Villanova Basketball: Is this the Wildcats' year?

Can Villanova basketball advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament?

We have officially dawned a new era in college basketball. After this Saturday, in which Oklahoma, North Carolina, Arizona and Maryland all suffered defeats, the 2015-2016 season has officially become the year of the upset.

To date, teams ranked inside the Top 10 have suffered 74 losses, a new NCAA record. Add in the fact that the rankings are in a constant state of flux, and it is clear that not even the nationally accredited experts have any idea how to assess the NCAA landscape. But in the year of the upset, is it possible that a top ranked team like the Villanova Wildcats can take home the hardware?

This of course would be the ultimate irony, as Jay Wright and company have a reputation for flopping come March. The Wildcats have not made it past the first weekend since the 2009 season, when they lost to UNC in the Final Four.

In the past 5 years, the Wildcats have played well enough to earn a No. 1 seed last year and a No. 2 seed on two separate occasions. Yet, their high seedings have yet to bear any fruition, as last years’ heart breaking loss to NC State has seem to become the norm for ‘Nova Nation.

However, in the craze that has ensued in the 2015-2016 college hoops season, Villanova has remained relatively steadfast. The ‘Cats have suffered four losses, and have no major blemishes on their record. They have lost to Oklahoma, Virginia and Xavier, all of whom are considered to be serious national title contenders. Their only other speed-bump, thus far, came in the form of Providence when the Friars seemed to be peaking.

Not only have the Wildcats not suffered any bad losses, they have not been playing down to their competition either. Besides minor scares against St. John’s and Butler, Villanova has handled every test with ease to this point. They have steamrolled through the highly competitive Big East and will look to keep that momentum going as to calendar turn to March.

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One of the keys to success for the Wildcats has been their terrific ability to work as a unit on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats have one of the toughest defenses in the league, allowing 63.1 points per game, and holding opponents under 40% shooting while doing so. The Wildcats have also demonstrated strength in their ability to pressure opponents, as their 1-3-1 full-court set is one of the best defensive schemes in the nation.

On offense, Villanova is fortunate enough to have a multitude of options. Josh Hart is leading the team in scoring and is making a case for why he should be considered for Big East Player of the Year. Senior center Daniel Ochefu is also shooting over 60% from the floor, and he is a threat to size up or kick it out whenever he is on the low block.

Kris Jenkins has also been on fire recently, posting 19 points in the first half against Xavier, another physical and fundamentally sound team.

Of course there is also reigning co-Big East Player of the Year, Ryan Arcidiacono. While he is not as effective as he was last year, Arcidiacono has been able to give the Wildcats a boost when they need it, and he runs the point extremely well.

The bottom line is that in this paradoxical year of NCAA Basketball, the Wildcats are undeniably a title contender. They are one of the most sound teams in the nation and despite the chaos that has occurred, the Wildcats have remained consistent.

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Although it may be hard to imagine given their recent history, look for Villanova to be playing well into March and potentially in Houston in April.

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Villanova Basketball: Is this the Wildcats’ year?

By Joe Albano | Feb 29, 2016

Can Villanova basketball advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament?

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