Villanova Takeaways: Trends to Monitor After Wildcats’ Preseason

Villanova Men’s Basketball finished their preseason slate with a 1-1 record, dominating the VCU Rams at home before gutting out a tough road loss to the Virginia Cavaliers. 

When predicting a team’s potential, it’s important to use the preseason as just one in a list of tools: you can gauge some tendencies about how a team will play, but it’s important not to overreact to an exhibition contest where coaches are experimenting with new lineups and trying not to tip their hand before the games start to count. That’s doubly true with a team like Villanova that returns just one player who played with the team last season, has a host of transfers and incoming recruits, and a new coach to boot.

With that said, here are some of the early takeaways as the Wildcats prepare for their season opener against BYU on Monday, Nov. 3.

Defense is Key

The first thing that leapt off the page during the Wildcats’ preseason slate was their defensive performance. They limited the Rams to just 16 of 60 shots made (5 of 25 from three), blocking two more shots and racking up 12 steals.

Playing a Cavaliers team loaded with shooters, Villanova allowed a respectable 24 of 53 shots (45.2 percent) and 10 of 26 threes, adding three blocks and 11 steals. It’s impressive to see such strong defensive fundamentals from a young team, and the Wildcats’ combination of fast-paced offense and aggressive defense will put pressure on the teams they face from the opening tip-off to the final buzzer.

It might take time for Villanova’s young athletes to settle in… but they aren’t about to let their opponents get comfortable either.

Youth Movement

Of the 400 minutes played this preseason, 271 came from freshmen or sophomores; junior Tyler Perkins ate up 63 more, leaving just 66 minutes to seniors Duke Brennan and Tafara Gapare.

The Wildcats are going to gain some experience once Devin Askew and Zion Stanford return to the lineup, but the defining element of this Villanova team remains their youth. Head coach Kevin Willard approached the transfer portal with a philosophy of picking up players who he could develop over multiple seasons rather than finding plug-and-play seniors who he’d need to replace in short order.

It’s a risky strategy, both in terms of their ceiling this season and because of the transient nature of college athletics in the era of the transfer portal, but the early returns look promising. If Villanova can develop (and more importantly retain) this young core, they could turn into a real problem in the coming seasons.

Rebounding an Issue

Villanova head coach Kevin Willard reportedly cited rebounding as a cause for concern after the team’s loss to Virginia. The Wildcats lost the rebounding battle 39-32 against the Cavaliers and tied VCU 41-41, although they conceded 14 offensive rebounds in the latter game as the Rams struggled to sink their shots.

Willard said that given the team’s size — beyond the 6-foot-10 Duke Brennan, they’re going to rely on a handful of guards in the 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-6 range in their starting lineup — the Wildcats will need to find other ways to steal possessions.  

“Rebounding is going to be an issue just because we’re not super athletic or big. But we just have to keep the rebounding margin close,” Willard said. “We just can’t get demolished on the glass. If we keep the glass close with the tempo we play at and the intensity we play at.”

Another indication of the Wildcats’ small stature is the eight blocked shots they suffered against Virginia.

Resting Up

Last but not least, Villanova just needs to get healthy. The Wildcats have the toughest out of conference schedule in the Big East, according to the preliminary KenPom Ratings, and they’ll face it with two potential starters, Devin Askew and Zion Stanford, set to miss time. 

Askew has dealt with injuries in the past but should return in early to mid November, while Stanford could miss the first month of the season. This is a young team that’s going to go through growing pains, and playing short-handed could become a recipe for disaster. 

The good news is that after the season opener against No. 8 BYU, Villanova won’t face another Quad 1 matchup until Dec. 9 at Michigan. They’ve just got to hold their own until then.