Shortly after a trip to the Final Four back in 2022, Jay Wright retired as head coach of Villanova, putting an end to an incredible career with the Wildcats. Wright had been responsible for a ton of success, including a pair of national titles still less than a decade in the past. Unfortunately, Kyle Neptune stepped into some big shoes and underwhelmed over the last three seasons.
The Wildcats weren’t bad by any means during his tenure but they simply weren’t the same program. Last season included 21 wins but another mediocre performance against the Big East. Neptune was fired before the season ended after missing the Big Dance for a third straight campaign. However, the hiring of Kevin Willard just might have fans in Villanova feeling a revival right around the corner.
Willard’s recent success with Seton Hall and Maryland has expectations higher for the Wildcats in the seasons ahead. For the immediate future, Willard and his new staff had plenty of work to do, replacing a senior-laden lineup that’ll certainly miss Eric Dixon, Wooga Poplar and others from last year. It’s all about finding the right pieces for success and it also means plenty of pressure on these new coaches and recruiters.
Willard just took Maryland to the Sweet Sixteen and has won Big East titles before, even during an era where this Villanova program was dominating the conference. With the recent rise of programs like UConn, Creighton, and St. John’s, there isn’t the same level of dominance in the league. However, Willard is hoping to turn the tides and we’ll look closely at who’s on his first team and what we can realistically expect moving forward.
Projected Starters
Guard – Acaden Lewis (Freshman)
A 6-2 guard out of Washington DC, Lewis is a Top 50 recruit and the highest rated prospect joining the fold for the Wildcats. He’ll be immediately thrust into a starring role for this offense and rates as a very craft and athletic lead guard. Lewis is still building size and developing his outside shot, but he’s a fantastic distributor and can really drive the lane; we’ll see how he adjusts to the college game and life in the Big East.
Guard – Tyler Perkins (Junior)
After brilliant work as a freshman at Penn, Perkins transferred to Villanova last season and assumed something of a sixth man role for the Wildcats. He mostly came off the bench, averaging 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game with improved shooting figures. While he couldn’t quite match his production with the Quakers, he definitely has a chance to take a major step forward in this backcourt under Willard’s leadership.
Guard – Devin Askew (Senior)
It’s been a whirlwind ride for Askew, a former Top 30 prospect who’s now at his fifth D1 school. He’s battled injuries and inconsistencies with Kentucky, Texas, and California but was fantastic for Long Beach State last season, averaging 18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists as one of the Big West’s best players. Unfortunately, a leg injury will keep him out to begin Villanova’s season but they’re hoping he’s close to healthy and can be a major playmaker down the line.
Forward – Matthew Hodge (Freshman)
After redshirting last season with the Wildcats under Neptune, Hodge is ready to see action on the court and should step into a major role in this frontcourt. The 6-8 forward is a versatile athlete who can cause damage both in the paint and beyond the arc. He’s a tireless competitor and solidly built athlete who contributes on both sides of the ball.
Forward – Duke Brennan (Senior)
It’s school number three for Brennan with the Wildcats after being a reserve at Arizona State before two nice years at Grand Canyon. As a junior with the Antelopes, he was the most efficient interior scorer in the WAC, averaging 10.4 points and 9.2 rebounds last season. Brennan is a very talented paint presence who puts the ball in the basket and creates opportunities, though we’ll see if the defensive aspect of his game can develop as a senior.
Key Reserves
Guard – Chris Jeffrey (Freshman)
Another Top 100 recruit, Jeffrey is a 6-3 guard from Maryland who originally committed to the Terrapins before following Willard to Villanova. He’s a decently built combo guard who fills the stat sheets with solid shot making ability. Jeffrey can bring great aggressive play on both sides of the ball and could develop into a notable backcourt presence, especially if his 3-point shooting can continue to develop.
Guard – Zion Stanford (Junior)
Another transfer addition coming from not too far away, Stanford spent his underclassman years over at Temple and is fresh off a sophomore season where he took a clear step forward. Stanford put up 13.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last year, making 45% of his shots from the field and earning a more significant role with the Owls. He slides into the rotation for the Wildcats and has a chance to earn a major role, especially in the light of Askew’s injury.
Guard – Bryce Lindsay (Sophomore)
Lindsay joins the Wildcats following sensational work as a sophomore at James Madison. A former bench piece at Texas A&M, Lindsay found a home with the Dukes, winning Sixth Man and Newcomer of the Year in the Sun Belt after averaging 13.4 points per game while making nearly 41% of his 3-pointers. Villanova certainly benefits from having a sharpshooter like this off the bench, though we may see even more of Lindsay early in the season with those other injuries.
Forward – Tafara Gapare (Senior)
One of several players following Willard from Maryland, Gapare is a 6-9 forward who’s spent a season apiece with UMass and Georgia Tech before that year with the Terrapins. He was a solid bench piece, putting up 3.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per game as a reserve in the frontcourt. Gapare isn’t just a statue, with the ability to hit outside shots and defend decently as well.
Guard – Malachi Palmer (Sophomore)
We didn’t see many opportunities for Palmer last season, but he’s another former Terrapin hoping to carve out a role for the Wildcats. He contributed just 1.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game last year but Palmer projects as a great defender who shot making ability who’s hoping for a big step forward in his second collegiate campaign.
Center – Braden Pierce (Sophomore)
Pierce is a 7-footer from Georgia who we really haven’t seen on a college court to this point. He’s another former Maryland player joining the Wildcats and Willard, but he’s played in just five games in his first two collegiate seasons. There’s potential to develop into a great paint presence, though we’ll have to see what kinds of opportunities he realistically gets this season.
Center – Nico Onyekwere (Freshman)
A 7-1 center out of Nigeria and New York, Onyekwere is a major presence in the paint who the Wildcats are hoping can develop into a useful big in the future. His size and strength already have make an appealing prospect, with Villanova hoping he can develop into a complete package in the frontcourt in time.
Schedule Outlook
The Willard Era kicks off with a bang, as the Wildcats head to Las Vegas on opening night, playing a strong BYU team in the Hall of Fame Series. Their next three games come at home as part of the Villanova Challenge, with the toughest of the bunch being Duquesne. Villanova also is in Big 5 action, heading to La Salle in mid-November, hosting Temple to begin December, and later playing an undetermined third opponent in Philadelphia on December 5th.
There are only a few more games in December before Big East play begins, but it’s not the easiest month for the Wildcats. On December 9th, they head to Ann Arbor for a tough road test at Michigan before heading back home to host Pittsburgh just a few days later. As part of the Milwaukee Hoops Showdown, they’ll finish nonconference play December 19th against Wisconsin.
Every Big East conference foe is seen both home and away during a balanced conference schedule, starting for quite the reunion at Seton Hall for Willard and company. They get a relatively soft landing, though tough road tests dot conference play, including at UConn on January 24th and at St. John’s a month later. The regular season concludes at home against Xavier on March 7 before heading to Madison Square Garden for postseason play.
Season Outlook
While a new era begins for the Wildcats with Willard back in the Big East, it doesn’t mean that things are going to turn around in an instant. Villanova was such a dominant program and in national prominence for basically a decade and have reverted to another mediocre presence in this conference. Realistically, Willard is hoping to finish somewhere in between those two expectations, at least in his first season.
First and foremost, the roster just doesn’t currently have the talent to compete at the top with UConn and the others right now. The Wildcats had the league’s top scorer in Dixon last season and really didn’t replace him with another high octane offensive player. Losing Askew for several weeks or months certainly doesn’t help matters and Villanova is really hoping someone like Perkins takes a major step forward this season.
Newcomers play a major role, though the Wildcats really need someone like Lewis to step up. He comes highly-regarded as someone who can be a focal point and play both backcourt positions, but there’s no guarantee he can transition right into a leader in the Big East. He’s far from the only new face in the lineup, as Villanova really needs someone like Hodge or Brennan to step up in the frontcourt, especially with some of the bigs on other Big East squads.
Something intriguing with this lineup is the depth of potential. We mentioned those three players that followed Willard from Maryland and it’d be great to see someone like Gapare or Pierce take a measured step forward with this new opportunity. There are also the other freshmen, as Jeffrey looks like someone who can become a playmaker in this backcourt, while Onyekwere brings size and untapped potential.
Anything can happen in college basketball and writing off a Willard team before the season begins seems like a mistake. There’s plenty of potential in this roster and when fully healthy the Wildcats could surprise some people as the season goes along. For now, consider Villanova a middle of the pack Big East team whose best days are ahead of them, especially if newcomers like Lewis and Hodge can establish themselves.