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Villanova Basketball: 2017-18 season preview for the Wildcats

By Lukas Harkins

BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 16: Will D. Cat, mascot for the Villanova Wildcats, peforms as they take on the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers in the second half during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 16, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 16: Will D. Cat, mascot for the Villanova Wildcats, peforms as they take on the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers in the second half during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 16, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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BUFFALO, NY – MARCH 16: Will D. Cat, mascot for the Villanova Wildcats, peforms as they take on the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers in the second half during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 16, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY – MARCH 16: Will D. Cat, mascot for the Villanova Wildcats, peforms as they take on the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers in the second half during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 16, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Villanova basketball is a powerhouse out of the Big East. What is in store for this upcoming season for head coach Jay Wright’s team?

Now with three straight seasons of 30+ wins, Villanova has asserted themselves as the dominant force in the Big East. In addition to taking conference titles left and right, the Wildcats added a NCAA Tournament title to their resume in 2016. Led by head coach Jay Wright, Villanova basketball is one of the best teams in the entire country year in and year out.

They have now made the NCAA Tournament in 12 out of the last 13 years and will be looking to return once again this season. Although talented seniors Josh Hart, Kris Jenkins, and Darryl Reynolds have now graduated, the team is still in good hands.

Along with several returning stars, including preseason Big East Player of the Year contender Jalen Brunson, Villanova is bringing in a very solid recruiting class. With two top-100 recruits in Jermaine Samuels and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree coming in, the future continues to look bright. That is, of course, without mentioning the returning players from last season.

There are lots of teams that have talent in college basketball, but having experience and team chemistry can be the difference between the second and the third weekend at the NCAA Tournament. Despite losing the stars of Villanova’s last deep run in the Big Dance, there is a new crop of players ready to take over now that it is their time to shine.

Villanova will be a preseason top-15 team in the country this season and the favorite to win the Big East. Let’s take a look at their starting lineup and key reserves to see how they might stack up against the rest of the country.