In the past few years, Villanova has emerged as one of the best programs in the country. They have dominated the new Big East and is the league’s premier program. In 2016 they won their second national championship on a buzzer-beater by Kris Jenkins, and two years later, throttled Michigan to win their second national championship in three years. But over the past 5 years, outside of those two national championships, Villanova has been knocked out in the second round by lower-seeded teams.
Still, National championships are national championships. Nova has obviously done well in that department. They have also seen a great deal of success on draft night, with six players being drafted in the last four years. In the 2018 Draft, Villanova saw four players selected in the first 33 picks, an unprecedented feat for the program. With all the success the program has seen over the past few years, last year was actually a bit of a letdown, despite winning 26 games, and adding a Big East regular season and conference title. That is how expectations have changed in Philadelphia.
Jermaine Samuels. ? pic.twitter.com/Jp63bTs8h1
— Villanova MBB (@NovaMBB) January 13, 2019
Key Returners
- Jermaine Samuels
- Collin Gillespie
- Saddiq Bey
- Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree
Nova returns some key players from last year’s squad, all of whom have seen plenty of playing time, but none who have been asked to be “the guy”. Jermaine Samuels is the player everyone is pegging to have a breakout year and I could not agree more. Samuels fits the Villanova mold well, a lanky 6’7 who played well down the stretch last year but will need to make a huge jump to live up to the hype surrounding him. Gillespie has proven himself a capable floor general and defender, with a solid outside shot to boot. Gillespie will be asked to run the show this year and I am uncertain if he will be up to the task, especially when Nova needs to set up their offense and score down the stretch, a role executed by Phil Booth last year.
Saddiq Bey was a super late commit to Villanova, and saw some good minutes last season, distinguishing himself a good wing defender and decent scoring option. Cosby-Roundtree has been a solid player for Nova over the past three years but has struggled away from the rim on both ends of the floor. He is a good rebounder, solid post scorer and can swat shots to the second row, but will need to continue to improve if this Nova squad wants to defend their Big East throne.
Key Losses
- Phil Booth
- Eric Paschall
Booth and Paschall were Villanova’s top two players last year, accounting for a large chunk of the scoring and were called upon time and again to make plays down the stretch. Booth was an integral piece in both of Villanova’s national championships, coming off the bench in 2016 and as a starter during their 2018 run. Paschall started out at Fordham where he was one of the league’s best players as a freshman but made the wise decision to transfer to Villanova nad flourished in Jay Wright’s system and was a glue guy. Now, Villanova will be asked to not only replace two of the program’s finest players of the past few years but also to replace what both brought to the team in terms of scoring, defense, rebounding, and leadership.
There goes BRYAN ANTOINE ?? @BryanAntoine_ @EmpireInvite pic.twitter.com/jjhdMrZlL2
— Overtime (@overtime) January 15, 2019
Key Newcomers
- Bryan Antoine
- Jeremiah Earl-Robinson
- Justin Moore
- Eric Dixon
Villanova’s 2019 recruiting class is impressive. Two top 20 players in Antoine and Earl-Robinson, neither of whom seemed like they would be heading to Villanova, but both ended up committing to Nova, shocking the blue bloods who were seen as the favorites to land them. Both are very talented players, Earl-Robinson is a good rebounder with a good basketball IQ, a solid mid-range shot and has the athleticism and strength to be a menace in the Big East. Antonie is a very strong athlete, with good ball-handling and passing skills who can attack the rim like few others. There is some concern about Antoine’s status heading into the season, as he has been injured for some time now. It is still up in the air whether Antoine will play at all this season, so this will be something to watch for.
With two five star recruits, one might disregard the other two commits Nova received. This would be a mistake. Justin Moore, a 6’4 guard, is known for his shooting and defense and can guard any position on the perimeter. Moore should fit in nicely into Nova’s system and see some good minutes this season. Their other commit, Eric Dixon is a 6’7 250-pound big man from Philly who has a knack for grabbing boards and a solid offensive game with a mid-range shot. His biggest asset is his size and surprising quickness for a player his size.
Projected Starting Five
- Collin Gillespie
- Justin Moore
- Jermain Samuels
- Saddiq Bey
- Jeremiah Earl-Robinson
Villanova Wildcats Season Outlook
Villanova has become one of those teams that year in, year out, people expect to be good. This year is no different. This is a strong squad with some quality upperclassmen, but also a lot of talented young guys who will be asked to step up this year. There might be some questions about whether or not Nova has even depth in their backcourt, or if they will be able to effectively replace what they lost, but this is Villanova basketball. Jay Wright is one of the best in business and if I were asked who could make this squad work, it’s him. They have the pieces to be one of the best teams in the country, but it will come down to this team simply living up to their billing.
Villanova was nearly knocked off their perch last year, almost losing the regular-season title to a strong Marquette squad, and then played a thrilling conference title game against a surging Seton Hall. They were able to beat Old Dominion in the first round but were then rocked by a Carsen Edwards lead Purdue squad, finishing the season 26-10, with a 13-5 conference record. This team will once again be challenged for their regular-season crown, this time by a Seton hall squad many expect to be one of the finest squads in the country. But, again, Villanova is Villanova. This team should be able to retain their crown as kings of the Big East. However, it will not be easy.
Record Prediction 24-5 (14-4)
The Villanova Wildcat’s non-conference schedule is highlighted by a game against Kansas in Philly, which should be a top ten matchup with both squads being loaded with talented players and two excellent coaches. They will also participate in the Myrtle Beach Invitational, where they will face a number of solid squads and will play the Philadelphia schools for the Big Five Title. They will also play UConn during their conference schedule, a preview of what is to come next year when UConn finally rejoins the Big East.
Villanova’s main challenger in the Big East will be Seton Hall, but the Big East should bounce back after a down year last season. There are a number of teams that will give Nova a run for their money regardless of how good Villanova is. But I expect the Wildcats to retain their Big East regular-season crown, comfortably qualify for the NCAA tournament and make a deep run this year.
