Villanova MBB Earning AP Votes; WBB Snubbed

Villanova Men’s Basketball earned nine votes in the Associated Press Top 25 poll published on Monday, Dec. 8, good for the No. 37 spot in the country in terms of votes earned.

Amidst a seven game winning streak, the Wildcats (7-1) currently hold the No. 35 spot in both the NET and KenPom ratings. Teams in the top 40 hold an excellent shot of making the NCAA Tournament. Villanova’s last seven games have come against relatively easy opponents, however, and they’ll face perhaps their toughest test this season when they return to action at No. 2 Michigan on Tuesday, Dec. 9. After the Wildcats’ Big 5 Classic win over Penn, head coach Kevin Willard said that the Wolverines are a team that nobody wants to face right now.

Wildcats’ senior forward Duke Brennan made the Big East’s weekly honor roll after posting an average of 14.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 assists on 65 percent shooting in his first two games back from a lower leg injury. Brennan also notched his third double-double in six full games this season.

Villanova Women’s Basketball Frozen Out

Villanova Women’s Basketball didn’t receive a single Top 25 vote despite picking up Quad 1 road wins over WVU, then ranked No. 25, and Georgetown last week. The Wildcats (8-2, 1-0 Big East) hold the No. 28 spot in the women’s NET rankings with a 2-0 record in Quad 1, 1-2 record in Quad 2, and 1-0 and 4-0 in Quadrants 3 and 4, respectively. 34 other teams received votes in the poll, freezing Villanova out entirely.

Forward Brynn McCurry earned Big East Player of the Week honors for her role in the 3-0 week, averaging 20.7 points, seven rebounds and two assists in that span. She scored 21 points in two separate games, including the women’s team’s Big 5 Championship win.