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NCAA Basketball: Will Reid Travis ultimately choose Kentucky or Villanova?

By Tristan Freeman

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 21: Reid Travis
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 21: Reid Travis /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 31: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats gestures in the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four Semifinal at the Alamodome on March 31, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 31: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats gestures in the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four Semifinal at the Alamodome on March 31, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Villanova Wildcats

Outgoing frontcourt players: Omari Spellman

Incoming frontcourt players: Cole Swider (No. 42 ranked recruit)

Returning frontcourt players: Eric Paschall and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree

The defending national champs may not recruit as well as Kentucky yet, but they have some quality players themselves. They’ll need them to have a big impact early on, considering that four of the starters on the title team left for the draft early.

The hope for Villanova fans is that lone returner Eric Paschall will be paired with Travis to form a lethal frontcourt in the Big East. With Phil Booth leading the newly revamped backcourt, the former Cardinal will have the support needed to excel down low.

One area that Villanova should have the edge over Kentucky is playing time, with a need for another big man down low. If any of the five-star bigs in Lexington become starts, that’ll cut into Travis’s time on the court. Considering that he’s a grad transfer, it’d be a decision that would hurt his pro prospects badly.

That won’t be the case for head coach Jay Wright’s team in terms of playing time. However, the Wildcats from the Big East like to play small ball, which could affect Travis as well.

Next: Top 30 Grad Transfers for 2018-19

Both teams have a need for him, with the winner of the Travis sweepstakes being the clear frontrunner in their respective conferences, as well as an absolute threat to win it all. The rosters for the 2018-19 season are just about set, now we’ll just need Travis to decide so the picture will be clear. He should decide within the next week.

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