Key Storylines:
Freshman Leading Man? – Villanova is not accustomed to having freshmen be their scoring leaders. It’s extremely uncommon.
How uncommon is it? Three players (Arcidiacono, Scottie Reynolds and Gary Buchannan) are the only freshman to finish in the top two in scoring in their first season but none of them led their respective team in scoring that season since 1999-2000 (h/t Basketball-Reference and Villanova’s Sports Information Department). The numbers and official stats get a little murky after that.
Perhaps this is the year. They certainly have a player in Jalen Brunson capable of leading the team in scoring.
Yes, it would certainly be something of note to see Brunson emerge as the leading scorer for Nova by season’s end, though that’s the trend major college basketball has been on for the last decade. Fans now expect to see their top freshman lead them and leave for the pros after the season. Nova is not a typical major program, though they could be trending that way this year.
It’s not a major story, but it’s one worth noting.
Letting Go Of The Past – Social media has its place, but when top people and sports teams fail to reach the heights they are capable of, it turns into a dark, twisted, juvenile place for the most part.
Villanova has felt that heat come their way the past two NCAA tournaments. That heat coming from HOT TAKES.
During the 2014 NCAA tournament, Nova was a No. 2 seed, a team some expected to challenge for a Final Four berth. Instead, they were dealt the hand of the red-hot and motivated Connecticut Huskies and lost, 77-65. Connecticut went on to win the national championship, but that doesn’t matter all that much. Nova lost because they always disappoint in the postseason.
Poor piccolo player. Poor, poor piccolo player. #piccolopower http://t.co/BLQAiHJw9R pic.twitter.com/ACCyDdASLd
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 22, 2015
During the 2015 NCAA tournament, Nova was a No. 1 seed, the second overall seed in the entire tournament. Again they were expected to go to the Final Four, a case that was strengthened due to a weakened second-seeded Virginia team playing without their top player healthy.
They hit a major shooting slump, shot 31 percent for the game and 32 percent from three, losing to NC State, 71-68. The Wolfpack were an underrated team to begin with, but that didn’t matter and still doesn’t matter. Nova lost, because they always disappoint in the postseason.
That’s the narrative that continues to play on social media, and history does support this. In their last five NCAA tournament appearances, Villanova has been eliminated in the first weekend. It’s not as if they’re the only program to go through this sort of stretch, but they are the easiest target.
This season could be a defining season, not just for Jay Wright and the seniors, but for the program and for the Big East, a conference that has yet to be recognized as being a major conference since the realignment process.
Wright can handle the critics and his job is one of the most secure in the country. Postseason losses aren’t going to impact that. However, this is the perfect season to turn that narrative around and start shoving it down people’s throats.
College basketball hasn’t been this wide open in a long time. There are no clear-cut power teams and no easy title favorites. A team like Villanova, guard heavy and with two senior leaders in the starting lineup, can carry a team to a championship in this type of landscape. It’s theirs for the taking, they just have to grab it.
Narratives are a funny thing. They can be one thing for so long then change in the blink of an eye. Villanova will be looking to do that this year.
Next: Who Are They Playing And Is It Important?