Villanova Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Wildcats

SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 02: Jalen Brunson #1 of the Villanova Wildcats raises the trophy and celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Michigan Wolverines during the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. Villanova defeated Michigan 79-62. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /

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SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 02: Head coach Jay Wright and Paschall of the Villanova Wildcats discuss. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Season Projections

Heading into the year, Villanova basketball should be the preseason favorite to win the Big East once again. Even if the Wildcats are not as talented as they have been the past few years, Jay Wright is clearly the best coach in the conference and the roster is more than talented enough to be the frontrunner to command the league once again. In my opinion, there are a ton of contenders for the title (Marquette, Butler, Xavier, St. John’s, etc.) but all have more question marks than the Wildcats.

In terms of where the team will rank nationally, I believe that Villanova will be a preseason top-10 team in the country. And, if all goes according to plan, the Wildcats will improve throughout the year as the freshmen gel with the rest of the roster. If this is the case, Villanova should remain a top-10 team all season with a few litmus tests in the non-conference slate (Michigan, Kansas, etc.).

Head coach Jay Wright is clearly one of the best nationally and I believe that many people are underrating the combined talent of Villanova’s last two recruiting classes. When taken together, Villanova’s underclassmen are among the tops in the country.

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Considering these factors, an NCAA Tournament bid is almost a guarantee for Villanova. The roster is deep, the coaching is superb, and there is a strong mix of veterans and youngsters. Could Villanova once again be a championship contender this year? I think so.

Projections: 1st in the Big East – No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.