NCAA Basketball: Cleveland State, Nebraska and Villanova make up Mailbag

2. How does Villanova respond after the injury to Collin Gillespie?  Does it affect how far they go in March Madness? – Dave (@mulld37)

To bring everyone up to speed Villanova has lost their starting point guard Collin Gillespie for the season to a knee injury. It looked bad when he did it and it has been confirmed to be just as bad as initially thought. Injuries are always hard and you always feel for the individual who gets injured. Gillespie’s feels different. He was the point guard on their last National Championship team and he had really come into his own to lead this team.

Gillespie is one of the best players for a Villanova team who had a good chance to make the final four this season if they were able to remain healthy. The senior point guard was the type of guy who made all of his teammates better. He was also a huge threat from the three-point line and was one of the go-to guys late in games.

The point guard is currently averaging 14 points per game and five assists. He also shoots 38% from deep and 83% from the free throw line. He is one of the game’s best closers and Villanova is going to miss his ability to knock down shots late in games, especially in a tight one in the NCAA tournament.

As far as Villanova as a whole they probably are not going to win a National Championship now and likely won’t make a run to the Final Four. They are still good enough to make the elite eight and still have one of the best players in the country in Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Robinson-Earl is going to have to step his game up and take his game to another level but it’s nothing he is not capable of. The Wildcats only played seven guys significant minutes this year and one of them is going to have to enter the starting lineup.

Current starter Justin Moore, who was all set to assume the point guard duties is also hurt. Bryan Antoine is going to be tasked with running the offense and that is likely going to hurt Villanova. Moore is also a great passer, good three-point shooter, and can score, and without him, on the floor, the Wildcats are going to have to use super talented but often injured Antoine. Antoine is still extremely talented.

So while not having the senior leadership of Gillespie on the court the Wildcats will be okay talent-wise. It also doesn’t hurt Villanova that they have one of the best coaches in the game in Jay Wright. Villanova has been here before, they are a talented squad who many picked to win the National Title when the season began.

They are still likely going to be one of the top 12 seeds in the tournament and they will do their damage. Losing their leader hurts but Villanova has the bodies and talent to make up for it.