It might sound crazy, but even as the defending national champion, Villanova isn’t entering next season as the national title favorite. That news became even more heavy hitting once it was announced that senior-to-be Josh Hart would be returning to school.
Hart averaged 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season for Jay Wright’s Wildcats, including a stretch in the NCAA Tournament where he proved time and time again that a player’s final stat line doesn’t tell the whole story of the impact he has on a game. That isn’t to say that his stat lines were unimpressive, as his 23 points, eight rebounds, and four assists against Oklahoma in the Final Four highlighted his impressive run.
His return means that Villanova gets back the vast majority of its talent from a year ago, outside of Daniel Ochefu and Ryan Arcidiacono. So, why aren’t people talking about Villanova as a title factor next season?
Part of that is because Duke returns so much from a year ago and brings in a vaunted recruiting class. Another part is because Kentucky is also bringing in a vaunted recruiting class. The final part, however, is maybe the most disturbing. People simply didn’t buy Villanova last year they still don’t, however unwise.
As the class of the Big East, there’s no doubt that the Wildcats will be a factor in the college basketball landscape next year. Exactly how far they go in their title defense, however, will go a long way in determining the lasting legacy of this group, including Josh Hart.
