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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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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 14: Gillespie of Villanova celebrates. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 14: Gillespie of Villanova celebrates. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images) /

Projected Starting Backcourt

Collin Gillespie | G | 6-foot-3 | 191 lbs | Junior

One of the more rock-solid returning guards in the country, Collin Gillespie looks poised to take the next step with his game this year. The 6-foot-3 junior will need to emerge as a backcourt leader for the Wildcats this season and he has grown behind some of the best over the past couple of seasons. He is a dangerous perimeter threat and a solid all-around contributor. Although he will not make the most headlines this season, Gillespie will be Villanova’s vocal leader.

Gillespie was a major breakout player last year and his development in the future will be interesting to watch. Over the course of last season, Gillespie started every single game for Coach Wright and averaged 10.9 points (.409/.379/.839), 2.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in just under 30 minutes per game. He will reprise his role as a starter this season and will be asked to shoulder a bit more of the offensive burden.

Justin Moore | G | 6-foot-4 | 210 lbs | Freshman

Although not the most highly-rated player in Villanova’s recruiting class, Justin Moore might be forced into a starting role right away. This is due to the idea that Bryan Antoine, the expected starting shooting guard, could miss significant time due to injury. With that said, though, it would be a mistake to simply overlook the fact that Moore was the No. 57 overall recruit in the 2019 class. He is definitely capable of being a major impact performer as a freshman.

Moore brings plenty of size to the wing at 6-foot-4 with a college-ready body. He is already quite strong and uses this to advantage when creating shots for himself. He can fill it up at all three levels and should be an impact scorer right away. Moore can beat his defender off the dribble or operate in catch-and-shoot situations. He should be a reliable scoring option for the team regardless of whether he is starting or coming off the bench. It is also important to note that Moore is a solid rebounder and defender for his position.

Bryan Antoine | G | 6-foot-5 | 175 lbs | Freshman

(Note: Antoine will likely miss time at the beginning of this season but will join the starting lineup when healthy. There will be six projected starters in this piece as a result but the shooting guard spot will be dependent on Antoine’s availability. If Antoine is deemed healthy right away, Moore will be moved to a reserve spot.)

As an incoming five-star freshman, Bryan Antoine could be Villanova’s best overall player this season. He is arriving as the No. 17 overall recruit in the class and is a dynamite scoring guard. With that said, though, he is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and his timetable to return to the court remains unclear. Once he returns to 100%, though, you can be sure that Antoine will be a big-time contributor. He will likely take Justin Moore’s spot in the starting lineup at that point.

As a player, Antoine is an incredible athlete full of quickness and elite-level leaping. He finishes at an incredibly high rate around the basket and is steadily improving as a perimeter threat. He also uses his size and length to cover multiple positions on the defensive end. He could easily be a one-and-done for the Wildcats while teaming with JRE to form one of the nation’s best freshmen duos. He will, though, need to be healthy.