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Villanova Men's Basketball

Villanova Doesn’t Slide in NET Rankings After Loss to St. John’s

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Villanova Basketball

Villanova ran out of gas toward the tail end of their Jan. 11 loss to St. John’s, with the Red Storm ending the game on a 14-3 run after the Wildcats closed the deficit to 66-65 with less than three minutes to play.

This road game counted as a Quadrant 1 matchup, as St. John’s currently sits within the top 75 in the NET rankings (No. 28), so Villanova’s own ranking didn’t take much of a hit: they fell from No. 49 to No. 50. The Wildcats fell from No. 42 to No. 46 in the KenPom ratings.

That late run from St. John’s made the final score look much worse than it actually was. Although Villanova led for much of the game — indeed, much of the second half — and kept the Red Storm within a possession in the waning minutes, an 80-68 final doesn’t do the Wildcats any favors. That’s because margin of victory plays a role in the NET calculations, and with Villanova currently sitting just outside the NCAA Tournament field, per ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, they’ll need to battle to improve on that tenuous position.

Villanova’s Record

The Wildcats hold a 1-3 record in Quad 1 games, with that lone win coming against UConn on Jan. 8. They’re 2-1 in Quad 2 games and 2-2 in Quad 3 games, with a perfect 6-0 record in Quad 4. Another factor that’s damaged Villanova’s standing in recent weeks is that some of their earlier wins and losses don’t look as good as they once did. When they knocked off then-No. 14 Cincinnati in early December, it counted as a Quad 1 win. The Bearcats have since fallen off, dropping the game down to Quad 2.

Similarly, their November loss to St. Joseph’s has fallen from Quad 2 to Quad 3. It might feel like splitting hairs, but all these factors will play a role as Villanova vies for a tournament spot.

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