Bracketology 2024: Analyzing bubble resumes of 6 Big East at-large contenders
By Kyle Craib
Villanova Wildcats - 14-11 (7-7)
On paper, there are many positives to take away from Villanova’s 2023-24 campaign.
In Kyle Neptune’s second year with the Wildcats, certain aspects of his team’s offense rank among the best in college basketball. Villanova has made the most of their opportunities at the free throw line, leading the nation with an .817 clip from the charity stripe. The team’s 9.3 three-pointers per game rank also within the top 30 in the nation, all the while averaging only turning the ball over nine times per game.
So, what’s the issue? In short, this team has struggled against weaker competition.
An early season loss on the road against Pennsylvania (76-72), along with back-to-back losses against St. Joe’s (78-65) and Drexel (57-55), threw a wrench into what could have been a very positive first half for Villanova.
As a native of Toronto myself, a phenomenon known as “Blue and White disease'' has plagued our NHL team, the Maple Leafs. The moniker describes a team with an uncanny ability to play down to their competition’s level and it’s rather fitting that the Wildcats’ colour scheme fits the bill.
Villanova has helped salvage their NCAA Tournament case with early Quad 1 wins over Texas Tech (85-69) and UNC (83-81). While these help offset the damage done by teams two quadrants below, those within their own conference have chewed up and spit out the Wildcats at every opportunity, earning a 1-6 record in such occasions.
The upcoming schedule does not bode well for the team, either. Aside from the daunting task of facing UConn on the road this weekend, the Wildcats may need to win-out the rest of the way. This kicks off with a battle against fellow tournament candidate Butler, before ending the year with a pair of challenging tests on the road at Providence and Seton Hall.