The Villanovan's 2021-22 Basketball Preview Magazine

C A T S 2021-2022 BasketBALL PREVIEW magazine

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2 | The Villanovan

from the

SPORTS EDITORS Dear ‘Nova Nation,

Villanova basketball is back! This season, the Finneran Pavilion will once again be packed with thousands of the Villanova faithful, yelling and screaming and supporting our ‘Cats. Last season, we covered games in the Pavilion, and it just wasn’t the same without you. The intro and music were the same, Swag Surfin’ played as always, yet with an audience of just journalists and staff, the heart and soul of ‘Nova Nation was missing. This season, students and fans will return, swag surfin’ and yelling “sucks!” after each opposing player’s intro, just as we did before. Here at The Villanovan, we’re excited to offer you an introduction to the teams as they prepare for the upcoming season, and to introduce you all to some new faces on the teams.

We would like to give a large thank you to our staff writers at The Villanovan for their help in putting this magazine together.

We would also like to thank The Villanovan Editorial Staff for their unprompted help in producing the pages of this magazine. Thank you to Mike Sheridan, Dean Kenefick, and the rest of the Villanova Athletics Media Relations Staff for helping us gain access to the student-athletes featured in this magazine, and thank you to our advisors, Michael Bradley and Deena Smith, for their unwavering support of this project.

We hope you enjoy this preview, and we’re excited for the season to come. See you all in the Finn!

Go ‘Cats!

Billy Vinci and Colin Beazley Co-Sports Editors

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Cate McCusker Jack Roberge ASSOCIATE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Madison Burke DIGITAL EDITOR Ariana Megerian NEWS EDITORS Sarah Sweeney Sarah Wisniewski OPINION EDITORS Tina Aron Vivi Melkonian CULTURE EDITORS A.J. Fezza Chloe Miller Elena Rouse SPORTS EDITORS Colin Beazley Billy Vinci PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Olivia Pasquale COPY DESK EDITOR Molly Baker STAFF CONTRIBUTORS Giuliana Black Catherine Browne Aphrodite Dimopoulos Daniel Donabedian Owen Hewitt Loghan Hirkey Amanda McKean Tyler Moore Meghann Morhardt Anders Pryor Matthew Ryan Sydney Sears Alex Tantum Zac Tipton ADVISORS Michael Bradley Deena Smith

The Villanovan | 3

9 Hoops Mania

Wo

14 Men’s Preview

CONT 32 Maddy Siegrist: Queen of the Court

38

4 | The Villanovan

Legendary Coaches

16

omen’s Preview

26 Collin Gillespie: One Last Ride

ENTS 46

Big East Previews

58

Staff Predictions

The Villanovan | 5

MEN’S

2021 SCHEDULE Nov. 9: vs. MOUNT ST. MARY’S Nov. 12: @ UCLA Nov. 16: vs. HOWARD Hall of Fame Tipoff Classic: Nov. 20: vs. TENNESSEE Nov. 21: NORTH CAROLINA/PURDUE Nov. 28: @ LA SALLE Dec. 1: @ UPENN Dec.4: vs. ST. JOSEPH’S Dec. 7: vs. SYRACUSE Dec. 12: @ BAYLOR Dec. 17: @ CREIGHTON Dec. 21: vs. XAVIER Dec. 26: vs. TEMPLE Jan. 1: @ SETON HALL Jan. 5: vs. CREIGHTON Jan. 8: @ DePAUL Jan. 12: @ XAVIER Jan. 16: vs. BUTLER Jan. 19: vs. MARQUETTE Jan. 22: @ GEORGETOWN Jan. 25: vs. DePAUL Jan. 29: vs. ST. JOHN’S Feb. 2: @ MARQUETTE Feb. 5: vs. UCONN Feb. 8: @ ST. JOHN’S Feb. 12: vs. SETON HALL Feb. 15: @ PROVIDENCE Feb, 19: vs. GEORGETOWN Feb. 22: @ UCONN March 1: vs. PROVIDENCE March 5: @ BUTLER 6 | The Villanovan

WOMEN’S 2021 SCHEDULE

Nov. 10: vs. PRINCETON Nov. 12: @ MARYLAND Nov. 20: @ ST. JOSEPH’S Nov. 22: @ UPENN Nov. 27: vs. TEMPLE Dec. 1: vs. LEHIGH Dec. 3: @ PROVIDENCE Dec. 5: @ CREIGHTON Dec. 9: @ JAMES MADISON Dec. 12: vs. OREGON STATE Dec. 21: @ LA SALLE Dec. 31: vs. SETON HALL Jan. 2: vs. ST. JOHN’S Jan. 7: vs. UCONN Jan. 9: @ GEORGETOWN Jan. 14: @ DePAUL Jan. 16: @ MARQUETTE Jan. 21: vs. PROVIDENCE Jan. 23: vs. CREIGHTON Jan. 28: vs. BUTLER Jan. 30: vs. XAVIER Feb. 4: @ ST. JOHN’S Feb. 6: vs. GEORGETOWN Feb. 9: @ UCONN Feb. 11: vs. MARQUETTE Feb. 13: @ SETON HALL Feb. 20: vs. DePAUL Feb. 25: @ BUTLER Feb. 28: @ XAVIER

The Villanovan | 7

FANS BACK IN THE FINN

By Giuliana Black

Picture this: anticipation, energy, excitement, fans cheering and the thrill of thousands of bodies packed together all rooting for one team.

Now picture all of this, with thousands of your closest friends packed together in blue and white, and you get the feeling of being at a Villanova basketball game in the Finneran Pavilion.

The Pavilion is the current home of the Wildcats and is the main location for both men and women’s basketball games, although the men play three games in the larger Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

William Finneran, Villanova Business Class of 1963, helped fund a $65 million renovation of the building, which was completed for the 2018 season. The arena serves as a celebration for Wildcat Athletics and provides 6,500 students, faculty, staff and fans with the opportunity to cheer on their favorite Villanova teams and players.

Unfortunately, the brand new, lively Pavilion lost an entire year of hosting the Villanova community last year.

Although students were 8 | The Villanovan

able to return to campus last fall, it was still heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the school year was filled with mask regulations, social distancing and Zoom meetings. Despite this, there was a glimmer of hope of being able to attend sporting events, which are such a large part of the Villanova experience.

In November of 2020, University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. reached out to the community explaining his hope and intention for students to be able to return to The Pavilion for basketball games during the spring semester, even if it was at a limited capacity. However, this hope was short lived, as rising COVID-19 cases in the area resulted in the decision to close off the Finn to all members of the public, including students. At that point, only families of basketball players were able to attend the games.

This caused widespread disappointment among students, as many were excited to attend their first season of Villanova basketball games, and se-

niors lost the opportunity to see the Wildcats from the student section for the last time. While this was done for the safety of the teams and the wider Villanova community, it took away the excitement of being able to cheer on and support our fellow Wildcats in person, and students were forced to support the Wildcats from a distance, while players played in front of a virtually empty Finn.

However, finally, after a full season without fans, the Pavilion has opened to the public again, with the intention of having fans attend both men’s and women’s games throughout the entirety of the season.

This news has sparked enthusiasm throughout campus, as it helps to make this school year closer to returning to a normal pre-2020 college experience.

Several sophomores were eager to speak on this topic, as they spent their whole first years only entering the Finn for COVID-19 surveillance tests, instead of to watch the performances of Collin Gillespie and company.

Jon Facinelli said,

“Not only will it be nice to see the basketball team play, which is something that I think is a driving factor for a lot of students’ decisions in the college process, but also it is a nice turning point to see more activities again, making campus feel more and more normal.”

Similarly, Colton Schnabel said, “I’m excited to have a part of the Villanova community back that is an outlet for so many students, instead of just doing schoolwork for a full year straight like [COVID-19] has had us doing.”

Finally, Reynolds Shenk added, “I didn’t come to Villanova just for the basketball games, but I’ve been waiting for them since I got here. I can’t wait for the added energy they will bring to our campus.”

There seems to be a shared feeling among Villanova students: excitement for the return to normalcy. Once again, students, families and faculty can come together again in the Finn to share in their love for Villanova basketball, and support our Wildcats in their quest for success.

Rush The Villanovan.

The Villanovan | 9

‘20-’21 RECAP:

COVID-19, The Sweet Sixteen, and Injury

By: Matthew Ryan

Entering the 2020-21 season, Villanova had expectations that matched those of the past decade or so: win a national championship.

While it fell short of that goal, Jay Wright’s squad put together an impressive season, battling through COVID-19 pauses and injuries to finish with an 18-7 record and advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

When the 2019-20 season was canceled due to the pandemic, the Wildcats were ranked tenth in the nation and were looking to make another deep NCAA Tournament run. They were led by All-Big East first team member Saddiq Bey and All-Big East second team member Collin Gillespie. Fortunately for the Wildcats, Bey, drafted

Courtesy of the Villanova Athletics

10 | The Villanovan

19th overall by the Detroit Pistons, was the lone scholarship player to depart from the Main Line following the season.

The high retention rate of players from the year prior led the Wildcats to the #3 ranking in the preseason poll, behind only Gonzaga and Baylor. In addition to senior guard Gillespie, the 2020-21 Wildcats were headlined by senior forward Jermaine Samuels Jr. and two 2019-20 unanimous Big East All-Freshman Team members, forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and guard Justin Moore.

When the season tipped off on November 25th against Boston College, it was in a rather strange environment. Due to the pandemic, Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., was turned into “Bubbleville,” a place where teams could isolate themselves from the outside world and play some games.

Villanova’s first two contests were a part of the 2K Empire Classic, and the Wildcats started their campaign with wins over Boston College and No. 18 Arizona State, capturing the event. This was supposed to end Villanova’s time in Bubbleville, but the Wildcats decided to schedule a last-minute game with Virginia Tech. The ‘Cats led by as many as 12 in the second half, but the Hokies kept fighting, eventually handing ‘Nova its first loss of the season.

Following the early loss, the Wildcats began to roll. They blew out Hartford in yet another game in Bubbleville and picked up a thrilling win over No. 17 Texas. They erased a 13-point halftime deficit to

beat Georgetown by double figures, and their next three games against Butler, St. Joe’s and Marquette were all blowout victories, by an average of 18.7 points. Then, adversity hit.

Villanova entered its first COVID-19 pause of the season on December 26 when Wright and another staff member tested positive. The Wildcats resumed practice on January 3rd, but just one day later had to go on another pause.

They didn’t return to the court until their January 19th matchup against Seton Hall, 27 days after their last game.

The ‘Cats squeaked past the Pirates in their return and followed that with victories over Providence and Seton Hall. But after winning eight in a row, the Wildcats suffered their first loss of 2021 as St. John’s handled them, 70-59. The Red Storm hounded Villanova’s guards, and the ‘Cats finished the game with a season-high-tying 15 turnovers, never finding any offensive rhythm.

Georgetown and Marquette were next up for Wright’s team, and the ‘Cats took care of business, winning 84-74 and 96-64, respectively.

Villanova then traveled to Creighton for a massive Big East game.

The Blue Jays had fans in the stands and handily beat the Wildcats, 8670, giving the ‘Cats their worst loss of the year.

With the postseason quickly approaching, Villanova again rattled off two consecutive wins, beating UConn and getting revenge against the Johnnies. Butler was up next and the Wildcats put up their worst three-point shooting perfor-

mance in years, making just two of 27 attempts in the loss.

Now back at home in front of a limited crowd of family and friends, Villanova took on Creighton with a chance to take the Big East regular-season crown. All was looking good for the ‘Cats on Senior Night until late in the first half, when Gillespie went down with a knee injury. Villanova pulled out the win and regular-season title, completing a perfect 9-0 home record on the year, but it came at a cost; Gillespie tore his MCL and would miss the remainder of the season.

Gillespie’s absence was a massive blow to the team, but there was no time to pout; the postseason was right around the corner. In their first game without Gillespie in the lineup, a late comeback attempt by the Wildcats against Providence fell short, ending the regular season with a sour note.

In their first game of the Big East Tournament, the Wildcats matched up against Georgetown, who they had beaten twice in the regular season. The Hoyas put on an impressive showing all around, knocking down all 23 of their freethrow attempts, en route to a 72-71 upset victory. This left the Wildcats without an automatic NCAA Tournament bid, but their play throughout the year assured they would hear their name called on Selection Sunday.

The number 18 ‘Cats earned the fifth seed for March Madness and had a first-round matchup with twelfth seed Winthrop. The 23-1 Eagles were a trendy upset pick, but Villanova got the ten-point victory and then defeated 13 seeded North Texas, 8461, to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, where they would face number one seeded Baylor.

The first half against the Bears was impressive for the ‘Cats, as they entered the break with a 3023 lead. But in the final 20 minutes, Baylor was too much as they ended Villanova’s season with a 62-51 victory. Losing to Baylor marked the eighth time in the last 16 seasons

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

the Wildcats either lost to the eventual national champions or won it all.

After the season, Gillespie and Robinson-Earl were named Co-Big East Players of the Year along with Seton Hall’s Sandro Mamukelashvili. Leading scorer Robinson-Earl yielded averages of 15.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists on the year. Gillespie, the second-leading scorer at 14 points per game, added 3.3 rebounds a night and a team-high 4.6 assists per contest.

Samuels was named an AllBig East Honorable Mention and averaged 12 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists on the year. Moore

put up averages of 12.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and three assists, while fifth starter Caleb Daniels, a redshirt junior guard, scored just under ten points per contest in his first season playing at Villanova.

While the goal of winning a national championship wasn’t met, the season was still a success given the adversity. With the return of Gillespie and Samuels for their fifth years in 2021-22, the expectations are the same as always: the Wildcats will have their sights set on bringing home a fourth national title.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

The Villanovan | 11

‘20-’21 RECAP:

Women’s Basketball

The 2020-21 season was unusual to say the least. The Wildcats were met with the difficulties of Covid restrictions, as well as the challenges that come with transitioning to a new coach and adding four freshmen to the roster. Despite these challenges, the ‘Cats were able to string together a successful season, finishing with a record of 17-7 overall and 9-5 in the conference.

After 42 years with the program, Villanova legend Harry Perretta retired following the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. Perretta was succeeded by Villanova alumna Denise Dillon, who graduated in 1996 after playing for Perretta for four years.

Dillon was the head coach at Drexel for 17 years, where she became the winningest coach in school history and led the team to many successful seasons, but she always dreamed of coming back

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

12 | The Villanovan

By: Tyler Moore

to her alma mater. So when the opportunity presented itself, Dillon couldn’t refuse.

There were a lot of questions about how the program would make the transition to Dillon given the success and legacy that Perretta left behind, but Dillon proved to be worthy of the position and led the Wildcats to an impressive level of success last season.

Covid played a large role in the outcome of the season for the Wildcats, with quarantining, cancelled games and limited opponents. The ‘Cats were only able to play two games outside of the Big East and Big Five, where they would normally have about six.

Villanova also had several Big East games get postponed and eventually cancelled, including both matchups with Xavier.

The Wildcats surpassed their preseason prediction of seventh in the Big East, finishing fifth in the conference, ahead of Creighton and St. John’s, who were both predicted to finish in the top five. This top five ranking and an impressive showing in the conference tournament earned the ‘Cats a WNIT Bid.

The ‘Cats started the season 7-0, including a nail-biter, two-point victory over Dillon’s former team, the Drexel Dragons. In this opening stretch of wins, Villanova also beat two Big Five teams in Temple and LaSalle, as well as their first two Big East opponents of the season, St. John’s and Creighton.

Villanova didn’t suffer their first loss until they met UConn at home on Dec. 22. This was the first time that the two teams had met since the 2012-13 season, after

which UConn left the Big East. The Wildcats competed and put up a strong effort, even leading at points in the first half, but the talent of the Huskies was too much for Villanova to tame.

After facing top ranked Connecticut, the ‘Cats met No.18 DePaul on the road. In a high scoring game dominated by offensive talent, Villanova was overmatched on the boards and from the charity stripe, losing 94-82. The Blue Demons out-rebounded the ‘Cats by a margin of 40-35 and shot 92.9% from the line, while the ‘Cats shot 70.6%.

Villanova bounced back stronger after this loss, winning five of their next six games, including an OT thriller against St. John’s, a 2-0 sweep of Butler and an impressive victory over Seton Hall.

Villanova’s season sweep of Butler featured the teams two best offensive performances of the year, scoring 90 and 98 points in the first and second game, respectively.

The ‘Cats tied their season high for assists with 28 in each matchup. Villanova converted on 14 three-pointers in the first game, followed by a season high of 17 in the second meeting.

St John’s also fell victim to Villanova’s strong offense when the ‘Cats secured an OT 81-78 win at home. The ‘Cats dominated the boards, shot 42% from the field and secured the win with strong freethrow shooting, finishing 6-6 from the line in overtime. Freshman Lior Garzon drilled two three-pointers in the extra period to boost Villanova to the win.

Villanova’s strong shooting and intense defensive efforts carried

them past DePaul in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament and through the semifinals of the WNIT.

The ‘Cats defeated DePaul 78-72 in overtime led by a double-double from sophomore Maddy Siegrist, shooting 44.4% from the field, and recording 20 assists on 28 field goals. However, the Wildcats were routed by eventual champion UConn in the tournament semifinals and did not receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, sending the team to the WNIT.

Villanova breezed through University of Massachusetts and University of Florida in the first two rounds of the WNIT, holding the Minutemen to 51 points and the Gators to 57, but the team fell 7770 to Delaware in the quarterfinals.

Siegrist averaged 24 points and 8 rebounds per game over the team’s three game run in the tournament, and was aided by senior Brianna Herlihy, who averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds per game.

Siegrist and Herlihy were standouts for the ‘Cats last year, earning spots on the All-Big East first and second teams, respectively.

Siegrist had a historical season, becoming the fastest player in Villanova Women’s Basketball to reach the 1,000 career point milestone, doing so in just 50 games.

Along with her All-Conference first team selection, Siegrist was also named Big Five Player of the Year. Siegrist finished the season with 16 games scoring 20 points or more and a Big East best 13 double-doubles. She averaged 22.8 points, eleventh best in the nation, and 9.8 rebounds per game, leading the team in three-point field goal percentage at 36.4%.

Herlihy was the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game with a team best 48.8% field goal percentage. Herlihy also tallied 175 rebounds and a team high 30 blocks for the season.

Freshmen Garzon and Bella Runyan also made an impact for the Wildcats in their debut seasons,

averaging 8.8 points and 4.9 points per game, respectively. Runyan had a great impact on the defensive end putting constant pressure on the opposing point guard and recording 23 steals in 24 games played. Garzon shined on the offensive side, finishing second to Siegrist with 39 threes on the season.

Dillon put an emphasis on the small things, and this group did just that, covering all aspects of the stat line. As a team, the ‘Cats held their opponents to 66.5 points per game while scoring 70.9.

Villanova out-rebounded its opponents by an average of 1.3 rebounds per game and averaged 3.9

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

blocks per game. The Wildcats forced 7.1 steals and 13.8 turnovers per game, causing constant problems for their opponents.

Offensively, the Wildcats recorded a field goal percentage of 42.9% and 31% from beyond the arc while holding their opponents to 39% and 28% respectively.

As long as Dillon is leading this team, the ‘Cats are expected to continue to demonstrate a well-rounded and versatile game plan, like they did during the 2020-21 season.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

The Villanovan | 13

Villanova MBB Preview:

What to Know if You Learned Who Collin Gillespie Was Last Week

This team has been years in the making.

While it may be cliché, in the case of the 2021-2022 Villanova men’s basketball team, it is also true. Each season following the 2018 national championship has had its own unforeseen battles.

2018-19 was destined to be the Villanova version of a rebuild, and the season turned out as anticipated. However, the 2019-20 season looked to be more promising, even with the losses of Eric Paschall and Phil Booth, as Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels and Saddiq Bey looked to build off their prior season’s performances. That they did, and along with the arrival of five-star freshman Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova looked poised for an NCAA tournament run.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic brought an unfortunate and unprecedented end to the college basketball season. In 2020-21, the ‘Cats were a national championship contender, ranked 3rd in the AP Poll to begin the season. Even after Gillespie, the leader of the team, tore his MCL, Villanova put up a fight in the Sweet 16 against eventual champion Baylor.

Now, with Gillespie and Samuels back and healthy, using the fifth year-option granted to them due to COVID-19, and 14 | The Villanovan

most of the roster back, Villanova, ranked 4th in the preseason AP Poll, is ready to bring a national title back to the Main Line. Coach Jay Wright, entering his 21st season at the helm of the men’s basketball team, has a wealth of experience on his roster, something which has been a prominent feature of both the 2016 and 2018 national championship roster. It’s not exactly lacking for talent, either.

If you only learned who Collin Gillespie was last week, the two first things you should know is that he is both the team’s most important player and its leader.

Coming off a year in which he averaged 14.0 points per game (PPG), 3.3 rebounds per game (RPG) and 4.6 assists per game (APG) before his MCL tear, earning Big East Co-Player of the Year award honors and with a Third Team All-American spot, Gillespie is the definition of a floor general.

Entering his fifth year, should all go according to plan with his health, a National Player of the Year award is not out of the question. Gillespie is the preseason Big East Player of the Year, and is on the Bob Cousy Award watch list for the best collegiate point guard in the nation, along with the AP Preseason All-American 1st Team.

Arguably the two other

By: Alex Tantum most important pieces on the roster are Jermaine Samuels and Justin Moore. Both were each named to the Preseason All-Big East 2nd Team and to the preseason award watch list for their positions, the Julius Erving Award and Jerry West Award, respectively. Samuels, entering his fifth year, is a do-it-all, high flying player who put up 12.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 2.5 APG last season.

With his athleticism, he has the ability to stand out on the defensive side of the ball as well. If there is a player most likely to increase his scoring from last season, it could be Moore. The junior, who averaged 12.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 2.9 APG, could easily take his scoring past 15.0 PPG this season, and it’s entirely possible for him to be the team’s leading scorer.

The depth of Villanova’s roster this season appears to be one of its biggest strengths, and although Caleb Daniels and Eric Dixon appear to be fairly locked into the other two spots in the starting lineup (Daniels at small forward and Dixon at center), Wright could shift and maneuver those two with the top of the bench, especially at the beginning of the season. While Daniels somewhat struggled down the stretch last season, if the BlueWhite scrimmage is any indication, he’s up to build upon what was a

last season, and four star freshman Jordan Longino should be expected to fill in at the backup guard spots to begin the season.

Trey Patterson is the odds-on favorite to see the most action of the four freshmen recruits, as he is both the highest rated among Villanova’s 2021 class and was an early enrollee last spring, providing him with valuable experience. Look for Patterson to play a do-it-all role in some spot minutes off the bench.

Freshman big man Nnanna Njoku may get a few minutes off the bench as well, backing up Dixon.

The road to the national championship for Villanova will not be easy. Before entering the Big East portion of their schedule, the ‘Cats will face top opponents including UCLA, Baylor and Tennessee. However, they have the coaching along with the roster depth, talent and experience to not only win the Big East title, but challenge for the national championship as well.

Courtesy of the Villanova Athletics

solid first season with the Wildcats last year, averaging 9.6 PPG. Meanwhile, whether in the starting lineup or not, Dixon appears to be set to take on a substantial increase in minutes, replacing some of those lost with Robinson-Earl’s departure to the NBA. If Dixon can break out this season, it may just be the extra push Villanova needs to win another title.

It will be a group effort in bench minutes this season, as the rotation looks to be deep. An interesting question yet to be answered is just how many players Wright will place in the rotation. An early favorite to receive the most minutes off the bench, and a player who has been producing a lot of buzz lately, is Brandon Slater. Now in his senior year, Slater’s defensive value will be massively important for Villanova this season, but he also has gained confidence on the offensive side of the ball as well. Any offensive value he provides will simply be an added bonus.

Bryan Antoine, who was expected to take a step up this season into a potential significant bench role, suffered an injury to his patella tendon in his right knee during preseason and is expected to be out for about the first two weeks of the season. He was one of the highest rated recruits to ever join the Wildcats, but he’s struggled with injuries during his time on the Main Line. It would be unexpected for freshman point guard Angelo Brizzi to have rotation minutes from the start, so junior Chris Arcidiacono, who filled in admirably for Gillespie at the end of

The Villanovan | 15

Women’s Basketball Season Preview

By: Sydney Sears

The Villanova Women’s Basketball team has its season opener on November 10 against Princeton. After a successful season last year, expectations are high on the Main Line.

This year, the women’s team will play a 29-game schedule, including 20 Big East Conference contests and four Philadelphia Big Five games.

Following the home-opener matchup against Princeton, the Wildcats hit the road for three consecutive away games at Maryland, Saint Joseph’s, and Penn. Villanova returns home for back-to-back games when the Wildcats host Temple and Lehigh. After opening BIG EAST conference play with two games on the road at Providence and at Creighton, Villanova closes out non-conference play with three December contests.

The Wildcats will travel to James Madison, then return home to play Oregon State, before playing at La Salle a few days before Christmas. Beginning with a home game versus Seton Hall on New Year’s Eve, Villanova will play 18 consecutive BIG EAST games to finish the season.

Last year, the Wildcats were 17-7 overall and 9-5 in conference play, being 7-2 at home and 7-3 away. Their greatest challenges were UConn and Marquette, as the ‘Cats lost twice against both teams for four out of their five conference losses. While UConn is a national powerhouse and will likely repeat as Big East Champs, the 16 | The Villanovan

Wildcats have a fighting chance against Marquette this season, who, besides two graduate students, have no upperclassmen on their roster. This brings up the question of whether a conference championship run is possible for the Wildcats, most likely against UConn.

Based on the team’s record from last year it seems possible, but in the preseason predicted order of finish in the Big East Conference, Villanova was picked to finish fifth, right behind Marquette. Connecticut is predicted to be the champions, with DePaul in second and

Seton Hall in third. Last season, the Wildcats went 1-1 against DePaul but won both of their games against Seton Hall, all of which were very high-scoring, close and competitive games.

The loss against DePaul was in Chicago on the Blue Demons’ home court.

The games that Villanova are expected to win this year are against Butler, Xavier, Georgetown, and Providence.

Last season, Villanova had two phenomenal games against Butler, setting season highs in many categories, including the most points scored (98), the highest

Junior Maddy Siegrist will have a very important role this season.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

number of three-pointers made (17), and the most assists (28).

Against Providence last season, the Wildcats also obtained their highest number of rebounds (49) and blocked shots (7).

The star for the Wildcats this season is junior forward Maddy Siegrist, who was a unanimous selection to the preseason All-Big East team.

Siegrist started all 24 games last season and averaged 22.8 points per game, while shooting .483 from the field (208 of 431) and .364 from three-point range (43 of 118). She finished the regular season by leading the BIG EAST in both points scored at 23.1 points per game and rebounding at 10.1 rebounds per contest, becoming just the third player in league history to lead the conference in both categories. In the 24 games played in 2020-21, Siegrist tallied 20 or more points in 16 games, including six games of 30 points or more. She also registered a BIG EAST best 13 double-doubles.

In 54 career games, Siegrist has scored 20 points or more in 31 of the 54 contests. She also has 24 career double-doubles to her credit.

Against Seton Hall in last sea-

Graduate Student Brianna Herlihy returns for a fifth year.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics son’s regular-season finale on three-pointers.

Feb. 24, Siegrist became just

Graduate student Briana the third player in Villanova Herlihy is another player on women’s basketball history to Villanova’s roster to look out for score 1,000 points in two seasons this season, as she is one of its and she became the fastest to strongest defensive players, with reach the milestone (50 career the highest number of blocked games) in Villanova women’s shots last season. She will also basketball history. After two be a leader in the locker room, collegiate seasons, Siegrist owns as the Wildcats have no other totals of 1,131 career points, graduate students or seniors on 512 rebounds and 105 made the roster.

With such a young squad, head coach Denise Dillon is looking for their young players, especially their new freshmen recruits, to step up. The Wildcats added five freshmen, including 6’2 forward Christina Dalce, who attended high school at Rutgers Prep. Dalce was Somerset County’s Player of the Year, getting selected twice to be on the All-State second team for New Jersey.

The combination of Siegrist and top incoming recruits mean that expectations are high for the ‘Cats, and the team looks prepared for a successful season. Last year, the team lost to Delaware in the WNIT quarterfinals, but this year, more The women’s basketball team huddles before a game last season. success is possible.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics The Villanovan | 17

MEET THE All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics

MEN

ANTOINE

GILLESPIE

COLLIN

BRANDON

JUNIOR Tinton Falls, NJ 6’5” Guard

GRADUATE STUDENT Huntingdon Valley, PA 6’3” Guard

SENIOR Centerville, VA 6’7” Forward

One of the highest rated recruits to ever join the Wildcats, Antoine has struggled with injuries through his first two seasons at Villanova, but has shone whenever healthy. A key piece of Jay Wright’s rotation, Antoine suffered a knee injury that will hold him out for much of the preseason, but he will continue to be a spark for the Wildcats once he returns to the court.

The core of the Wildcat team, Gillespie cemented his status as a Villanova legend by choosing to return for a fifth year this year. As a freshman, Gillespie contributed to the 2018 National Championship, and his role has only grown since, being named as Co-Big East Player of the Year in the 2020-2021 season. The Wildcats’ leader on the court and in the locker room, Gillespie will look to lead the team to greatness this season before taking his talents to the NBA.

Now entering his fourth season as a Wildcat, Slater has emerged as one of the top defenders and the de facto sixth man for Jay Wright.

“Slate” averaged 17 minutes a game off the bench this past season and was continually tasked with shutting down the opposition’s top offensive option, including Creighton’s Marcus Zegarowski and UConn’s James Bouknight. A crucial part of the Wildcat rotation, Slater is a human highlight reel and a must-watch player whenever he takes the court.

BRYAN

1

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2

SLATER

3

All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics

CHRIS

JUSTIN

ARCIDIACONO

MOORE

4

KEVIN

VOIGT

JUNIOR Langhorne, PA 6’5” Guard

5

JUNIOR Fort Washington, MD 6’4” Guard

12

The younger brother of Villanova legend Ryan Arcidiacono and the son of two Villanova alumni, Chris Arcidiacono was Villanova royalty before even stepping on campus.

Arcidiacono has served as the backup to Collin Gillespie for the past two seasons and made the most of the opportunity when Gillespie went down last year, playing 34 minutes in the Big East tournament against Georgetown and hitting two threes in the NCAA Tournament against North Texas.

While most freshmen take a season or two to crack the Villanova rotation, Moore averaged over 11 points per game as a freshman and now enters his junior season as a bona fide star for the Wildcats. Moore started 24 of 25 games last season, averaging 12.9 PPG, and scored fifteen points in the NCAA Tournament against both North Texas and Baylor despite spraining his ankle in the final game of the season. Moore was named to the Philadelphia Big 5 Second Team last year and will only continue to improve.

One of the coolest stories for the Wildcats this season, Voigt walked on and served the program in 20192020 as a practice player, before being added to the active roster for the 2020-2021 season. He has yet to appear in any games for the Wildcats but has made his presence known in practice and as a spirited member of the Wildcat bench. As a senior in high school, Voigt led his conference in scoring and was named 2018 Nassau County Basketball Coaches Association Scholar Athlete of the Year.

The Villanovan | 19

SENIOR Massapequa, NY 6’5” Guard

All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics

CALEB

DHAMIR

JERMAINE

ERIC

DANIELS

COSBYROUNDTREE

SAMUELS

DIXON

RS SENIOR New Orleans, LA 6’4” Guard

GRADUATE STUDENT Philadelphia, PA 6’9” Forward

GRADUATE STUDENT Franklin, MA 6’7” Forward

RS SOPHOMORE Willow Grove, PA 6’8” Forward

Now in his second season with the Wildcats after transferring from Tulane, Daniels jumped right into the starting lineup and made a reputation for himself as a sharpshooter, with a 38.6% clip on three pointers. Daniels started 24 of 25 games for the Wildcats, averaging 9.6 points per game, including 19 against Saint Joseph’s and 18 against Georgetown.

A crucial part of the Wildcat locker room, Cosby-Roundtree’s Villanova playing career ended in September after several leg injuries, but he remains with the team as a leader in an off-court role. Philadelphia born and raised, “DaDa” played in 105 career games as a Wildcat, including crucial minutes in the run up to the 2018 National Championship.

Cosby-Roundtree is a social justice leader for the team as well, as he helped lead a

The leader of the big men for Villanova, Samuels announced he was returning for his fifth season as a Wildcat together with Gillespie. Samuels was the third leading scorer for the Wildcats last season, averaging 12 points per game, and he has developed a reputation as a player who always steps up in big moments, averaging 15.5 points in the postseason as a senior and hitting the game-winning three pointer to knock off then #1 Kansas as a junior.

After redshirting during his freshman season, Dixon appeared in 21 games last year, all off the bench.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl’s decision to forgo his final two seasons at Villanova and declare for the NBA Draft has opened up an opportunity for Dixon, who will likely step into the starting role vacated by Robinson-Earl. Dixon plays largely as a traditional big man and had his first collegiate double double against Hartford.

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20 | The Villanovan

NEW FACES: All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics

MEET THE FRESHMEN

ANGELO

TREY

JORDAN

NNANNA

BRIZZI

PATTERSON

LONGINO

NJOKU

FRESHMEN Warrenton, VA 6’3” Guard

FRESHMAN Somerset, NJ 6’9” Forward

FRESHMAN Doylestown, PA 6’5” Guard

FRESHMAN Newark, De 6’9” Forward

Now in his second season with the Wildcats after transferring from Tulane, Daniels jumped right into the starting lineup and made a reputation for himself as a sharpshooter, with a 38.6% clip on three pointers. Daniels started 24 of 25 games for the Wildcats, averaging 9.6 points per game, including 19 against Saint Joseph’s and 18 against Georgetown.

A top 50 recruit, Patterson graduated high school a semester early and enrolled at Villanova in the spring, practicing with the team through the season. A talented wing player, Patterson played in two games for the Wildcats in the spring, including against North Texas in the NCAA Tournament. Because of his early enrollment, Patterson will likely be one of the few “true” freshmen to become immediately involved in Jay Wright’s rotation.

A local guard from nearby Germantown Academy, Longino is a top-60 prospect who committed to Jay Wright and the Wildcats early on. The return of Gillespie also minimizes Longino’s role, but his size, ball-handling skills, and shooting ability allow him to play a combo guard role.

Longino likely won’t see huge minutes in his first season, but is an under the radar breakout candidate.

The only big man in the Wildcats 2021 class, Njoku is a top-100 recruit from Delaware. The Wildcats are thin up front this season, but Njoku’s role likely won’t be large due to the learning curve centered experience in Wright’s system. Wright will likely be running out a small ball lineup much of the time, but if he wants another bruiser inside, Njoku is the only option behind Eric Dixon, and could see minutes this season for that reason.

The Villanovan | 21

10 13 15 22

MEET THE

All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics

WOMEN KENZIE

LIOR

BRIANNA

BROOKE

GARDLER

GARZON

HERLIHY

MULLIN

JUNIOR Broomall, PA 5’4” Guard

SOPHOMORE Raanana, Israel 6’1” Forward

GRADUATE STUDENT Braintree, MA 6’0” Forward

JUNIOR Langhorne, PA 5’11” Guard

A nearby recruit from Cardinal O’Hara, Gardler’s role has grown all three years she’s been in the program and this season likely will see the same.

Gardler is the epitome of a point guard. She won’t get too many buckets herself, but she’ll set up others and won’t turn the ball over.

When needed, she can also knock down a three-pointer to space the floor herself.

A sophomore forward from Israel, Garzon appeared in all 24 games for the Wildcats last year, coming off the bench in all but one of them. Garzon established a role for herself in Denise Dillon’s offense as a three point sharpshooter, shooting .418 from the field and .345 from beyond the arc.

Garzon had a career high 19 points against Butler and scored in double figures in 10 of the 24 games.

A graduate student who chose to return for a sixth year at Villanova, Herlihy’s role cannot be overstated.

In the 2020-2021 season, Herlihy was the de facto second option on offense behind Maddy Siegrist, averaging 13.8 points per game and 5.7 rebounds en route to a spot on the AllBig East second team and the All-Philadelphia Big 5 first team. Herlihy also provides leadership on a very young Villanova squad alongside her twin sister

From nearby Langhorne, PA, and Neshaminy High School, Mullin has played a role in both seasons at Villanova. In her true freshman season, Mullin appeared in 31 games, and last season she appeared in 23 games, while starting 20. Last season, she averaged 3.9 assists and 2.1 rebounds while making 19 three pointers.

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22 | The Villanovan

All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics

MADDY

KYLIE

BELLA

SIEGRIST

SWIDER

RUNYAN

JUNIOR Poughkeepsie, NY 6’1” Forward

SOPHOMORE Portsmouth, RI 6’4” Forward/Center

SOPHOMORE Moorestown, NJ 5’11” Guard

Averaging 22.8 points per game, Siegrist started all 24 games for the Wildcats and led the team in points, field goals, three pointers, three point percentage, rebounds, steals and minutes. Siegrist was named to the All-Big East first team and was named Philadelphia Big Five Player of the Year, and was a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award, given to the top power forward in the country. As the top option for the ‘Cats, Villanova will go as far as Siegrist can take them.

Most of the headlines surrounding Swider last season focused on the fact that she is Cole’s younger sister, but with Cole’s departure to Syracuse, Kylie has begun to make the family name her own. Swider is the team’s tallest player and often plays in the five spot, especially when the Wildcats match up with taller opposition.

The Rhode Island native appeared in eight games last season, and will look to take on a bigger role in her sophomore year.

In an unusual move, Runyan experienced a lot of playing time as a true freshman at Villanova. Appearing in 24 games and even starting four, Runyan averaged 4.9 points and 2.0 assists per game. The 5’11” guard has the size and good enough shooting ability to truly impact the game, and will likely get a lot of game time running the point for the Wildcats this season.

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The Villanovan | 23

NEW FACES: MEET THE FRESHMEN #1 Zanai Jones

5’6” --- GUARD --- Jersey City, NJ

A freshman from nearby New Jersey, Jones is both a scorer and distributor. Jones will likely redshirt this season, as most freshmen do on the women’s basketball team, but will have an important role for the Wildcats in the future.

#2 Kaitlyn Orihel All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics

24 | The Villanovan

5’10” --- GUARD --- Newtown, PA

Coming from Archbishop Wood and the Philadelphia Catholic League, Orihel isn’t travelling far for college basketball. The Pennsylvania 4A State Player of the Year will provide guard depth this season for the Wildcats and is a prospect to watch in coming years for Villanova.

#3 Lucy Olsen

5’9” --- GUARD --- Royerford, PA

Another freshman with local roots, Olsen played her high school basketball at nearby SpringFord High School. There she set the school record for career assists with 379. The true point guard likely won’t see heavy minutes this season but will make an impact in the program sooner rather than later.

#5 Anahi-Lee Cauley

6’0” --- GUARD --- Windsor, CT

Another newbie to the Wildcats in 202122, Cauley averaged 15.2 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game in her junior season of high school basketball. She’ll provide Villanova with some size and ball handling skills, but likely not until next season.

#10 Christina Dalce

6’2” --- FORWARD --- Edison, NJ

At 6’2”, the freshman Dalce is one of the tallest players in her first year with the Wildcats.

The Somerset County Player of the Year will likely be a key player for Villanova in the coming years, but as a freshman her minutes will likely be limited in 2021-22.

The Villanovan | 25

One Last Ride Villanova’s Floor General Returns for Final Season

by Colin Beazley

The first thing you learn interviewing Collin Gillespie is that it’s not fun interviewing Collin Gillespie.

Make no mistake about it, this is no knock on Collin. In fact, this makes him the quintessential Villanova player. I asked Collin 20 questions over the span of 13 minutes, and he gave the right answer, the Villanova basketball answer, every time. Every. Single.

Time. Every quote went back to a tenet of Jay Wright’s teaching, a pillar of Villanova culture, from the “humble and hungry” edict to direct references of playing Villanova basketball all game every game.

There were no mistakes whatsoever. Every question I gave him he treated it as he would treat a fastbreak layup: nothing special, nothing fancy, just lay it up, right or left hand, through the hoop, turn around and run back on defense.

Perfect fundamentals, whether facing the media or Marquette.

Throughout Gillespie’s time at Villanova, he has embodied Villanova basketball better than anyone save maybe his coach, and that’s what made the interview so predictable, because it was Villanova basketball. Jay Wright provides the personality and charm for his team, while his players do the dirty work. While other programs chase five stars and seek to put the best possible players on the court, Wright looks for players that will fit his well-established Villanova culture, and 26 | The Villanovan

no one has fit that culture better than Gillespie, because Gillespie has become the culture.

Wright’s teams are well-known as being better than the sum of their parts, as players share the ball, driving to the paint and kicking out to a usually wide open teammate. His players dive for every loose ball, regardless of the score, and ignore their own egos for the sake of the whole, often willing to sit out a year or two to learn the system and their fit in it. Save for a few special players, Villanova basketball is usually devoid of flash, but the Wildcats are more fundamentally sound than anyone they step on the court with. Gillespie excels at the fundamentals.

During Gillespie’s time at Villanova, Wright has built the former three-star recruit Gillespie into one of the best collegiate players in the nation, Wright’s perfect player.

When Gillespie is on the court, Wright hardly has to coach, as Gillespie knows when to push the pace, when to slow the tempo, what play to run and how to

break down the opposing defense.

Wright established the Villanova culture and Gillespie has thrived

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

years, nearly everything has gone can’t feel sorry for myself. Things in it so much that he has become to plan for Gillespie. He’s started happen. This is life. I got to keep a it, and it shows on the court and every game he’s played in and great attitude, help my teammates on Zoom. has picked up a title so easily that in whatever way that I can.”

“Yeah, he’s it’s seemingly his official position

“It was tough, watching taught me a lot,” with the Wildcats: he’s not a point those guys compete [in the postseaGillespie said of guard, but a floor general. Gillesson] and not being able to be out Wright. “Not just on pie is the leader on the court there and help them in any way the floor, but off the and in the locker room, that I could. It was really tough, floor as well, how to the unquestioned top dog. not being able to play in the NCAA become a man, how When in blue, black or tournament [and the] Big East to approach each white, Gillespie is invinci- tournament the last two years,” day. On the floor, I ble. Except for when he Gillespie said. “I feel like we had feel like I’ve learned wasn’t. two really good teams that had the a lot from him...

March 3, 2021 chance to be successful. This year Coach Wright was a day circled on the we had a lot of older guys come has been very calendar for the Wildcats, back, so I’m really looking forward influential in my as a Senior Day matchup to just being able to compete with career so far, with Creighton beckoned. these guys again.” and I look The game was more than

The Senior Night game was forward to just a celebration for semeant to be Gillespie’s last hurrah, learning a niors Gillespie, Jermaine one last time playing in the Finn, a lot more Co urt Samuels, Dhamir Cosperfect finale to a storied Villanofrom this esy of by-Roundtree and Kevin va career. Yet, in one moment, his year as the Ph Hoehn, but it brought final act went irreversibly off script. well.” il both an opportunity for However, the pandemic offered

Every answer Gilles- adelph revenge against a team a second chance at that perfect pie gives is calm and calculated, ia In qu that handed the Wildending, and Gillespie took advanirer and it parallels a truth shown on cats their worst loss tage of an extra year of eligibility the basketball court: ever since of the season, as well as a offered to all NCAA athletes affecthis sophomore year, Gillespie has chance to lock up the Big ed by the pandemic to return for a been in control. His senior year of East regular season crown. All fifth season. high school at nearby Archbishwas going to plan, as the Wildcats

Gillespie said once he knew op Wood was one of the greatest led by 12 just 12 minutes into the he had the extra year “to fall back seasons in Philadelphia basketball game, but a hush fell over the famon,” his decision to history, as Gillespie entered the ilies in attendance when Gillespie return to the Wildseason as a lightly regarded Divigot tangled up with Creighton’s cats was an easy one. sion-II-at-best recruit and exited Damien Jefferson and went He announced his a Villanova commit, the PIAA 5A down holding his knee. decision on Twitter Player of the Year and a MaxGillespie had torn less than three weeks preps All-American Honorable after the Sweet 16 loss Mention after leading his squad to his MCL and was forced to miss to Baylor, together at the state championship. the same time as his

In his freshman year at Vil- the remainder of the teammate and close lanova, he came off the bench for season, infriend Jermaine Samumuch of the season but was a key cluding the els. contributor to the program’s third team’s NCAA

“It was the injury and national championship, and when Tournament just wanting to get healthy the team’s two top-scoring guards run. here at Villanova,” GillesJalen Brunson and Donte Di“Immediatepie said of his decision to Vincenzo left for the NBA Draft, ly, I was anreturn. “It’s been my home Gillespie seized the opportunity noyed,” Gillesfor the last four years. Part with both hands. Gillespie started pie said. “I was of it was that, and then just all 35 games for the Wildcats in frustrated, a being around people that 2018-2019, averaging nearly 11 lot of emocared about me, wanting to points per game to lead the ‘Cats see me get better, see me get to both the Big East regular season tion. After Courtesy of John W. McDonough/ healthy, and then I felt like that, I kinda and tournament championships.

Getty Images just said, I this was the place where I

Throughout the last three

The Villanovan | 27

Courtesy of Bucks County Courier Times could get healthy and continue to grow as a person and as a player on the court.”

And get healthy he has.

Gillespie spent the summer rehabbing his knee, and when he was able to return to basketball related activities he had to play with a massive metal knee brace.

He played in the Blue-White scrimmage with the brace, but said it wasn’t something he’ll need to use during the season.

“I feel good right now,” Gillespie said. “[I] still get treatment on it almost every day, just to try and stay ahead of it.

There’s some good days and there’s days where it’ll swell up a little bit, but I feel really good right now. I’m ready to go.”

Gillespie enters the season in a familiar position, as the key to any future Wildcat successes and as the tone-setter for the team itself. The team takes its lead from Gillespie; no one has been better at maintaining that Villanova culture than Gillespie, and it’s apparent in his answers. Gillespie 28 | The Villanovan

was named as an AP Preseason reigning national champion All-American earlier this month, Baylor, the team that knocked the but his reaction was typically VilWildcats out last year, or even an lanovan. early season matchup with sec “It’s a great honor, but ond ranked UCLA, but Gillespie [it’s] something that I really don’t wouldn’t bite. look at too much,” Gillespie said.

“I have to say Mount St. “I’m not really focused on that Mary’s because it’s our next game stuff, the individual stuff. From and that’s the most important me, it’s just being a great leadgame. We have a lot of great er, being a great teammate, and games this year ... but I have to just trying to help the team in say Mount St. Mary’s, it’s our any way that I can, just trying next game. I’m just really excited to be the best Villanova team to be playing again.” we can by the end. Whatever

Another right answer. happens with that will come, Nothing headline-worthy, no but I don’t really think about lead in, just the simplest answer it too much. It’s something and the one Villanova basketball that I’m not really worried demands he give. It may not be about.” the flashiest, but it’s exactly the

When asked about the answer he should give, so it’s the “team stuff,” and how his team one he used. earned a #4 ranking in the

My final question was the Preseason AP Poll, most open-ended one I gave Gillespie’s answer him, as I asked what he was much of the wanted anyone reading this same. piece to expect going into “We don’t the season, and the quintreally look at rankessential Villanova player ings,” Gillespie gave the quintessential said. “We always Villanova answer. just say have a

“We’re hungrowth mindset gry. We’re hungry and throughout the humble,” Gillespie said. year because there “We’re looking forward is so many ups and to just coming out every downs and just focus on benight and playing Villacoming the best team we can nova basketball, we’re by the end. I know it’s the gonna play hard on same thing always, but that’s every single possession. really what it is. We never We’re going to play talk about those things.”

Villanova basketball However, for 40 minutes.” the most telling

The interview moment of the was nothing special. interview was With Gillespie when I asked him at the helm, this what game he was season sure will be. most looking forward to this season.

The schedule is filled with opportunities for revenge and games with intrigue, from the return of local rivalries in the Big 5 to a grudge Courtesy of the Quad City Times match against

A Clean Slate:

The Last Man Standing

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

By Billy Vinci

From the gym at Paul VI Catholic in Fairfax, Virginia, to the Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, Pennsylvania, Brandon Slater has gone from key recruit in a top-10 class, to bench warmer as an underclassman, to key rotation player as a senior. In other words, the forward from the DMV has seen it all.

The 53rd ranked player by 247Sports.com in the class of 2018 out of high school, Slater was an athletic four-star wing who had his choice of colleges. Louisville, Maryland, Miami and Virginia were just some of the top-tier basketball schools who had interest in the forward who could get it done on both ends of the floor, but he ended up committing to Jay Wright and the Villanova Wildcats.

“It was just the family atmosphere that Villanova had. I built a great relationship with the coaches that were here at the time,” Slater said about his recruitment. “They kind of all disappeared, but the assistant coaches that were here at the time, I built a great relationship with them [and] the players that were here at the time. I thought that this would be the best spot.”

‘At the time,’ being the key words. Slater has seen his fair share of turnover while at Villanova, and the assistant coaches are just one example. “[Former Associate Head Coach] Baker [Dunleavy] was actually the person who recruited me,” said Slater.

Dunleavy, Ashley Howard and Kyle Neptune were the assistant coaches during Slater’s freshman and sophomore years of high school, the prime time for relationship building in recruiting. Now, they all hold head coaching positions elsewhere in Division I basketball.

Some athletes might be perturbed by the changeover, but Slater embraced it. “It’s great to see coaches move up the ranks.

It was hard to see somebody you built a relationship with go, but it was great because you had George Halcovage, Mike Nardi, who played here and Dwyane Anderson, who played here,” Slater said. “They stepped in because they’ve been in the program, they know what it’s like. It just felt like one in the same.”

Despite the change in the coaching staff, Slater arrived on campus in the fall of 2018 to a team fresh off of a national championship and was ready to contribute. “Everybody when they come in, they want to play as a freshman,” said Slater.

That wouldn’t be the case for Slater, however, as he appeared in just 15 of the Wildcats 36 games during the 2018The Villanovan | 29

19 season, and averaged just 3.5 minutes in those brief appearances he did have. Effectively, he didn’t have a role. “Me not playing my freshman year didn’t really phase me much because I knew I had to get better as a basketball player in all aspects of the game. We won a Big East championship, and I was as excited as anybody else just to be out there. I got better each day,” Slater said.

Fast forward to year two for the Virginia native, and Slater definitely saw an improved role, but still not a large one. He appeared in all 31 of Villanova’s games and averaged 11.6 minutes, but never scored in double digits and was mainly responsible for playing solid defense. That team finished 24-7, but never got a chance to play in the Big East or NCAA Tournament due to COVID-19. “That one stunk,” Slater said. “That team, we felt like we were a special group. We had fun playing, we loved each other.”

In today’s environment and with the ease of transferring, many players would have left after barely averaging double digit minutes through two seasons. Why didn’t Slater?

“Honestly, I love Villanova. It’s not just the basketball part of it. It was the fit I had off the floor,” Slater said. “You get to build relationships with people you probably wouldn’t build relationships with at other schools in other situations. The academics here are amazing. I just felt like even without the basketball aspect, I wanted to be at Villanova.”

Sticking around paid off, as Slater’s junior season last year saw an even larger jump. He appeared in all 25 of the Wildcats games, starting in two, and averaged 16.8 minutes per game while averaging 3.8 points. “All the working from the first two years, from the trials and tribulations of getting better as a college player,” Slater said about his jump in year three. “It’ll come. You can’t really rush your process, and not everybody’s process is the same and I had to understand that at an early time.”

Maybe most importantly, he went 10-24 (41.7%) from three-point territory. While still not a large volume, it amounted to about one three point attempt per game, and to date is the most attempts and makes of his Villanova career.

“We want to be able to have a whole bunch of guys who can shoot. For me, it’s important for me to learn and be able to understand which shots are the right shots and keep working on my jumper. I’m really confident right now,” Slater said about his three point shooting. “Practicing over and over again in the summer. Coaches getting mad at me because I’m not shooting the ball when I should, little things like that, just reps and repetition, that’s really all it is.”

Also notable is that he made progress on offense while also being one of the Wildcats best defenders. “It’s a mindset. I wasn’t totally defensive minded when I came from high school because I was pretty good offensively and I was athletic so I could make plays off of my athleticism,” said Slater. “I always was a little bit ahead of the curve defensively because I was more agile than the taller players and I was longer than the smaller players. It was kind of just a God given ability but you still have to work on it every day and when I got here I just built on what I already had. I just learned different details and I really like getting a stop on players. It gets my teammates going, it gets me going.”

Now a senior, the changes that Slater has gone through while at Villanova stand out again. The 2018 recruiting class Slater was a member of had four commits and was ranked ninth overall in 247Sports Composite class rankings. Today, when those same 2018 recruits are entering their senior seasons, Slater is the only member remaining at Courtesy of Villanova Athletics 30 | The Villanovan

Villanova. Guard Jahvon Quinerly transferred to Alabama after one drama-filled year. Wing Saddiq Bey left to go to the NBA after two years and was drafted in the first round. Cole Swider transferred to Syracuse after his junior year, due to the return of Jermaine Samuels, leaving only Slater with the team.

“Coming into my senior year, I felt like, ‘Wow.’ Just thinking about all the stuff I’ve been through and the only person I’ve been through it with is basically myself,” Slater said of the changes he’s seen. “I’m just excited that I even have the opportunity to be here as a senior to show how I’ve gotten better and to show what I’ve gone through.”

On the court in his senior year, Slater will undoubtedly have his largest role yet. Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels and Justin Moore all return as definitive starters, as does Caleb Daniels. If Eric Dixon starts as the big man in place of Jeremiah Robinson-Earl from last season, it’s possible that Slater will take Daniels’ spot in the starting lineup. It’s also possible that Wright decides to start a small lineup and have Slater be the de facto center. Regardless, even if Slater comes off the bench, those six players will be the top six in the rotation and see the majority of minutes. Bryan Antoine and the young players will fill out the rotation, but Slater is effectively guaranteed to have a major role in his senior season.

“Personally, I just want to be a more complete player. I want to be the best I can be. I want to do everything for my team,” Slater said on his goals this season. “We have a very talented team, we have a very veteran group of players. I think we can be a very, very special team.”

Despite being his senior year and being set to graduate this spring, Slater and all other winter athletes have an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19. That’s not on Slater’s radar just yet, however. “I’ll focus on that when this season’s over. Right now I’m just worried about this year.”

This Villanova team is yet another squad that comes into a season with national title aspirations. Ranked fourth in the nation, it has a real shot at winning the program’s fourth national championship, and the third for Wright. To do that, the top of the rotation, which will include Slater, has to be special. Brandon Slater has a chance to become a legendary Villanova basketball player this season.

The Villanovan | 31

Queen of the Court: Breaking Records and Ankles

From first team All-State in high school to first team All-Big East, junior women’s basketball star Maddy Siegrist has been setting records and surpassing all expectations throughout her whole career.

During the recruiting process, Siegrist had a lot to consider, but Villanova stood out for a variety of reasons. Siegrist explained how much the campus and Catholic community played a role in her decision as those were both important to her. ‘Nova was also the strongest option for basketball, and she knew that playing in the Big East would challenge her more than her other options.

“Villanova was definitely the biggest risk because of the high level of play in the Big East, but I knew that it would challenge me,” Siegrist explained.

Harry Peretta, the head coach at the time, was known for his five-out spread offense, which was not something that Siegrist was used to.

Coming out of high school, the Our Lady of Lourdes alumna was a true power forward, with a majority of her points coming inside. Siegrist attempted just 12 three-pointers in her four year high school career and was not seen as a threat from beyond the arc. After a redshirt year and endless hours of practice, Siegrist now leads the Wildcats in all three-point shooting categories.

When Siegrist arrived at Villanova in 2018, she had every intention of playing and said she was strongly opposed to redshirting, a common occurrence for freshmen under previous head coach Harry Peretta.

Her perspective changed when she suffered a broken ankle and knew that she would miss more than half of the season.

Siegrist knew that the year could be used in better ways and by redshirting she would save her eligibility and not miss out on potential opportunities.

“I really took that year to improve my three-point shot.

I would go up to the gym on my crutches and just shoot for hours because that was all I could do,” Siegrist explained.

Three-point shooting is just the beginning of Siegrist’s ability. Her natural length and athleticism, coupled with her well-rounded skills, allow her to consistently perform at a high level. She leads the team in almost every stat category, and even leads the conference in some.

Last season, Siegrist averaged 22.8 points per game, finishing 11th in the nation for scoring. She is just the third player in program history to lead the Big East in both scoring and rebounding in the same season. Siegrist also had a conference high 13 double-doubles.

One of only three Wildcats in program history to reach the 1,000 point scoring milestone in two seasons, Siegrist passed Villanova legend Shelly Pennefather as the fastest player to reach the mark, doing so in just 50 games. With 1131 career points, Siegrist sits at 20th on the all time list and will continue to climb this season.

32 | The Villanovan

By Meghann Morhardt

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

While filled with success and milestones, last season came with many obstacles and restrictions.

Between living in a “bubble” and transitioning to a new coach, there were a lot of adjustments for Siegrist and the ‘Cats.

Siegrist says the “bubble” was the hardest part because it prevented her from seeing her family.

Coming from a big family, with three siblings and two dedicated parents, not being able to spend time with them was difficult.

“My family is at almost every game,” Siegrist said. “I don’t think my dad has missed one that he was able to go to, so not being able to see them or go out for dinners after games was definitely a challenge.”

The “bubble” aspect of the situation also came with a lot of added pressure. If one player on the team got COVID-19 or was contact traced, the whole program was shut down for testing and quarantine.

“It was a lot to carry around because you didn’t want to be the person to hurt the whole team,” Siegrist explained.

These restrictions made adjusting to a new coach even more difficult than usual. The team was unable to have a regular preseason and they were limited to Zoom interactions with Coach Dillon for the first few months.

“It felt like freshman year all over because we didn’t know what to expect from practices or her coaching style, and it felt like starting fresh,” Siegrist said.

Siegrist and the team hope that this year things will go more smoothly after having a full season together with Coach Dillon and getting to have a regular preseason this year.

Siegrist explains that “everyone has grown so much in their relationship with [Coach Dillon], and having a full summer here with everyone makes a huge difference. You can already tell in practice how beneficial our time together was just in terms of everyone being in shape and comfortable with everything.”

Having this preseason has helped the team set goals for their season, including advancing to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017-18 under Perretta. Just one player on the current roster, graduate student Brianna Herlihy, was on that team in 2018.

The ‘Cats went to the WNIT last year, where Siegrist led the team averaging 24.3 points and eight rebounds per game.

They advanced to the quarter finals, losing a tough game to University of Delaware 77-70.

“I definitely think making the [NCAA] tournament is our ultimate goal. We have a pretty young group and Brianna [Herlihy] is the only one who has experienced it so it would be an amazing experience and opportunity to get there,” Siegrist said.

The team is ready and motivated to make this goal a reality, and Siegrist hopes the fans can help. Villanova did not allow fans at home games last year, and Siegrist said it definitely had an impact.

When asked what she was most looking forward to this season, Siegrist immediately said “Having fans in the stands again for sure. I love seeing my family and other people in the crowd supporting us. We really missed that last year and we can’t wait to have it back.”

The ‘Cats are back to a regular schedule this year with 15 home games at the Finneran Pavilion.

They are scheduled to play 29 games, split between the ten other Big East teams and nine non-conference opponents, including strong national contenders Maryland and Oregon State.

Siegrist, a unanimous selection on the Preseason All-Big East First Team, will continue to lead the ‘Cats this season, potentially all the way to an NCAA Tournament bid.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics The Villanovan | 33

102 Years of Buckets: The Storied History of Villanova Men’s Basketball

by Matthew Ryan

The 1984-85 National Champion men’s basketball team with Coach Massimino.

Villanova basketball has a rich and storied history. The Wildcats’ first season dates all the way back to 1920. Since then, they have gone on to win more than 1,800 games and three national championships.

Coaching consistency has been a major theme on the Main Line, as only eight coaches have held the title of head coach at Villanova. After the ‘Cats had three coaches across their first 16 seasons, the program handed the keys over to Alex Severance, where the stability really began.

The second-winningest coach in Wildcats history (413 wins), Severance coached the ‘Cats from 1936-61, leading them to their first Final Four in 1938.

During the Severance era, Villanova produced its only Basketball Hall of Famer to date, Paul Arizin. Arizin played for the ‘Cats from 1947-50 and went on to play 10 seasons in the NBA, 34 | The Villanovan

making the All-Star team every year and winning a title with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1956.

When Severance’s time at Villanova came to a close, Jack Kraft was chosen to take over.

Kraft led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament in six of his 12 seasons, including in 1970-71, when they made it all the way to the national championship game.

The Wildcats lost in the title game to UCLA and had to vacate the entire season due to star player Howard Porter signing a professional contract during his senior year.

After the 1972-73 season ended, Villanova and Kraft parted ways, and Rollie Massimino was named the Wildcats’ next head coach. The Wildcats played their first 56 seasons as an independent team, but in 1976 joined the ECBL — renamed the EAA one year later — only to leave for the Big East in 1980. Despite the

Courtesy of Villanova University

movement, Massimino and his teams remained consistent; they were always solid but never great.

That is, almost never great.

In 1985, the Wildcats finished the regular season 1910, earning the eighth seed in the NCAA Tournament. Then things started to get crazy. In the first round, Villanova defeated nine seed Dayton, 51-49, setting up a matchup with top-seeded Michigan. The Wildcats upset the Wolverines, 59-55, and in the Sweet Sixteen knocked out five seed Maryland, 46-43. Next up was second-seeded North Carolina, who Villanova defeated by double figures to send the Wildcats to their second Final Four in program history.

Of the four teams remaining — Villanova, Georgetown, St. John’s and Memphis — the Tigers were the only non-Big East member. The ‘Cats were matched up with Memphis in the semifi-

Courtesy of @joevalerio73/Twitter

The team originally played their games in the Jake Nevin Fieldhouse, shown here in 2017.

nal game and walked away with the 52-45 victory, setting up a date with the number one seeded Hoyas in the national championship game. Georgetown was the reigning national champion and was ranked first in the final AP Poll. To say the Hoyas were heavy favorites is an understatement.

Led by center Ed Pinckney, the Wildcats put on one of the greatest performances in basketball history. They entered the half with a one-point lead, and in the final 20 minutes missed just one shot, leading to a 66-64 victory and giving the program its first title. The Wildcats made 78.6% of their shots that day, leading many to nickname the game “The Perfect Game.” To this day, Villanova is the lowest seeded team ever to win the championship.

Massimino departed the Main Line in 1992 and was replaced by Steve Lappas. Lappas’ tenure at Villanova ended in 2001, and in stepped the Wildcats’ all-time leader in wins, Jay

Wright (486 wins).

In 2002, Wright’s second year as head coach, Villanova welcomed one of the greatest recruiting classes in its history. The class was comprised of Wildcats legends, most notably guard Randy Foye, and helped jumpstart the program to where it is today.

In 2006, that class led Villanova to their first Elite Eight in the Wright era, and just three seasons later, the Hall of Fame coach had his team in the Final Four. The ‘Cats fell short in 2009, losing to eventual national champions UNC, but seven years later they would get their revenge.

Coming off a blowout victory over Oklahoma to advance to the national championship game, the 2016 Wildcats had the ball in a tie game against the Tar Heels with just 4.7 seconds remaining.

After Villanova inbounded the ball, point guard Ryan Arcidiacono dribbled up the court and pitched it back to a trailing Kris Jenkins who elevated for a

three-pointer at the buzzer. Bang.

Jenkins buried the shot, giving the Wildcats a 77-74 victory and their second national title, capping off one of the greatest college basketball games of all time.

Just two years later, in 2018, Wright’s team once again found itself back in the national championship game. This Villanova team was led by guard Jalen Brunson, who had arguably the greatest season by a Wildcat ever, taking home every major National Player of the Year award. But in the title game against Michigan, it was guard Donte DiVincenzo who shined. DiVincenzo poured in 31 points off the bench, capping off a dominant tournament run for Villanova with a 79-62 victory over the Wolverines. This victory capped off the careers of numerous Villanova legends and gave the Wildcats their second title in three years, officially cementing the program’s place as one of the best men’s programs in the nation.

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History of Villanova Women’s Basketball

By Tyler Moore

Sharing the title of first varsity women’s program by the University, the Villanova women’s basketball program kicked off its inaugural season in 1969, and head coach Liz Crawley led her team to a 4-6 season. The program’s future quickly turned around, just as the coaching staff would for the next decade. The following season, the team would improve to 8-5 under new head coach Jane Sefranek. Sefranek continued producing winning seasons for each of her next four years at Villanova. The team only suffered a losing season once between 1969 to 1978. While it was a solid start for a budding program something was missing, but the Wildcats found that piece in a man named Harry Perretta.

Head coach Perretta would spend 42 seasons on the Main Line following his first season in 1978, only retiring at the end of the 2020 season.

Perretta maintained a collection of winning seasons throughout his first four years before the Wildcats were invited to join the

Former Head Coach Harry Perretta was at Villanova for 42 years.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics following their dominant seasons, newly formed Big East Conferwith just a few WNIT appearence. While the first season in Big ances in a disappointing decade.

East play was not ideal, the next However, the turn of the century few saw some of the best basketsaw a shift in performance by the ball played in program history. women’s team.

‘Nova once again For three of the next four years, reached the NCAA tournament Perretta’s Wildcats would win in 2001 and would do the same the Big East while being crowned in the next three seasons. In the either regular season or tourna2002-03 season, Perretta led the ment champion each of those ‘Cats to not only a conference four years. ‘Nova would also see tournament championship win, four straight NCAA tournament but to the Elite Eight as well, the appearances, including a second first and so far only time the Wildround appearance in 1986. cats reached that stage in postsea The ‘Cats took a dip son play.

Since then, the Wildcats have had their ups and downs, occasionally making a run in the WNIT or an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Their most recent NCAA appearance came in 2018 in which they made it to the Round of 32 before losing to West Virginia, and they made it to the quarterfinals of the WNIT in 2021.

Throughout its history, Villanova women’s basketball has had a great list of players who have made a huge impact on the program. The most popular and undoubtedly most important was Shelly Pennefather left Villanova as the all-time leading scorer.

Mary Michelle “Shelly” PennefaCourtesy of Nieman.Harvard.edu 36 | The Villanovan

tions and is currently entering her eleventh year as the head coach at Fordham.

Perhaps the most relevant former player to the ‘Cats today is former guard and current head coach, Denise Dillon. Dillon is most notable in her college years for being the twelfth player in program history to score 1,000 points, as well as being featured in the Big 5, Villanova and Delaware County Athletics Hall of Fames. Immediately after graduation, Dillon stuck around as an assistant on Perretta’s coaching staff until 2001 before landing the head coach position at Drexel in 2003. She was named CAA Coach of the Year numerous times at Drexel, and is the program’s most successful coach. In 2020, Dillon took over the Villanova women’s basketball program after Perretta’s retirement, and is now just the fifth head coach in program history. In her opening season she led the Wildcats to a 17-7 overall record and nearly into the NCAA Tournament, but settled for a run to the quarterfinals of the WNIT.

The future of the program is in Dillon’s hands. Entering her second season, she faces numerous top programs, including historic programs such as UConn and Maryland, but with the rich legacy established by Perretta and continued by Dillon, the future of the program is bright.

Denise Dillon played under Perretta, and now took over for him.

Courtesy of Delco Times ther. becoming a nun in 1997, Penne Prior to coming to ‘Nova, father saw Perretta and her family Pennefather played in three for the first time in 2019, and will straight state championships, with not do so for another 25 years. a 70-0 record at Bishop MacheStephanie Gaitley is another Vilbeuf Catholic High School in lanova legend. Gaitley played at Denver, Colorado. She won yet the University between 1978 and another state championship her 1982, and is most notable for her senior year when she played at inductions into both the Villanova Notre Dame High School in New Hall of Fame and the Big 5 Hall York, in which she led her team to of Fame. In 1982, she also rea 26-0 record. Pennefather (1983- ceived recognition as an academic 1987) scored a career total of All-American. Since graduation, 2,408 points as a Wildcat, claimGaitley has coached women’s ing the all-time leading scorer basketball at numerous institutitle for both men and women at the time. She averaged more than 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists throughout her career at Villanova and was named the Big East Player of the Year three times, but she also received the Wade Trophy in 1987, an award presented to the best upperclassman women’s basketball player in NCAA Division I play.

Upon graduation in 1987, Pennefather played professionally in Japan for three years, before returning to the United States and choosing to enter monastic life with the Poor Clares in VirMaddy Siegrist is the new face of Villanova women’s basketball. ginia. Keeping with tradition after Courtesy of Villanova Athletics The Villanovan | 37

Legendary Coaches of Villanova Basketball By: Aphrodite Dimopoulos

Kyle Lowry, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Ed Pinckney, Marie Maguire and Rosemarie Greyson are all names synonymous with Villanova Basketball. It’s these players that we’ve watched play in perfect harmony, doing the impossible on a daily basis, but it’s the person coordinating the players, guiding them to play in said perfect harmony, that holds not just the team, but the Villanova Basketball program, together. Both the men’s and women’s teams boast some of the best collegiate basketball coaches of all time, and it is these individuals that have allowed the program to become what it is today.

Villanova established a Women’s Varsity squad in 1969 with Liz Cawley at the helm. She went 4-6 in the team’s first season and continued to coach until 1970.

She then passed the torch to Jane Sefranek, who led the program from 1970-1975. Sefranek produced all winning seasons, and was followed by Joan King, who led the Wildcats from 1975-1978. It was in 1978 that Villanova was graced with Harry Perretta who went on to coach of the team for the next 42 seasons.

Perretta was recruited as a coach right out of college and beat out 65 other applicants to become Villanova’s head coach at the young age of 22, becoming the youngest coach ever to head a women’s varsity program at Villanova. In his 42 years with the Wildcats, Perretta 38 | The Villanovan

tied the record for most seasons as a head coach at a single school in NCAA Women’s Basketball, along with becoming the all-time winningest coach in the history of Villanova basketball for both men and women. Throughout his career, he took the team to the NCAA Tournament eleven times, boasting three Big East Tournament titles and seventeen Big 5 crowns.

Perretta was the first coach to bring the team to the postseason in 1982 at the AIAW Women’s Basketball Tournament, and that success was only the beginning. After that season, Perretta and the Wildcats joined the Big East Conference and found continued success. He reached the NCAA Second Round in 1986, the NCAA First Round in 1989 and, since 1997, appeared in every postseason with only four exceptions. Perretta retired in 2020 with an overall record of 742-467

at Villanova, passing the team over to Coach Denise Dillon, a former player of his.

Dillon graduated from Villanova in 1996 and is a Villanova Varsity Club Hall of Fame inductee, scoring 1355 points and amassing 67 rebounds during her collegiate career. She was also an All-Big East honoree and three-time All-Big 5 selection. With 17 years of Division I head coaching experience under her belt, the former Drexel coach is expected to continue Perretta’s success and continue to lead the Villanova Women’s Basketball team to greatness.

The Women’s team is not the only one to flaunt incredible coaches. Since the program’s start in 1920, the Villanova Men’s Basketball Program has had eight different head coaches, including current coach and figurehead, Jay Wright.

Courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Starting the program as coach from 1920-26, Michael Saxe accumulated a 62-30 record, an average of 68%. For the next three seasons, John Cashman led the Wildcats, before George “Doc” Jacobs served at Villanova from 192936, amassing a 62-56 record at the helm. In 1936, Coach Al Severance took charge, leading the program for the next 25 seasons.

Severance left the program in 1961 with a 413-201 record, and can be truly credited with creating the premier basketball program we know today. Severance’s 193839 team won the first ever NCAA Tournament game, advancing to the first ever Final Four. His success did not stop there as he led the team to NCAA Tournaments in 1939, 1949, 1951 and 1955, along with NIT bids in 1959 and 1960. Beyond his work as coach, Severance actually was a professor of Business Law at Villanova. After his tenure at Villanova, Severance paved the way for continued success throughout the program.

Following Severance, Coach Jack Kraft led the Wildcats from 1961-73. In his twelve seasons, Kraft ended with a 238-95 overall record, an astounding 71.5% win rate. He took Villanova to the NCAA Tournament six times, along with five NIT bids. Throughout his career, he only failed to earn a postseason bid once, and coached many notable players, including Chris Ford, Tom Ingelsby and Wali

Jones.

The next 19 seasons of Men’s Basketball was headed by Coach Rollie Massimino. In 1992, Massimino retired with a 357-241 record, along with being responsible for turning the team from an independent status to joining the Eastern Eight Conference, and eventually to its permanent home, the Big East, in 1980. While in the Big East, Massimino found tremendous NCAA Tournament success, reaching the tournament eleven times and advancing to the Elite Eight five times. Massimino’s most notable success was in 1985, when he won Villanova’s first national championship title, crafting a perfect game plan to upset several opponents on the way to the title.

Massimino never lost to a lower seeded team in the Tournament, and his only first round loss was to a LSU team in 1990 led by Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Jackson.

Coach Steve Lappas followed Massimino’s success, starting his nine season stay in 1992. Before coming to Villanova, Lappas coached at Manhattan College and, following his stay at the university, coached at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. While coaching the Wildcats, Lappas won the NIT in 1994 and the Big East Tournament in 1995. He reached the NCAA Tournament four times with the ‘Cats in 1995, 1996, 1997 and Courtesy of Drexel Athletics 1999.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Since 2001, Coach Jay Wright has been the driving force behind Villanova Men’s Basketball. Wright was Massimino’s assistant from 19871992, followed by a stay at Hofstra University as head coach from 1994-2001. In his initial ten seasons as head coach of Villanova, Wright earned a postseason tournament spot every year, along with playing in the NIT in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Since 2005, Wright has also participated in 14 of the 15 NCAA Tournaments. In the NCAA Tournament, Wright has had a 21-11 record, reaching six regionals, three Final Fours, and winning two national championships in 2016 and 2018.

Six of his eleven Tournament losses were also to the eventual national champion. Throughout his stay at Villanova, Wright has been named Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year twice, in 2006 and 2016, NABC NCAA Division I Coach of the Year (2006), won the John R. Wooden Award Legends of Coaching honor (2017) and was recently inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 following his coaching experience at the 2020 Olympics.

Between the five women’s coaches and eight men’s coaches, Villanova has been led by some of the greatest names in collegiate basketball, all of whom have boosted Villanova Basketball to the legendary status that it holds today.

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RUNNING IN TRANSITION From Harry Perretta to Denise Dillon

By Owen Hewitt

How would you follow up 42-years of unprecedented consistency?

How would you go about replacing someone with twenty 20-win seasons?

Or 22 career postseason tournament berths? Or 783 wins?

These are tough questions to answer because, in the world of sports, we so rarely see such a long period of sustained coaching success with one team. Coaches either succeed and move on to greener pastures, or falter and get removed from their positions.

Neither was the case for former Villanova women’s basketball coach Harry Perretta.

Out of the 40 coaches to ever notch 700 victories in NCAA women’s basketball, 15 of those coaches only ever worked for one institution in their careers, and Perretta is among those 15.

40 | The Villanovan

Perretta was hired at the young age of 22 in 1978 and coached the Wildcats until his retirement in 2020, leaving massive shoes for his successor to step into with his legacy of success at the position. Villanova answered the question of how to go about replacing him by choosing a successor that had both worked closely with Perretta and also had accrued a proven track record of her own, hiring Denise Dillon away from nearby Drexel.

Dillon, who graduated from the university in 1996, was a star for the Wildcats’ basketball team in the mid 90s, becoming the 12th player in program history to score 1,000 points. Shortly after her playing days, she took the reins of Drexel’s women’s basketball team before the 2003-04 season, and remained the

coach of the Dragons for 17 seasons, leading them to 10 postseason tournament berths and a WNIT championship in 2013.

Director of Athletics Mark Jackson said of the hire that Dillon’s perspective as an alumni of the program made her a perfect fit for the opening.

“While achievement on the court was a vital component of our committee's search, what she represents off the court is what really stands out and what made her the ideal choice from the perspective of President Donohue to everyone else involved in the process.”

Jackson said to Villanova Athletics in 2020. “She is a fierce competitor with a balance and understanding of the Villanova University mission and community. We take great pride in our women's basketball alumni

and all that they represent. Denise is the perfect bridge from Harry to all of these wonderful Villanovans. We could not be any more excited or proud to welcome Denise home."

It’s possible that no one was more excited about Dillon getting the opportunity to succeed Perretta than Perretta himself.

“Words cannot express how excited I am that Denise has been given this opportunity," Perretta told Villanova Athletics in 2020, after it was announced that Dillon had been awarded the job. "She has done a phenomenal job at Drexel over the last 17 years and she is ready for this next challenge in her career. To have one of my former players take over the program is something that makes me extremely proud. Villanova wom-

en's basketball is in great hands under Denise's leadership."

In her statement after being hired, Dillon referred to Perretta as a mentor, and said that she would carry on the tradition that Perretta had set in his 42 years of coaching.

“To assume leadership of a program which has been so well respected and nurtured for by my coach and mentor, Harry Perretta, is truly an honor.” Dillon said to Villanova Athletics in 2020. “I look forward to this next chapter of Villanova Women's Basketball and teaching the values which were instilled in me during my

time as a Wildcat student-athlete."

But still the question remained after her hiring: would she be able to follow up the legendary act of Perretta successfully?

The answer to this point has been a firm yes.

After just one season at the helm of the Wildcats’ program, the Cats earned their first postseason tournament berth under the tutelage of Dillon.

The squad went 17-7, finishing fifth in the Big East.

Junior forward Maddy Siegrist said the transition between the two coaches was made slightly more difficult due to the pandemic limiting

the in-person time the team could spend together.

“Initially, we were on Zoom for like six months, so we hadn’t known her but through Zoom, so that was awkward,” Siegrist said.

“Last year we were all kind of freshman, you didn’t know how practice was going to go, you didn’t know what games were going to be like, and now having a season under our belt, we understand how it goes.”

Siegrist did say that it was helpful that the two’s offensive schemes were fairly similar, and attributed the biggest difference between the two to their

Dillon coaching the Wildcats in 2020. She led the Wildcats to a 17-7 record.

Courtesy of Laurence Kesterson, Associated Press

defensive philosophies.

“Coach Dillon brings a new flair, a new perspective, which is definitely cool,” Siegrist said. “We run similar sets offensively, which [made them] easy to learn.

Defensively, there’s a lot more emphasis on getting deflections and disrupting the offense. There’s more emphasis on getting stops.”

That’s not the only difference between the two though.

“Harry was more creative when he roasted you,” Siegrist said.

Dillon kicks off her second season in charge when the Wildcats face Princeton on Nov. 10.

The Villanovan | 41

Non-Conference

PREVIEW Syracuse

By Matthew Ryan

Following three straight games against Big Five opponents, Villanova will travel to Madison Square Garden on Dec. 7th to take on former Big East foe Syracuse. The Wildcats enter the matchup with a 32-39 record against the Orange, winning the last contest in 2014, 82-77.

Syracuse is led by Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, whose four Big East Coach of the Year awards are tied for second in conference history, trailing only Villanova’s Jay Wright, who has six. Boeheim, who led his team to the 2003 national title, is in his 43rd season with the Orange and is known across college basketball for his zone defense.

Like Villanova, Syracuse is coming off a run to the Sweet Sixteen. The Orange made the NCAA Tournament as an 11 seed and pulled off upsets against San Diego State and West Virginia before falling to Houston.

Syracuse is only returning two of its six leading scorers from last year’s team: senior guard and leading scorer Buddy Boeheim (17.8 points per game) and junior guard Joseph Girard III (9.8 PPG). Buddy, Jim’s son, is undoubtedly the team’s number one option coming off a stellar March Madness performance.

Jim Boeheim added a familiar face for Villanova fans, picking up senior forward Cole Swider from the transfer portal. Swider played in 25 games for the ‘Cats last season, averaging 5.7 PPG while shooting 40.2% from three. Boeheim also brought in former Marquette guard junior Symir Torrence, who averaged 2.4 PPG last season, and his oldest son Jimmy, a graduate forward who averaged 16.7 PPG last year with Cornell. Forward Benny Williams, a former four-star prospect, is the only scholarship freshman for Syracuse.

The matchup in the most famous arena in the United States will be televised on ESPN and should give both squads a good idea of where they stand as conference play approaches.

UCLA

By Alex Tantum

On November 12th, Villanova will travel to Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles to face off against the UCLA Bruins. The game will be Jay Wright and company’s first, and arguably most difficult, test of the season. They will need to be well-prepared for a battle, but having an experienced, veteran-led team will certainly help.

UCLA returns its best players as well, with the entire starting lineup returning from a team that was perhaps a Jalen Suggs buzzer-beating 3-pointer away from upsetting 2019-20 title favorite Gonzaga and advancing to the National Championship game. The leaders of the Bruins figure to be point guard Tyger Campbell, who averaged 10.4 points per game and 5.4 assists per game last season, shooting guard Johnny Juzang (16.0 PPG), the breakout star of last season’s NCAA Tournament, and power forward Jaime Jaquez, who averaged 12.3 PPG and 6.1 RPG while shooting 39.4 percent from three-point range.

Additionally, two important players lost to injury last season, guard Chris Smith and forward Jalen Hill, will be returning, and the Bruins also picked up Rutgers transfer Myles Johnson. All three will provide key reserve minutes. The 2021 freshman class is strong as well, led by the 247 Sports 11th and 57th ranked recruits in the class, respectively, in small forward Peyton Watson and shooting guard Will McClendon.

In short, UCLA is stacked with talent, and it appears to be a consensus top-five team entering this season, ranked second in the Preseason AP Top 25. Villanova should be able to score, but the concerns will be on the defensive side, in stopping players such as Juzang and Jaquez. Players such as Brandon Slater and Jermaine Samuels will have to step up on defense for the Wildcats to get a huge early-season win that would cement their status as title contenders for the 2021-22 season.

42 | The Villanovan

Baylor

By Owen Hewitt

The Wildcats get a chance for revenge against the team that ended their 2020-2021 season, as Villanova faces Baylor in the Big East-Big 12 Battle at the Ferrell Center in Waco on Dec. 12.

Baylor has high expectations after coming off its first national championship ever last year, but many are doubting the Bears’ ability to come back as strong as they were last year. The squad was ranked eighth in the nation in the AP Preseason Poll, four spots behind the Wildcats. That doubt stems from some key departures from the national championship roster. Guard Jared Butler, who was named as the tournament’s most outstanding player, left for the NBA Draft, instead of returning for his senior season. Guard Davion Mitchell did the same, and guard MaCio Teague and forward Mark Vital both declined to utilize their super senior seasons, declaring for the draft. Those four players combined for an average of 52.2 points per game for the Bears. Baylor returns just one player who started for the championship team, forward Flo Thamba.

The new additions for the Bears will have to step up for the Scott Drew-led team to perform to the heights it did in 2020-21. Baylor landed the 15th best recruiting class in the nation according to 247 Sports, which included two four-star prospects and a five-star. Forward Kendall Brown is the five star, and he’ll likely be the freshman with the most impact on the Bears’ roster.

The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. tip and will be nationally televised on ABC.

Maryland

By Catherine Browne

On Nov. 12, Villanova’s women’s basketball team is scheduled to play its first non-conference game, against fourth ranked Maryland on the Terrapins’ home court. Maryland had a successful 202021 season, with an overall record of 26-3 and a conference record of 17-1 to claim its sixth Big Ten title. Sophomore Ashley Owusu led the team with an average of 17.9 points per game, alongside sophomore Diamond Miller, who averaged 17.3 PPG. The team could have been Big Ten champions for seven consecutive seasons, but fell to Ohio State 79-69 in the title game in 2018.

Head coach Brenda Frese has proven to lead a strong team and will continue to do so entering into this season, with several players poised for big campaigns. Sophomore Angel Reese was named to The Baltimore Sun’s Top 25 Women to Watch list this week, and Swiss freshman forward Emma Chardon brings experience playing on the Switzerland National Team. Chardon has played on the team since she was 15 years old and averaged 18.4 PPG in the FIBA Euro Challengers in the summer of 2021.

Last season, the Wildcats gained Kylie Swider as a 6’4” forward/center, but the Wildcats have an average height of only 5’9”. The Terrapins hold an average height of 6’0”, with nine players over that mark, giving them a clear size advantage over the Wildcats. In just the second game of the season, the Terps will be a massive test for the ‘Cats, and they will show the team what it needs to work on for a successful season.

Oregon State

By Owen Hewitt

The Wildcats get a rare opportunity to host a non-conference top-15 opponent, as Oregon State will visit Finneran Pavilion on Dec. 12. The Beavers come into the season ranked 14th in the nation by the AP Preseason poll, their eighth consecutive appearance in the outlet’s preseason ranking.

Oregon State was an eight seed in last year’s March Madness bracket, and lost in the second round to national semifinalist South Carolina. However, it returns the bulk of its roster, including redshirt senior forward Ellie Mack, who started all 20 games for the Beavers. Sophomore forward Taylor Jones also returns after a stellar freshman year where she started in all twenty games and averaged 12.3 PPG, good for second on the squad. The team did lose their leading scorer from last season, guard Aleah Goodman, who was picked 30th in the WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun.

The Beavers did bring in a few new recruits and transfers, including redshirt senior guard Tea Adams, who transferred in from San Diego State after averaging 10.7 PPG with the Aztecs. The other major addition to the roster is guard A.J. Marotte, a four-star recruit via Prospects Nation who committed to Oregon State in April of 2021. Whether or not the new additions to the roster can help to push the Beavers to the next level is yet to be seen, but there are high hopes for success this year in Corvallis.

The game is slated for a 1 p.m. tip.

The Villanovan | 43

Philly’s Phinest:

By Tyler Moore

Men’s

After a year without a traditional schedule, the Big 5 returns in full force as the five major Philadelphia teams meet to compete for the city championship. As of last season, the Big 5 has sent a team to the NCAA tournament for 43 consecutive years, excluding the cancelled 2020 tournament, proving the high caliber of play displayed in the Big 5. After winning six of the last seven editions, Villanova enters this year’s tournament tied with Temple, as both teams have won the title 27 times.

LaSalle, the only Big 5 team besides ‘Nova to win an NCAA championship, comes off a losing season ending in a loss to St. Joseph’s in the Atlantic 10 tournament. LaSalle went 9-16 in the 2020-2021 season, with a 6-11 record in A-10 play. The Explorers added some key players to their roster in the offseason, including Louisville transfer junior Josh Nickelberry. The guard missed out on most of his seasons at Louisville due to injury, but averaged 26.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists as a high school senior. Incoming freshman guard Khalil Brantley, who averaged 34.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in his junior year of high school, will also add depth for the Explorers. LaSalle also has some key returnees, including sophomore guard Jhamir Brickus and junior guard Sherif Kenney. Kenney was key in keeping many games close last season.

Penn will see the court for the first time since the 201920 season, as the Ivy League cancelled play in 2020-2021 due 44 | The Villanovan

to the pandemic. The Quakers finished fourth in the conference regular season that season and were set to play Yale in the semifinal until it was quickly cancelled. Penn was last seen in the NCAA tournament in 2018 where it faced #1 Kansas as a #16 seed. The Quakers will try to take advantage of an Ivy League that is unfamiliar to the court. Penn will see sophomore guard Jordan Dingle return after an Ivy League Rookie of the Year campaign in 2019-2020, as he averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists on the season. Dingle averaged the third most points per game on the team behind two graduated seniors. Sophomore forward Max Martz will also be a player to look out for as he looks to build on his solid rookie season, but after the lost 2020-2021 season, any success will depend on finding a rhythm and knocking off rust for the Quakers.

Saint Joseph’s has not seen a winning season since 2015-16, when it went to the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament, defeating a rising Cincinnati team and challenging Elite 8 finalist Oregon. In only his second season, head coach Billy Lange has the talent and schedule to return the Hawks to relevance. While the Hawks lost guard Ryan Daly, they returned redshirt senior forward Taylor Funk, who averaged 17.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists and received honors as the Big 5’s 2020-21 Most Improved Player, Leading Free Throw Shooter and a member of the First Team. St. Joe’s also has a major

advantage with the return of sophomore guard Jordan Hall, who led all freshmen nationally in assists per game last season.

While being the fifth player in program history to record a triple double, he saw a huge improvement in gameplay, as he averaged 16.8 points and 8.2 assists over the final five games of the season.

Temple is coming off of its worst season since 2014, thanks in part to the cancellation of five of its games due to COVID issues. The expectations are not high either, as the Owls are projected to finish eighth in the American Athletic Conference out of 11 total teams.

Four starters will be returning to the court this season, including leading scorer sophomore guard ​​ Khalif Battle, who averaged 15.0 points and 6.4 rebounds last season. Redshirt freshman guard Damian Dunn also returns for Temple, along with junior forward Jake Forrester and freshman guard Jeremiah Williams. Each player put up crucial numbers in rebounds and assists which the team will need to capitalize on this season, as the Owls must face both preseason #12 Memphis and #15 Houston in conference play.

As ‘Nova looks to become the team with the most Big 5 titles under its belt, basketball fans will rejoice as the 66 year tradition returns. The Wildcats will travel to the Palestra on Nov. 28 and Dec. 1 to take on LaSalle and Penn, respectively, before finishing with games at the Finn against St. Joseph’s and Temple on Dec. 4 and Dec. 29.

Courtesy of Bill Streicher, USA Today

Big 5 Preview Women’s

By Amanda McKean

The Philadelphia Big 5 competition returns after a yearlong absence due to COVID-19, and all five teams enter with vastly different expectations.

Villanova returns most of its core after a successful season in 2020-2021, while La Salle, Saint Joseph’s and Temple all struggled. Penn faces a vastly different task, as the Quakers did not even compete in 20202021.

In this upcoming season, Penn will lean heavily on its four newly elected captains: seniors Kennedy Suttle, Mia Lakstigala and Meg Hair, and junior Kayla Padilla. The three seniors were all part of the Quakers’ 2019 Ivy League championship team, and Padilla is coming back after becoming the 2020 Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Suttle was one of seven Quakers to start in all 27 games in the 20192020 season and has scored 145 points and 155 rebounds through her 41 games at Penn.

Padilla is the biggest threat on the Penn roster, as she had a very successful 2019-2020 season, starting in all 27 games and scoring a total of 471 points to earn first team All-Ivy League honors and numerous Player of the Week awards. In their last season in 2019-20, the Quakers had an overall record of 20-7.

La Salle did play in the 2020-21 season, finishing eighth in the Atlantic 10 with a record of 12-14. Leading scorers junior guard Claire Jacobs and senior forward Kayla Spruill return,

and the team adds Morehead State transfer Gabby Crawford, who averaged 12.3 ppg and 8.7 rpg with the Eagles. Head coach Mountain MacGillivray must replace starting guard Kate Hill, but with the return of All-Big 5 First Teamer Jacobs and All-Big 5 Second Teamer Spruill, the team is poised to build on their 2020-2021 campaign.

During the 2020-21 season, Saint Joseph’s had a record of 7-10. Nevertheless, the team was able to take home three All-Big 5 awards for the 202021 season, as junior guard Katie Jekot, sophomore guard Kaliah Henderson, and sophomore forward Gabby Smalls were named to the Big 5 Second Team. Jekot is a sharpshooter, as she led the team with 31-three pointers, making 34.8% of her attempts.

She also added 20 steals and was the only Hawk to start all 17 games. Henderson is another player who has shown improvement, as she started in 16 out of the 17 games and finished the regular season as the team’s overall leading scorer with 11.4 ppg.

Temple University ended the 2020-21 season with a record of 11-11 overall, but the Owls added several players who will certainly make an impact this season. One of the first new additions is Jalynn Holmes, a graduate transfer student from Norfolk State University. She led the Spartans with 12.6 ppg, had 30 steals, and 18

three-pointers, and will likely play for Temple right away.

The next transfer is sophomore forward Caranda Perea, who joins from George Washington.

Her career was notable in high school where she was able to reach the 1,000-point milestone during the regular season, won the district championship, led the Central Pennsylvania region with 62 blocks, and earned First All-District and All-Region.

Jiselle Thomas is a graduate transfer student from Florida International University, who led her team with 16.9 ppg in 2020-21 and earned All-Conference USA honors. In just two seasons with the Panthers, the redshirt senior forward scored 784 points. The last addition is freshman Destiney McPhaul, a 2021 graduate of West Catholic High and 2020-21 Girls Basketball Pennsylvania AAA State Player of the Year. McPhaul is a 5’8 guard who was rated number 34 overall guard by ESPN. She also reached the 1,000 point scorer milestone in 2020, and during her senior season, she averaged 26 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.

The Big 5 will be as challenging as ever for the Wildcats, but with the reigning Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist, reigning Most Improved Player Brianna Herlihy, and reigning Coach of the Year Denise Dillon, the Wildcats are poised for a successful competition. Fans can expect fireworks as the ‘Cats take on the Big 5 this season.

The Villanovan | 45

MEN’S BIG EAST

PREVIEW

BUTLER

By Owen Hewitt

Head Coach LaVall Jordan, entering his fifth year at his alma mater Butler, was fortunate to return all but three players to his roster headed into the 2021-22 season. All five seniors on the roster chose to return to Indianapolis for their COVID-19 extra year of eligibility, including forward Bryce Nze, who averaged 11.4 points and a team-leading 7.7 rebounds per game last season. Guard Chuck Harris enters his sophomore season having led the Bulldogs in points per game last year, averaging 12.9. While it’s cause for optimism for Butler that it was able to retain its core, it should be noted that core went 10-15 overall in 2020-21 and finished 8-12 in conference play, good for tenth in the Big East.

In terms of additions, the Bulldogs recruited a class that ranked 60th in the nation, according to 247 Sports, adding three three-star freshmen to the roster. The biggest addition the Bulldogs are making in 2021-22 is transfer student forward Ty Groce, who enters his fifth season in college basketball. He averaged 18.4 PPG and 8.4 RPG last year with Eastern Michigan. Also important to mention is sophomore forward Carlos “Scooby” Johnson, who missed the entirety of his freshman season with a torn ACL. Johnson was the highest-ranked recruit in Coach Jordan’s 2020 class, checking in at 160th in the nation.

The Wildcats see Butler first on Jan. 16 at the Wells Fargo Center for a noon tip. The ‘Cats then close their Big East regular season with a matchup at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse on Mar. 5.

Courtesy of Creighton University Athletics

Courtesy oif Butler University Athletics

Butler adds transfer student forward Ty Groce, who enters his fifth season in college basketball.

By Zac Tipton

Kalkbrenner leads returners with 5.9 points per game entering the 21-22 season.

CREIGHTON

Creighton is entering a rebuilding year following a season where it advanced to the Sweet 16 as a five seed. The Blue Jays lost their five highest scorers, as Marcus Zegarowski declared for the NBA Draft, Denzel Mahoney, Damien Jefferson and Mitch Ballock graduated and Christian Bishop transferred to Texas. They also lost one of their biggest role players, as Antwaan Jones transferred as well. Those five accounted for 79% of their points, 63% of their rebounds and 76% of assists.

The Bluejays are left with no one who averaged more than six points per game last year. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Shereef Mitchell and Alex O’Connell are the biggest returners for Creighton, but Kalkbrenner leads returners with 5.9 points per game. Creighton did have the #5 recruiting class, with four top 75 prospects and one top 150 prospects. The freshmen are Arthur Kaluma, Ryan Nembhard, Mason Miller, Trey Alexander and John Cristofilis. They also added D-II transfer Ryan Hawkins from Northwest Missouri State, and KeyShawn Feazell, who spent three years at Mississippi State and one at McNeese State. Both are coming to spend their COVID-19 bonus seasons.

The Bluejays also return one of their best prospects in team history, as Rati Andronikashvili, who was the #77 rated prospect last year, missed the entire season with an ACL injury. However, big things are expected of the Georgian guard in his first healthy season with the team.

46 | The Villanovan

DEPAUL

By Daniel Donabedian

Coming off another last place finish in the Big East, the Blue Demons decided it was time for change in the program. Heading into the 2021-22 season, DePaul has a new coach, six incoming transfers, and about a dozen offseason departures.

Replacing former head coach Dave Leitao is Tony Stubblefield, a long-time assistant coach for the Oregon Ducks who helped lead them to the Sweet Sixteen last season. Joining Stubblefield are three new assistant coaches, as well as transfer Jalen Terry, a sophomore guard who played under Stubblefield at Oregon. The Blue Demons also have transfers from high-profile programs, as senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster (3.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG) arrives from Kansas and grad transfer forward Brandon Johnson (8.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG) enters from Minnesota.

However, for all the new blood coming in, the Blue Demons will be hindered by offseason losses. Instead of returning for a fifth year of eligibility, senior guard Charlie Moore, who led DePaul in scoring (14.4 PPG) and assists (4.4 APG) last season, grad transferred to Miami to play for the Hurricanes. Another grad transfer is senior forward Pauly Paulicap, who led the Blue Demons in rebounds per game (6.1 RPG) but now heads off to West Virginia. DePaul will also be without the defensive presence of sophomore forward Romeo Weems, who averaged a team-leading 1.3 SPG in substantial minutes last season (28.6 MPG). He declared for the 2021 NBA Draft and is now playing in the NBA G-League.

Courtesy of Alexa Sandler, The DePaulia

By Daniel Donabedian

Courtesy of The Georgetown Voice

GEORGETOWN

Prior to the 2020-21 season, Georgetown was unanimously selected to finish last in the annual Big East preseason poll, and after an embarrassing loss to Navy in the second game of the season, it seemed as if the inconsistent Hoyas were headed in that direction. However, Georgetown enters the 2021-22 season as the reigning Big East Tournament champs, after catching fire in March to earn a NCAA Tournament bid.

This year, the Hoyas are once again met with uncertainty, as they suffered several offseason departures and were ranked 10th out of 11 teams in the new preseason poll. Jahvon Blair, who led the Hoyas in points (15.4 PPG) and assists (3.6 APG) last season, graduated instead of opting into a fifth year of eligibility. Jamorko Pickett, who led the team in minutes per game along with Blair, also graduated. In another substantial loss, Qudus Wahab, the breakout center who led Georgetown in rebounds (8.2 RPG) and blocks (1.6 BPG), transferred to Maryland.

With most of their starting roster gone from last year, a new face will need to step up for the Hoyas, and five-star recruit Aminu Mohammed might be exactly who they need. Mohammed, a McDonald’s All-American shooting guard, averaged 23.3 PPG and 10 RPG in his senior season of high school. Recently, he was named Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year. Georgetown also welcomes 7’2” center Ryan Mutombo, a four-star recruit and the son of former Hoyas’ legend, Dikembe Mutombo.

Returning for Georgetown will be sophomore guard Dante Harris, who led the team in steals (1.2 SPG) and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Tournament. Behind the leadership of head coach Patrick Ewing, the Hoyas will hope to recapture the magic of last year’s tournament and avoid the basement of the Big East.

The Villanovan | 47

PROVIDENCE

By Anders Pryor

The Providence Friars finished last year with a 9-10 conference and 13-13 overall record and are looking to make a step up as Ed Cooley enters his 11th season as head coach of the program. However, the Friars need to replace their star man, as David Duke Jr. declared for the NBA Draft. Duke led the program in scoring his junior year, averaging 17 points per game, 6.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

The Friars are now expected to be led by graduate center Nate Watson, who finished last year a close second (16.9) in scoring to Duke, but first in rebounds (6.7) and blocks per game. They also expect to see a contribution from senior guard Aljami Durham, a transfer from Indiana who provides a balanced offensive attack, as well as experience in big moments. He averaged 11.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists last year with the Hoosiers.

Providence also adds two three-star recruits: forward Rafael Castro from Dover, New Jersey, and forward Legend Geeter from River Rogue, Michigan. Both will be able to add size and athleticism off the bench whenever Watson is taking a breather. Providence goes into this season with a lot of momentum from exceeding expectations from last year, and many believe that the Friars can remain over .500 and advance in the Big East tourney.

Courtesy of Dylan Buell, Getty Images

Courtesy of Ryan Feeney

By Anders Pryor

MARQUETTE

Marquette enters the 2021-2022 season with several big questions, as its offseason was filled with highs and lows.

The best note from the off-season is the changing of coaching, as after seven years under Steve Wojciechowski, the program hired former Texas Longhorns head coach Shaka Smart. Wojciechowski held a 128-95 record at Marquette, but only qualified for the NCAA Tournament twice, losing in the Round of 64 both times. Smart, who is best known for leading VCU to the Final Four in 2011, led the Longhorns to a Big Ten title and a 3 seed in the March Madness bracket, followed by a shocking upset loss to Abilene Christian.

The bad news for the Golden Eagles is that several of their best players from last year will not return, including last year’s star freshman, Dawson Garcia, who transferred to North Carolina. Marquette will also miss sophomore point guard DJ Carton, who declared for the NBA Draft, and forward Theo John, who graduated and joined Duke for his postgrad year.

However, Marquette does have hope coming in from a very highly rated freshman class, including two four star recruits in guards Stevie Mitchell and Emarion Ellis. Although the Golden Eagles are not expected to be competitive right away, Smart will look to instill a new culture into the program, building a new culture that will reflect the intensity needed to compete in the Big East and bring the program back to its former glory.

48 | The Villanovan

SETON HALL

By Tyler Moore

Seton Hall was expected to be a Top 25 team in the 2020-2021 season, with Big East Tournament and March Madness runs, but COVID-19 wreaked havoc and the Pirates ended the season fifth in the conference with an unusual 14-13 record. The Pirates’ 2021-2022 schedule features matchups with five Preseason Top 25 teams, and when their difficult schedule is combined with the loss of their star man, 2021 Co-Big East Player of the Year Sandro Mamukelashvili, Seton Hall has much to work on.

However, not all is negative for the Pirates. Starting guards Myles Cale and Bryce Aiken will be returning to South Orange for another season to help get the team back on track. Aiken transferred from Harvard before the 2020 season and dealt with injuries for most of last season, but was crucial in a win against UConn in February. Senior guard Jared Rhoden will also return after starting all 27 games in the 2020-21 season, matching a school record at the Big East Tournament in the semifinal with 16 rebounds against Georgetown. Most promising for the Hall is American University graduate transfer Jamir Harris, who averaged 20.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists with the Eagles last season.

Entering his 12th season with the Pirates, it is uncertain whether or not head coach Kevin Willard can get his team back to the national stage Seton Hall fans expect, but the pieces for a successful season are there. It’ll be a challenge, but anything is possible for the Pirates.

Courtesy of Rich Schultz, Getty Images

Courtesy of Newsday

By Daniel Donabedian

ST. JOHN’S

The past decade has been lackluster for the Johnnies, but this season the Red Storm seem poised to make some noise in the Big East. Under third-year coach Mike Anderson, St. John’s has reason for optimism with key players returning to the lineup. In an offseason that saw plenty of talent leave the conference, junior guard Julian Champagnie stayed put. This year, he will look to improve upon an outstanding sophomore season in which he led the entire conference in points per game (19.8 PPG).

In addition, sophomore point guard Posh Alexander is set to build off an impressive freshman campaign in which he averaged 10.9 PPG and a conference-best 2.6 SPG. The reigning Co-Defensive Player of the Year will most likely serve as a formidable two-way player and be integral to the Johnnies’ success. Villanova fans will remember Alexander for his harassing defense in the Cats’ upset loss to St. John’s in February, and it is safe to expect more of the same from him this season.

Rounding out the returnees is Dylan Addae-Wusu (6.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG), a solid sophomore guard who will step into a bigger role after the offseason departures of Rasheem Dunn (9.4 PPG, 4.0 APG) and Greg Williams Jr. (9.5 PPG, 2.1 APG). The rest of the roster is filled out with new faces, as the Red Storm have several incoming transfers. Headlining this new group of players are Tareq Coburn, a grad transfer who averaged 15 PPG for Hofstra his senior year and Aaron Wheeler, a junior forward who played every game for Purdue last season and averaged 4.4 RPG.

With an influx of transfers supporting the talented duo of Champagnie and Alexander, the NCAA Tournament is within reach for the Johnnies.

The Villanovan | 49

UCONN

By Meghann Morhardt

After a successful first season back in the Big East, finishing third in the regular season, UConn is looking to build on their success this year. The Huskies finished with a record of 15-8 overall and 11-6 in the conference last season, the best the team has done since Coach Danny Hurley arrived in 2018.

The team has a strong group returning this season, but it will surely miss last season’s leading scorer James Bouknight, who declared for the 2021 NBA Draft. Bouknight averaged 18.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Huskies. On the positive side for Coach Hurley and the rest of the team, their second and third leading scorers, graduate student RJ Cole and senior Tyrese Martin, will return this season and bring experience and scoring on the court. Last season, Cole averaged 10.3 points and 4.3 assists per game, while Martin averaged 8.0 points and 7.3 rebounds. Both were named to the AllBig East Preseason second team this year.

Along with Cole, Martin and the rest of the returning roster, UConn adds four freshmen to the team. All four were top 50 recruits in the 2021 class and all show strong promise to contribute for the Huskies this year. The Huskies received a number two ranking in the Big East Conference Preseason Poll, as well as a ranking of 24 on the national stage. In the 2021 NCAA Tournament, UConn lost to tenth seeded Maryland in the first round, but the Huskies are eager to come back stronger and prove that they are better than a first round exit in the tournament.

Courtesy of University of Connecticut Athletics

Graduate student RJ Cole will return this season for UConn.

By Loghan Hirkey

Courtesy of Xavier University Athletics

Xavier guard Colby Jones returns for the 21-22 season.

XAVIER

Xavier finished seventh in the Big East last year, with a 13-8 regular season record. With seven top scorers returning, such as Zach Freemantle with a team high 16.1 points, Paul Scruggs with 14 points per game and Nate Johnson with 11.4 points per game, the Musketeers are an experienced group. Xavier also returns Colby Jones, Adam Kunkel, Dwon Odom and Kyky Tandy, all of whom averaged between 6.6 and 7.7 points per game.

In addition to a strong roster returning, head coach Travis Steele returns for his fourth season with Xavier. Steele owns a regular season record of 51-37, with a 23-27 record in Big East play.

This season, Xavier has a lot to prove after a disappointing end to their season last year. In December, it was ranked #22 by the Associated Press poll, and on February 13th, it was 11-2, 4-2 in the Big East. However, the team went just 2-6 for the rest of the season, never regaining rhythm after having only three games in January because of a COVID-19 outbreak.

Although its end of season record may have been lackluster, it is clear Xavier was a different team in December of 2020 than in February of 2021. Without COVID-19 disruptions, a mainly intact roster and a returning coach, this team is poised to do some damage in the 2021-22 season.

50 | The Villanovan

WOMEN’S BIG EAST

PREVIEW

BUTLER

By Owen Hewitt

Butler finished last season 3-17, good for tenth in the Big East, with only two-win Georgetown having a worse record within the conference. To make matters even worse for the Bulldogs, they’ll be returning just one of their top five scorers from last season. Guard Okako Adika, the team’s leading scorer at 13.8 points per game, left for TCU after spending just one year in Indianapolis. Guard Upe Atuso (11.1 PPG, 3.3 APG), also transferred, taking her final year of eligibility at Colorado State. Butler is also losing its leading rebounder, Jaia Alexander (9.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG), to the transfer portal.

After all those departures, the Bulldog’s leading returner in points, assists and rebounds is Guard Genisis Parker, clocking in at 12.7, 1.1 and 2.7 per game in each category respectively. She’ll need to lead the team in scoring to give the Bulldogs a fighting chance in the conference. Guard Tenley Dowell and forward Ellen Ross also return after having played in 20 and 19 games last season, respectively. Butler is bringing in eight newcomers to the roster, five of whom are true freshmen, but none of the Bulldogs’ freshmen were ranked in the top 200 prospect list. They also add three transfers: forward Celena Taborn, a grad student from Furman, guard Kendall Wingler, a sophomore from Eastern Kentucky, and forward Kate Tanner, a redshirt freshman from Miles Community College (MT). The Wildcats face the Bulldogs first at home on Jan. 28. A tip-off time for that game is not yet set. The ‘Cats then visit Butler under a month later on Feb. 25.

Courtesy of Butler University Athletics

Butler Guard Tenley Dowell returns after playing 20 games last season.

By Zac Tipton

Courtesy of Creighton University Athletics

Creighton’s second leading scorer Emma Ronsiek returns for the 21-22 season.

CREIGHTON

Creighton is coming off a year that didn’t go the way they wanted. Finishing with a record of 10-12 and a sixth place finish in the Big East, Creighton had trouble with continuity last year, but are coming into this year with a lot of turnover but not a lot of heavy losses.

Their main loss was guard and leading scorer Temi Carda, who was one of only three players to start all 22 games for the Bluejays. They also lost guard DeArica Pryor, who played in all 22 games, forward Mykel Parham and forward Gracey Griglioni, who averaged 9.1 points per game.

The Bluejays bring back much of their talent though, including second leading scorer and South Dakota native sophomore Emma Ronsiek. Freshman Morgan Maly and junior Payton Brotzki each appeared in all of the games last season, but both struggled to crack the starting lineup, and will see their minutes increase this year. Senior guard Tatum Rembao and junior guard Rachael Saunders each started when they were available, but both struggled with injuries, playing in 11 and six games, respectively. The Bluejays also brought back sophomore Carly Bachelor, who led the team in rebounds and played in 17 of 22 games. The Blue Jays are adding two players this year. Freshman Lexi Unruh joins after breaking her South Dakota high school’s single season steals record, and Creighton also adds sophomore guard Lauren Jensen, who transferred from Iowa after playing in 17 of their 27 games.

The Villanovan | 51

DEPAUL

By Daniel Donabedian

Excluding UConn, DePaul has been arguably the best team in the Big East over the past decade. The Blue Demons had a remarkable streak of 17 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances before last season, in which they finished fourth in the conference and had to settle for a WNIT bid. Despite this disappointment, DePaul has plenty of reasons for optimism going forward, as all five starters return for the Blue Demons.

Headlining the returnees is All-Big East First Team selection Sonya Morris, a senior guard who averaged 19.3 PPG last season and shot 43% from the field. Bolstering the Blue Demons’ scoring along with Morris will be fellow All-Big East First Team selection Lexi Held. The senior guard averaged 16.7 points per game and got it done on defense as well, averaging 3.1 steals per game during the 2020-21 season. Held and Morris will make up a formidable duo for DePaul, and their scoring abilities and combined experience makes the Blue Demons a contender among the Big East favorites. The coaches of the conference agree, as DePaul was ranked second in the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll, even receiving a first-place vote in the process.

Yet, the question remains for the Blue Demons: can they truly challenge UConn for the top spot in the conference, or will it just be another race for second place? With a returning starting five, potent scorers, and an experienced roster that improved overall, DePaul could at least challenge the Huskies. Even without a first-place finish in the Big East, the Blue Demons are most likely headed to the NCAA Tournament once again.

Courtesy of Eric Henry, The DePaulia

By Daniel Donabedian

Courtesy of GU Hoyas

GEORGETOWN

The 2020-21 season was one to forget for Georgetown. The Hoyas finished last in the Big East with a dismal 2-15 overall record and were swiftly knocked out of the conference tournament by Creighton in the first round. A big reason for the Hoyas’ struggles was the pandemic, as complications due to COVID-19 led to 12 of their games being either cancelled or postponed. Without the ability to get into a groove, coach James Howard’s squad could not find itself over the course of the difficult season.

This year the Hoyas hope to have a fresh start, and the return of forward Anita Kelava should help with that. Kelava led the Big East in blocks per game (1.8 BPG) during the 2019-21 season and put up 6.6 points per game to go along with 1.7 assists per game. She is a strong defensive presence and the Hoyas will look to her for leadership as she aims to retain her team captain status.

Returning with Kelava is standout sophomore guard Kelsey Ransom. In her rookie season, Ransom led Georgetown in scoring with 10.5 PPG and was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team. In order for the Hoyas to stay competitive in the Big East, it is crucial that Ransom develops from the success of her freshman year. Also coming back to the Hoyas’ lineup is senior forward Jillian Archer, who averaged an impressive 7.3 RPG. Archer does not only crash the boards though, as she shot a team-best 36.4% from beyond the arc last season. Unfortunately for Georgetown, Archer was the only player to even make 30% of her three-point field goals, and the Hoyas will need other shooters to step up this year to avoid the basement of the Big East.

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PROVIDENCE

By Anders Pryor

Providence finished in the bottom half of the Big East Standings last season with an overall record of 7-14, 4-10 in Big East play. This season will likely be similar, as the Friars are expected to finish eighth in the conference.

They’ll be spearheaded by the consistent play and leadership of Mary Baskerville, a Swiss-army knife player with a lot to offer. Baskerville led the team in points, rebounds, steals, blocks and field goal percentage last season, yet still was not picked as part of the Big East Preseason First Team, which she described as “motivating.”

The Friars also return senior forward Alyssa Geary, who finished second in scoring (11.0 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.8), and scored 22 points against Villanova in February.

Baskerville and Geary won’t be alone this year, as the Friars have six freshmen coming in this year: Kylee Sheppard, Meghan Huerter, Nariah Scott, Audrey Koch, Olivia Olsen and Emily Archibold. Providence also adds graduate transfer Andreana Wrister, who joins the team after spending four seasons at Tennessee State.

Wrister averaged 14.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a senior with the Tigers, a full ten points per game better than during her junior season.

With so many new faces, there is a wide range of possibilities for the Friars, but the team will likely struggle to be competitive in a challenging Big East Conference. The Wildcats travel to Providence to face the Friars in their Big East opener on Dec. 3, while Providence travels to the Finn on Jan. 21.

Courtesy of Providence College Athletics

By Anders Pryor

Courtesy of Claire Gallagher

MARQUETTE

Last year’s highly successful Marquette squad will be using their momentum to attempt to repeat their results, as the Golden Eagles finished second in the Big East with a 14-4 conference and 17-5 overall record. They finished only behind Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies.

The program will be bringing in 6 foot wing player Makiyah Williams, who was ranked as the 6th best player in the state of Illinois, and they’ll have some solid returning star power from graduate student forward Lauren Van Kleunen, who finished last season second in scoring and rebounding, leading the team in three point percentage at an elite rate of 47.6%. The Golden Eagles will also be able to gain some production in the backcourt from Jordan King, who finished second on the team last year in assists. However, the team will need to replace last year’s leading scorer Selena Lott, who graduated, and third leading scorer Camryn Taylor, who transferred to Virginia.

The Golden Eagles started Van Kluenen, King, Lott, Taylor and junior forward Chloe Marotta in all 26 games last year, meaning that contributions will be needed from elsewhere on the roster for Marquette to be competitive in conference play. However, expectations are high in Milwaukee, and it should be another successful season for the Golden Eagles.

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SETON HALL

By Tyler Moore

The Pirates had an all-around good season in 2020-21, but a 14-7 record was not enough to make the NCAA Tournament despite a third place Big East finish.

Seton Hall should be able to make the next step this year, as one of the few teams in the league that can compete with Preseason #2 UConn and the consistent talent they display year in and year out.

The Pirates have a powerful list of returnees this year, including graduate guard Andra Espinoza-Hunter, who averaged 18.6 points and 6.2 rebounds last season, as well as 39 percent of three-point shots made. Junior guard Lauren Park-Lane, who averaged 17.5 points and provided an average 5.4 assists last season, is also returning in blue, bringing her ability to convert on free-throw attempts, making it through the net 82.9 percent of the time. Park-Lane received the Big East’s Most Improved Player Award for the 2020-21 season, after her standout season that smashed her previous season’s numbers.

In addition to playing UConn twice, the Pirates face preseason #9 Iowa in Cancun, Mexico.

This Big Ten challenge will be an important test to preview Big East play, and will likely show Pirate fans what sort of success they can expect this season. With many big games on the line, it will be crucial for head coach Anthony Bozzella’s eighth season with the Pirates to start strong, as the Pirates seek to make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2016.

Courtesy of Seton Hall University Athletics

By Daniel Donabedian

Courtesy of St. John’s University Athletics

ST. JOHN’S

Coming off a lackluster 2020-21 campaign where St. John’s finished eighth in the conference with an 8-15 overall record, the Johnnies have room for improvement. Luckily for the Red Storm, four starters are returning, including All-Big East First Team guard Leilani Correa. Last season, the junior averaged an impressive 17.6 points per game and crashed the boards for a solid 5.4 rebounds per game. St. John’s offense should run through Correa, but she will not be alone in the scoring attack.

The Johnnies also retained junior guard Unique Drake, who averaged 9.6 PPG and shot 48.9% from the field, and senior guard Kadaja Bailey, who scored 9.8 PPG and recorded 5.9 RPG. Along with Correa, these three experienced upperclassmen form an improved trio that should uplift the Red Storm’s offense in the upcoming season.

In addition to the skilled returnees, St. John’s landed a few transfers from high-profile programs that could make an immediate impact for the team. Senior forward Danielle Cosgrove arrived from Notre Dame, and although she did not get much playing time for the Irish, she will look to take advantage of increased minutes in Queens. Coming from Indiana is redshirt junior guard Danielle Patterson, who averaged 2.7 PPG for the Hoosiers yet shot a promising 43% from beyond the arc. Like Cosgrove, Patterson also started her college career at Notre Dame, and as the two reunite in New York, they will aim to reinvigorate the Johnnies with a greater opportunity for more minutes.

Despite the new blood and returning playmakers, the Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll placed St. John’s seventh in the conference. But, under the leadership of head coach Joe Tartamella, the Red Storm will surely be hoping to move further up the ranks.

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UCONN

By Meghann Morhardt

Courtesy of University of Connecticut Athletics

Courtesy of Xavier University Athletics

Reigning Big East regular season and conference tournament champions UConn is coming back strong this season with a returning core group and some talented new faces. The Huskies return all but two players from last year while adding four freshmen, including the class’s number one recruit, Azzi Fudd, to their roster. Fudd was named the 2021 High School Basketball Player of the Year, and was just named the Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year. Fellow teammate and reigning Big East Player of the Year, sophomore Paige Bueckers, was also honored in the preseason poll, earning Preseason Player of the Year. The backcourt duo of Fudd and Bueckers will arguably be the best in the country and will cause trouble for the rest of the conference.

The talent does not stop there, with three other Huskies being named to the Preseason All-Conference Team, including seniors Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Christyn Williams, and sophomore Aaliyah Edwards. Edwards had a breakout season as a freshman last year and with a full season now under her belt, she will look to build on this success. Nelson-Ododa and Williams have been standout players for the Huskies for three years and will be able to use their experience and leadership to lead the Huskies to the top of the Big East and possibly the country.

The Huskies were unanimously chosen as the top seed in the conference in the preseason coach’s poll. This does not come as a surprise, given the success that they had last season, finishing undefeated in the Big East and advancing to the Final Four. UConn is back this season to prove that they are worthy of their number two spot on the AP Preseason Poll and to make a run at an 11th national title in 20 years.

Azzi Fudd was just named the Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year.

By Loghan Hirkey

Xavier junior Kae Satterfield returns for the 21-22 season.

XAVIER

Xavier ended its 2020-21 season with a disappointing ninth place finish in the Big East, with a 5-10 record, 2-8 in the Big East. This season the Musketeers hope to have a better record, with two of their top three scorers returning, redshirt sophomore guard Nia Clark and junior guard Kae Satterfield.

Clark averaged 11.5 points per game last year, while Satterfield also scored just over 9 points per game.

However, the team lost leading scorer A’Riana Gray, who graduated after four years with the team.

The Musketeers add seven new faces to the team this season, with four transfers and three freshmen.

Senior guard Taylor Smith joins the team after three seasons at Ole Miss, where she made 35 starts, and graduate center Mikayla Hayes, who spent four years at Florida and Clemson, will help offset the loss of Gray.

In addition to the prominent returners, head coach Melanie Moore returns for her third season with Xavier. Her overall record as a coach is 3-27 and 2-16 in the Big East.

Similarly to the men’s team, the women’s season was upended by COVID-19. They only competed in 15 total competitions, which many believe is why they struggled so much in the Big East, with only two wins in conference play.

Overall, for the Musketeers to be successful this year, they must improve their shooting. Xavier women’s basketball has a lot to prove for the 2021-22 season, picked to finish tenth in the conference, but with so many new faces, the Musketeers are impossible to predict.

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THE BASKETBALL

SUPERFAN’S GUIDE

By Anders Pryor

Analytical Preview

Jay Wright has single handedly developed a culture that has led Villanova Basketball to tremendous success, giving the phrase “Villanova Basketball” legitimate clout. Since getting here in 2000, Jay Wright and his staff have always put emphasis on toughness, technique and fundamental soundness. “Villanova Basketball” might not be as flashy as Duke or Kentucky, but it has led the program to two national titles, three Final Four appearances and four Elite Eight appearances.

STICK TO THE PLAYBOOK

Jay Wright will continue to use, develop and elevate his “4 Out 1 In Motion Offense.” There are four total players on the perimeter, one in each slot and one on each wing, while the last remaining player, usually the center, remains in the post. This opens up more cutting lanes for the perimeter players, allowing them to move their own bodies around the court with ease while simultaneously being able to move the ball comfortably. This creates spacing and more opportunities for shooting the basketball. This is especially shown in a fundamental part of Wright’s offense, the drive and kick, and with four players “out” as the name suggests, it forces zone defensive schemes to stretch themselves thin and not cover, as well to create more “drive and dish” opportunities for the faster players on the team.

Wright places a great emphasis that his players, regardless of position or style, look to score first. If a player in the post is getting himself into a 1-on-1 matchup, they should look to take advantage of any weaknesses from the defender and score the basket.

Courtesy of VU Hoops

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STICK TO THE PLAYBOOK CONTINUED

If that first attempt does not work, the spacing from the perimeter and ability to have off-the-ball movement allows for kick outs to open shooters. For those on the perimeter, pulling up for a three pointer is always the first option, but if they’re being guarded, players drive to the basket and look to score. If they can’t, they can either dish it back out to the perimeter off of movement or dump it off to the post, who will likely not be guarded very well, as defenses must focus on the four players on the slot/ wing.

Among those who play at the perimeter, the guard rule is simple: once you make a pass,

cut to the basket or exchange away. No one player should ever stand still following a pass. This is where the “motion” part of the name of the offense comes from. For bigs, their rule outside of scoring first is to make a slot screen whenever they feel it’s appropriate. This can often be entirely random, and is not triggered by specific actions.

Once that pick is made, they can either drive to the basket with the guard or drop out to the slot.

This is why having bigs that can space the floor, like Jermaine Samuels and Brandon Slater, are so important, as that can increase spacing even further and allow for more shooting opportu-

nities.

Defensively, Jay Wright has implemented a highly effective 1-2-2 press concept. In this scheme, three players press the half court in a triangle formation. Whatever sideline the ball is passed towards, the two players covering that side will press the weak side in order to make the opponent bringing up the ball pick up their dribble. Once that happens, the defenders drop back into the triangle formation to block any passes to the other players. This takes time off the clock and makes an eight second violation more likely as passing far over to the other side of the court is very risky.

Moore, Caleb Daniel and, once healthy, Bryan Antoine. Longino might not get a ton of floor time right away, but Wright has always had a knack for guard play.

He will give Longino the chance to learn from experienced players like Moore and Daniels and develop his skills into the system.

Nnanna Njoku is a F/C who’s role with the team is a developing one. With the unfortunate news that Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree retired from Villanova basketball, Villanova is in need of a legitimate traditional big man. Eric Dixon still has a lot of progress to make, so Njoku can step up with his high motor and intense energy to give himself an opportunity to get him-

self a starting spot by the end of the year.

Angelo Brizzi is an exciting guard out of Virginia that can do basically everything at an elite level from shooting, passing and defending in transition.

Thanks to NCAA policy developed from COVID-19, Brizzi will have the opportunity to spend a year learning behind one of the best point guards in the country in Collin Gillespie, who can serve as a mentor and give Brizzi a good understanding of the system by the time he becomes a sophomore. Coming off the bench for now, Brizzi could be someone who scores in bunches and provides a spark when needed.

NEW FACES

Trey Patterson is the highest ranked freshman entering the season and is expected to make appearances in the starting line up. With the transferring of Cole Swider to Syracuse, the wing spot will need a boost as Brandon Slater will be entering his senior year. Patterson can provide some athleticism and aggressive scoring to help win close games down the stretch. Patterson has also been practicing with the team for a semester now, and will be able to adjust to in-game scenarios very quickly. Patterson’s role will be clear and he will be able to contribute right away.

Jordan Longino will be entering what is a very crowded shooting guard room with Justin

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STAFF PREDICTIONS MEN’S Big East Champion: Villanova Runner-up: UConn Last: DePaul Surprise team: Marquette Leading scorer: Collin Gillespie Assists leader: Collin Gillespie Leading rebounder: Jermaine Samuels

WOMEN’S Big East Champion: UConn Runner-up: DePaul Last: Butler Surprise team: Creighton Leading scorer: Maddy Siegrist Assists leader: Bella Runyan Leading rebounder: Maddy Siegrist

All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics

HOT TAKES

“Caleb Daniels leads the team in points” - Zac Tipton

“Brandon Slater averages 10+

points per game” - Matthew Ryan

“Trey Patterson will be top-three on the team in scoring” - Anders Pryor “Nnanna Njoku leads the team in “Justin Moore leads the scoring” - Owen Hewitt

team in

rebounds” - Aphrodite Dimopoulos

“The Wildcats go through non-conference play undefeated” - Tyler Moore “Villanova Women’s finishes second in the Big East” - Meghann Morhardt “UConn doesn’t win the Big East” - Tyler Moore

“Xavier Women’s finishes last” - Loghan Hirkey

“Eric Dixon will average five

five” - Owen Hewitt

and

“Maddy Siegrist finishes

top five in the country in scoring, leads Wildcats to Big East finals and to an NCAA Tournament win” - Colin Beazley

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NOVA

NATION