NCAA Basketball: Purdue, Marquette rise in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
14. Villanova (6-1)
No one was happy with how things transpired at Villanova last season, as the program slipped early from the national rankings and finished at .500. It was a tough start for Kyle Neptune and this program, certainly hampered by injuries and inconsistent play. This year started with similar optimism but the Wildcats seem to be playing a bit better than last year’s team three weeks into the season, even considering that upset loss at Penn.
Villanova got three great performances at the Battle 4 Atlantis, starting with an 85-69 victory over Texas Tech on Wednesday. Eric Dixon had 19 points while Justin Moore put up 18. Their semifinal on Thanksgiving was a really exciting affair, as the Wildcats pulled out an 83-81 overtime win over North Carolina, getting a dynamic 34-point, 10-rebound effort from Dixon. By far their best efforts came in the title game in a 79-63 win over Memphis. Villanova led by as many as 35 points before coasting to a win, featuring double-digit scoring efforts from all five starters.
For three straight days, Villanova proved that they were the best program down in the Bahamas and certainly put that loss to the Quakers far in the rearview mirror. It’s probably still too early to make sweeping statements about these Wildcats, especially with a few truly elite teams in their conference, but Villanova can make noise this year after last season’s struggles. The only challenge in this upcoming week is a home date with Saint Joseph’s.