Villanova Men’s Basketball 2020 NCAA Tournament Capsule

March 6, 2020 · Jacob Young
 

Villanova Wildcats

Big East (24-7, 13-5)

 
The last seven NCAA Tournaments have been feast or famine for Jay Wright and the Villanova Wildcats. Villanova failed to make it out of the first weekend in 2013-15, 2017 and 2019, but were national champions in 2016 and 2018. This year’s version of the Wildcats likely falls somewhere in between. Behind a potent offense led by experienced players such as Collin Gillespie and Saddiq Bey, Villanova could find themselves playing in the Sweet Sixteen and beyond.
 
Big Wins: 12/21 Kansas (56-55), 1/7 at Creighton (64-59), 3/4 at Seton Hall (79-77)
Bad Losses: 11/13 at Ohio State (51-76), 1/4 at Marquette (60-71), 2/29 Providence (54-58)
Coach: Jay Wright
 
Why They Can Surprise:
As is usually the case under Jay Wright, Villanova has a high-octane offense elevated by the three-point shot. As a team, the Wildcats shoot 35.9% from three-point range on 27.5 attempts per game. Combining their strong three-point shooting with a low turnover rate, Villanova puts together a top-ten offensive efficiency. Villanova’s championship pedigree is another reason to have faith in the Wildcats making a tournament run. Though they have suffered early losses in the past, Jay Wright is still a two-time national champion while lead guard Collin Gillespie was a freshman on the 2018 championship team and has started every game of his sophomore and junior seasons. Coaching and guard play are two of the most important advantages to have in the tournament, and Villanova checks the boxes in both categories. 
 
Why They Can Disappoint:
Even though three-point shooting is a key reason Villanova can advance in the tournament, their reliance on it can backfire on them just as easily. More than half of their field goal attempts have been taken from behind the three-point line this season. In their last three NCAA Tournament losses, the Wildcats shot just 25-82, or 30.5%, from three. When the three-pointers are falling Villanova can be unbeatable, but a cold shooting night can lead to an early exit from the tournament as they have had in the past. Also, the Wildcats’ defense this season isn’t near the level that it was on during their years as a regular 1 or 2 seed. Without a strong defense to lean on, Villanova’s effectiveness on offense becomes much more important.
 
Probable Starters:
Collin Gillespie, Junior, Guard, 15.1 ppg, 4.5 apg
Justin Moore, Freshman, Guard, 11.3 ppg, 1.9 apg
Saddiq Bey, Sophomore, Forward, 16.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.4 apg
Jermaine Samuels, Junior, Forward, 10.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.0 apg
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Freshman, Forward, 10.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg
 
Key Role Players:
Cole Swider, Sophomore, Forward, 6.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Brandon Slater, Sophomore, Forward, 1.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Junior, Forward, 1.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg
 
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 73.2 (114th in nation, 6th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 66.4 (90, 3)
Field-Goal Percentage: 44.1 (154, 4)
Field-Goal Defense: 43.0 (186, 9)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 9.9 (11, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.9 (52, 3)
Free-Throw Percentage: 75.9 (30, 2)
Rebound Margin: 1.7 (134, 6)
Assists Per Game: 14.5 (63, 5)
Turnovers Per Game: 10.9 (17, 1)
 
Recent Postseason Appearances:
 
2019 NCAA Round of 64 win over St. Mary’s
2019 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Purdue
2018 NCAA Round of 64 win over Radford
2018 NCAA Round of 32 win over Alabama
2018 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over West Virginia
2018 NCAA Regional Final win over Texas Tech
2018 NCAA National Semifinal win over Kansas
2018 NCAA National Final win over Michigan
2017 NCAA Round of 64 win over Mount St. Mary’s
2017 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Wisconsin
2016 NCAA Round of 64 win over UNC Asheville
2016 NCAA Round of 32 win over Iowa
2016 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Miami (FL)
2016 NCAA Regional Final win over Kansas
2016 NCAA National Semifinal win over Oklahoma
2016 NCAA National Final win over North Carolina
2015 NCAA Round of 64 win over Lafayette
2015 NCAA Round of 32 loss to North Carolina State
2014 NCAA Round of 64 win over Milwaukee
2014 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Connecticut
2013 NCAA Round of 64 loss to North Carolina
2011 NCAA Round of 64 loss to George Mason
2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over Robert Morris
2010 NCAA Round of 32 loss to St. Mary’s
2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over American University
2009 NCAA Round of 32 win over UCLA
2009 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Duke
2009 NCAA Regional Final win over Pittsburgh
2009 NCAA National Semifinal loss to North Carolina
2008 NCAA Round of 64 win over Clemson
2008 NCAA Round of 32 win over Siena
2008 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Kansas  
2007 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Kentucky
 
*all team stats through 3/8