NCAA Basketball: Ranking the Sweet 16 teams in 2022 NCAA Tournament
By Joey Loose
4. Villanova (#2 seed)
Villanova just keeps winning games when it matters the most. The Wildcats might not have been able to pass Providence in the conference standings, even after beating them twice, but shook off a slow start to the season to win another Big East Tournament title. With a strong offense and potent defense, Villanova has looked the part of a team that can make another deep Tourney run this season.
Star Collin Gillespie was on the 2018 Villanova squad that won the national championship and he certainly wants a second taste of that gold. He had 14 points in an 80-60 win over 15-seed Delaware, while Justin Moore led the way with 21 points for the Wildcats. Gillespie then led Villanova with 20 points in a stellar 71-61 win over 7-seed Ohio State, with Jalen Samuels’s 17 points important as well.
After taking care of Ohio State, a date with Michigan awaits the Wildcats, looking to get back to the Final Four for the first time since that 2018 title-winning season. Their offense has played fantastic ball in the tournament, and the defense has started to pick up the slack in recent weeks, going back to their victory in the Big East title game. Villanova is a legitimate threat; especially if they continue to be a consistent threat from outside the arc.