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Villanova Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Wildcats

By Lukas Harkins

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 02: A general view of the Villanova Wildcats basketball rack prior to the game against the Butler Bulldogs at the Wells Fargo Center on March 2, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 02: A general view of the Villanova Wildcats basketball rack prior to the game against the Butler Bulldogs at the Wells Fargo Center on March 2, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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VILLANOVA, PA – FEBRUARY 27: Samuels and Cosby-Roundtree react. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
VILLANOVA, PA – FEBRUARY 27: Samuels and Cosby-Roundtree react. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Villanova basketball is an elite program constantly in the national spotlight. What might be in store for the 2019-20 season for the Wildcats?

It is no secret that Villanova basketball is one of the best programs in the nation. Head coach Jay Wright has clearly transformed the Wildcats into a perennial national title contender and their two championship banners in the last five years showcase that. Looking ahead to this coming season, Villanova will have to replace two key seniors in Eric Paschall and Phil Booth but there are still very high expectations for the team.

In addition to returning a few strong pieces from last year, Coach Wright is also bringing in the No. 5 overall recruiting class in the country. As a result of their impressive personnel and highly-regarded coaching, Villanova is widely expected to be a preseason top-10 team in the country this season. While that is definitely a high bar to reach, the ‘Cats have earned that level of respect considering their play in the “New Big East.”

Even though the Big East is expected to be arguably the most competitive major conference in the country this year, Villanova is regarded as the preseason favorite. Seton Hall, Xavier, and others can definitely be regarded as contenders but the Wildcats will likely receive the majority of the votes to be the top team in the league.

There are some concerns regarding the youth of this team but their talent level is indisputable. Additionally, Jay Wright is the best coach in the conference and it is not particularly close. Now, with the upcoming campaign drawing closer, let’s take a deeper dive into Villanova with a season preview for 2019-20.