Who Are The Villanova Wildcats? Head Coach, Top Players, X-Factor
Head Coach: Jay Wright
Wright is in his 22nd season with the program, and after some concerns over his postseason success, the 60-year-old has brought the team to three Final Fours over the past six seasons. They have two national championships in that span and have gone 20-3 over the past six NCAA Tournaments.
How Does Villanova Get It Done?
The Wildcats are often referred to as a team greater than the sum of its parts. There likely isn’t a first-round pick on the roster, but they play a slow-paced, efficient half-court offense led by fifth-year point guard Collin Gillespie. They are tops in the nation at the free-throw line and are on pace to set the NCAA’s all-time free-throw percentage record at 83.0 percent. They are disciplined, experienced, can switch at nearly any position, and are always ready to shoot the triple.
Most Outstanding Player: Jermaine Samuels
Samuels stepped up in a big way for the Wildcats throughout their run to the Final Four. He was crowned the South region’s Most Oustanding Player after averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in their four NCAA Tournament victories. If he can produce similar performances in the Final Four, the Wildcats should be able to hang around in nearly any game.
X-Factor: Bryan Antoine
The major headline out of Villanova’s victory over #5 Houston to get to the Final Four was the injury to the team’s second-leading scorer in Justin Moore. The Wildcats do not go deep into their bench, and with freshman guard Jordan Longino also out for the remainder of the season, junior Bryan Antoine will likely be the one called upon to step up in his place. Antoine has averaged just 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds on 9.5 minutes per game this season.
Villanova National Championship Odds
The Villanova Wildcats are currently +350 to win the 2022 National Championship, per the FanDuel Sportsbook.
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