion of his NCAA initial eligibility process. He was in shorts in warmups and on the bench during the game.

Neptune said he was hopeful that Hodge would be cleared to play soon, calling it a “clearinghouse issue.” The Wildcats were also without redshirt freshman Jordann Dumont and redshirt junior Nnanna Njoku for the exhibition.

Villanova will open its season at home against Lafayette next Monday at 8 p.m. (Fox Sports 1).