Villanova Wildcats
Big East (20-13, 10-8)
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The 2012-2013 season was not as kind to the Wildcats as it has been in the past. Villanova had been in the mix for conference titles for the better part of the last eight to ten years. Recently, they seem to have been pushed to the background by the rest of the Big East. Their so-so season was set up at the beginning of the year when they started 3-3. Since then, they have been streaky at best. They have won some big time games, but their losses really put a large blemish on their resume. Villanova can clearly compete in a tough conference like the Big East. They just are not the team we are used to seeing out on the floor.
Big Wins: 1/22 Louisville (73-64), 2/23 Marquette (60-56), 3/6 Georgetown (67-57)
Bad Losses: 11/20 Columbia (57-75), 2/3 Providence (52-55), 2/25 at Seton Hall (65-66)
Coach: Jay Wright (12 seasons at Villanova)
Why They Can Surprise:
If Villanova can put it together in the postseason, they might be able to catch some teams off guard. They have a veteran squad with a nice mix of young talent. They just never really jelled over the course of the season. Jay Wright’s bench is fairly deep in that a lot of players get a handful of minutes each game. He can keep fresh legs out there on the floor. Their star player, Mouphtaou Yarou, has proven that he can help this team find its winning ways. He has seven double-doubles this season and leads the team in rebounds. They also have solid scoring from the backcourt. Darrun Hilliard is averaging 11.2 points per game. Freshman Ryan Arcidiacono has been a revelation. He has easily been the most accurate three-point shooter for the Wildcats. He also leads the team in free-throw percentage. If he has a banner night, then any opponent would feel the pressure. They have proven they can beat more than one really good team in the same week. They have the ability to spread the ball around. They just have to be consistent.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Like a lot of young teams, Villanova has a really tough time holding onto the ball in their offensive zone. At over 15 turnovers per game, they rank second worst in the conference. Good teams will take advantage of that every time. On many occasions, those turnovers become three points for the other team. Villanova allows 36.7 percent shooting from behind the arc, which is too high for a team that is not as adept at scoring compared to other teams in the Big East. The Wildcats are the poster children for inconsistency. They can beat teams like Louisville and Syracuse, but they let a loss to Alabama snowball into losses against Columbia and LaSalle. A team cannot expect to win if losses linger in their mind too long. They will need to find a way to keep their heads in the game come tournament time. They will also have to find a way to up their scoring. Missed shots will spell doom for them early.
Probable Starters:
James Bell, Junior, Guard, 8.7 ppg, 1.4 apg, 4.2 rpg
Darrun Hilliard, Sophomore, Guard, 11.2 ppg, 1.6 apg 2.7 rpg
Ryan Arcidiacono, Freshman, Guard, 12.0 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.1 rpg
JayVaughn Pinkston, Sophomore, Forward, 13.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg
Mouphtaou Yarou, Senior, Forward, 9.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Tony Chennault, Junior, Guard, 3.6 ppg, 1.5 apg
Daniel Ochefu, Freshman, Forward, 3.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg
Achraf Yacoubou, Sophomore, Guard, 2.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 68.2 (152nd in nation, 8th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 64.8 (130, 10)
Field-Goal Percentage: 41.6 (258, 12)
Field-Goal Defense: 40.3 (61, 7)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.3 (152, 5)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 34.4 (144, 5)
Free-Throw Percentage: 71.1 (94, 3)
Rebound Margin: 3.0 (89, 8)
Assists Per Game: 12.4 (197, 14)
Turnovers Per Game: 15.3 (310, 14)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
Villanova 2011 NCAA Round of 64 loss to George Mason
Villanova 2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over Robert Morris
Villanova 2010 NCAA Round of 32 loss to St. Mary's
Villanova 2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over American University
Villanova 2009 NCAA Round of 32 win over UCLA
Villanova 2009 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Duke
Villanova 2009 NCAA Regional Final win over Pittsburgh
Villanova 2009 NCAA National Semifinal loss to North Carolina
Villanova 2008 NCAA Round of 64 win over Clemson
Villanova 2008 NCAA Round of 32 win over Siena
Villanova 2008 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Kansas
Villanova 2007 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Kentucky
*all team stats through 3/10
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
