After a disappointing season in Kyle Neptune’s first year, the Villanova Wildcats look better coming into 2023-24. The Wildcats acquired great additions in the transfer portal and have high expectations. As a result, they rank fourth in this year’s Big East preseason rankings.
Big East Rankings: #4 Villanova Wildcats
Projected Starting 5
PG- Justin Moore
SG- TJ Bamba
SF- Hakim Hart
PF- Tyler Burton
C- Eric Dixon
Where the Wildcats Found Success
The Emergence of Eric Dixon
Dixon had an impressive junior season for the Wildcats. He took a big leap by producing 15.4 points and almost seven rebounds while shooting nearly 50% from the floor and 38% from three-point range. In a conference with good big men, Dixon is one of the names mentioned. For him, it remains imperative that he continues to produce in the post and pick-and-pop situations. Being a senior means more leadership, so Dixon needs to step up even more with his play this season. Nevertheless, he produced successfully in 2022-23.
Taking Care of the Basketball
Villanova did an excellent job at taking care of the basketball. Villanova had a positive assists-to-turnover ratio last season and is known as a team that makes smart and disciplined decisions in their offense. They have guards who experienced the grind of the Big East and a winning culture. Furthermore, the Wildcats are a patient team, resulting in more assists. This season, Villanova’s assists must continue to ascend higher than turnovers to maximize their offensive talent.
Why They Rank Ahead of Xavier and St. John’s
Their Starting Five
On paper, Villanova has one of the most talented squads in the country with their starting five. These players made valuable contributions to the Wildcats or their previous schools. Furthermore, their starting five is versatile, allowing them to succeed on both sides of their court.
The Wildcats also have great size across the board, and that allows them to be able to defend on a high level. More importantly, three of these players were All-Conference last season. The other programs are a challenge, but Villanova’s starting five competes well with the best of this conference.
Why They Are Not in The Top 3
Kyle Neptune
Now, this is not entirely fair to Neptune. He just had his first season as the coach for the Wildcats, but it was a significant drop-off from the previous year. Thus, he has a lot to prove this season. The other coaches on the teams ahead of Villanova have proven successful; they all made runs in the NCAA Tournament last season. Neptune failed to get the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament, so he needs to prove that his coaching can get the Wildcats back into the championship picture.
The Last Word on the Villanova Wildcats
The Wildcats have the talent and experience to have a successful season. They have shooters, versatile forwards, a productive big man, and good pieces off the bench. Furthermore, the Wildcats hunger to return to competing for a national championship again. Nevertheless, their success revolves around Neptune and his ability to rally this team together and get wins.
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