Villanova Metrics Stay Steady After Loss to St. John’s

Villanova Men’s Basketball’s Quadrant 1 loss to St. John’s on Saturday, Jan. 17 provided a little more than a bump in the road for their overall standing.

The Wildcats (14-4, 5-2 Big East) dropped seven spots in the NET rankings to No. 31 and just one spot in the KenPom ratings to No. 27. They currently hold a 3-3 record in Quadrant 1 games, with their wins coming over Seton Hall, Wisconsin and Butler, the last a new addition after the Bulldogs upset the Pirates on the road; a 1-1 record in Quadrant 2 matchups, losing to Creighton and beating Providence, and a 10-0 record the rest of the way down. 

Their NCAA Tournament odds remain excellent, at 98.4 percent per teamrankings.com, so there’s no reason to hit the panic button yet… but their struggles against talented teams could prove the difference between making the Big Dance and making a run in it. ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi projected a No. 6 seed for Villanova in his most recent tournament assessment; teamrankings sees a No. 7 seed as more likely. 

Either way, their position entering the bracket might play a major role in how they perform, especially in that middle range. The Wildcats might not look like a Final Four contender this season, but with a young team continuing to grow, the experience they gain this season could provide a strong foundation moving forward.