Villanova Transfers Front-and-Center in Opening Weekend

Villanova Men’s Basketball lost six players to the transfer portal last season, and four of them made the NCAA Tournament: guard Sash Gavalyugov and forwards Jordann Dumont, Kris Parker and Josiah Moseley. While none of them made the second weekend of the tournament, Gavalyugov and Moseley, in particular, saw their numbers called early and often.

Gavalyugov ended up on the wrong side of an all-time sequence, scoring 16 points with six rebounds and five assists in Santa Clara’s 89-84 overtime loss to Kentucky. He seemed like the hero for a moment, dishing an assist to Allen Graves with just over two seconds to play, allowing his teammate to sink a go-ahead three-pointer. However, the Wildcats attacked Gavalyugov and kept their season alive, Otega Oweh draining a three over Gavalyugov from 32 feet out to tie the game and eventually win in overtime.

Moseley missed most of the season to injury, making his Red Raiders’ debut on Jan. 24. He saved his best for last, however, scoring in double figures for just the second time this season in Texas Tech’s 91-71 win over Akron in the Round of 64. Moseley contributed 16 of those points, making seven of eight shots with four rebounds and four blocks. He added six points and three rebounds in a season-ending loss to Alabama two days later.

Parker didn’t play in UCF’s opening round loss to UCLA, while Dumont and Phil Martelli Jr. took VCU to the Round of 32; Dumont played just two minutes in their loss to Illinois on Saturday, March 21.