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  • Mike Nardi only knew Villanova basketball. Now, he’s trying to help UConn dominate the Wildcats.

    Mike Nardi only knew Villanova basketball. Now, he’s trying to help UConn dominate the Wildcats.

    Mike Nardi turned 41 a few weeks ago, and considering he arrived on Villanova‘s campus as an 18-year-old freshman in 2003, played under Jay Wright for four seasons, then joined Wright’s staff in 2015 after seven years playing professionally overseas and remained on the bench through the end of last season, Villanova basketball was basically all Nardi knew for most of his adult life.

    He was there in the nascent days of Wright’s dynasty as a player and was back on the bench in time to enjoy the two national championships he laid the groundwork for.

    Xfinity Mobile Arena has been the site of many memories. Villanova fans still recite Sean McDonough’s “Nardi for three and the lead” call during an ESPN Big Monday broadcast on Feb. 13, 2006, with reverence. Nardi, who had missed the previous two games with tonsillitis, drilled a transition three-pointer from the right wing in front of the Villanova bench during a 22-4 run that erased a 12-point deficit and gave fourth-ranked Villanova its first win over No. 1 UConn in three years.

    A year earlier, the building was where Villanova, during a freshman season that saw Nardi make the All-Big East rookie team, announced its arrival on the national stage with a blowout victory over second-ranked Kansas.

    Nardi is returning to that building Saturday night. It’s the latest installment of the Villanova-UConn rivalry (5:30 p.m., FOX). But Nardi will be on the visitor’s bench, and he’d like nothing more than to prevent Villanova from getting its best win of the season over his fifth-ranked Huskies.

    Mike Nardi joined Jay Wright’s staff in 2015.

    “I had a great experience, but the emotions for me now are, ‘Hey, it’s competition,’” said Nardi, who was hired by Dan Hurley to be an assistant coach after Villanova brought in Kevin Willard last year. “I’m competing and I’m at a place where we want to win. The emotions and all of that, I’ve never been a guy to get caught up in that kind of stuff. There’s a task at hand and we want to go there and get a win and that’s the most important thing.”

    Has Villanova’s winning streak opened the door for new NCAA Tournament seeding? Yes and no.

    Nardi already got some of those feelings, if there were any to begin with, out of the way during Villanova’s trip to Connecticut in January. He caught up with Ashley Howard, JayVaughn Pinkston, and Nick DePersia, the only holdovers from Kyle Neptune’s staff; longtime radio voice Whitey Rigsby; athletic director Eric Roedl; and longtime sports information director Mike Sheridan. Then it was all business. Villanova was Nardi’s scouting assignment for each of the matchups this season. He exchanged his pleasantries, said his hellos, and then he helped coach a UConn overtime victory.

    “I was sad to see it end, but I landed in a place where, again, it’s like the standard of college basketball,” Nardi said. “I’m working for another Hall of Fame coach, a guy who has won at every level. For me, it’s a great learning experience because I played at Villanova, I coached at Villanova, and besides going overseas and seeing different systems and playing for other coaches, I really haven’t had a chance to branch out and see a different system and learn the game a different way.”

    If it were up to Nardi, this story probably wouldn’t be written. He returned a reporter’s call Friday in part, he said, out of respect for Villanova. He doesn’t want Saturday night to be about anything more than UConn trying to go on the road against a good team in a tough environment and get a win in its pursuit of a Big East regular season title.

    “I don’t want to make this about me,” he said. “It’s really not Mike Nardi and coming back to Villanova. This is about UConn and Villanova. That’s what’s most important to me.”

    Former Villanova coach Kyle Neptune (left) and assistant coach Mike Nardi shown during the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden last March.

    It didn’t take very long to get over being on the other side of the rivalry despite all his history with it. The good and the bad. He made that crucial three to earn his first win over UConn in 2006, then watched the meaningful portion of the 2024-25 season end at the hands of Hurley in the Big East tournament, only to have his friend, Neptune, fired a few days later.

    Nardi respects winning, he said, and respects excellence. He always viewed Connecticut in that light, from Jim Calhoun’s teams to Hurley’s. It was a good landing spot for him for basketball reasons and because Hurley, he said, respected everything Nardi was about, from playing for St. Patrick High School in New Jersey against Hurley’s father’s St. Anthony, to playing and coaching in the rivalry.

    Nardi wasn’t asked to stay by Willard, he said, and never expected to be.

    “I never felt slighted. I never felt a certain way,” Nardi said. “I kind of knew there was a slim chance of me being asked to stay. And that was OK. I didn’t take that the wrong way. I think I’m good at what I do. I think I could’ve been an asset, but I never ever looked at it like this is messed up, why aren’t you keeping me? That’s not how this works.”

    Bill Melchionni is a Villanova hoops icon. His grandson hopes to uphold the family name in lacrosse.

    Hurley, meanwhile, thought Nardi could be an asset in Connecticut. The Huskies are 24-3 after a Wednesday night home loss to Creighton, and they’re pursuing a third national title in four seasons. Villanova, meanwhile, is 21-5, 12-3 in the Big East, and in line to snap a three-season NCAA Tournament drought.

    Nardi was happy, he said, that Willard got the job. He wanted the school to hire someone who cared about the program, and Willard fits that description. Part of him is happy to see Villanova back in the mix, but he’s not watching Villanova games in his free time with his old No. 12 jersey draped over his shoulders.

    “It’s good to see them doing well,” Nardi said. “It’s obviously good for the league. I think that’s a big piece of it. But I’d be lying to you if I said I was rooting for them. I don’t root for anybody else in the league. I’m rooting for UConn and that’s it.”

  • Bill Melchionni is a Villanova hoops icon. His grandson hopes to uphold the family name in lacrosse.

    Bill Melchionni is a Villanova hoops icon. His grandson hopes to uphold the family name in lacrosse.

    If the Melchionni name was not already decorated enough in Villanova history, now it is getting a second chance.

    Villanova junior long-stick midfielder Jake Melchionni was a unanimous selection on this year’s All-Big East preseason lacrosse team. Last season, he was named the Big East’s Co-Specialist of the Year — the first Wildcat to ever earn that honor — and to the All-Big East First Team after collecting a team-high 24 forced turnovers, eight goals, three assists, and 49 ground balls.

    Sixty years earlier, Melchionni’s grandfather, Bill Melchionni, was a household name in college basketball. He averaged 27.6 points during his senior season on the Main Line and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1666 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Villanova retired his No. 25 jersey in 1995.

    Melchionni was drafted in the second round of the 1966 NBA draft by the 76ers, with whom he won the 1967 NBA title. He also won two American Basketball Association (ABA) championships with the New York Nets and was a three-time All-Star in the ABA, leading the league in assists three times. With the Nets, he played alongside Ricky Barry and Julius Erving.

    Jake Melchionni, who also wore No. 25 the past two seasons, has the opportunity to carry on his family’s name at Villanova, but this time on the lacrosse field. He remembers going to Villanova basketball games as a kid with his grandfather. The school has since held a special place for him.

    “Just kind of growing up around the Villanova basketball culture with his friends, Coach [Jay] Wright is obviously a good friend of his, always seeing him,” Melchionni said. “And he’s obviously the biggest Villanova person that I know. So I think when I was getting recruited, it’s just knowing that there are people who really love and care about this place. It’s just such a special thing to me.”

    Jake Melchionni pictured with his grandfather, Bill Melchionni, at Finneran Pavilion.

    Bill Melchionni is partially to credit for his family’s involvement in lacrosse. When Bill was playing in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the New York Nets, he and his family lived on Long Island, one of the most popular lacrosse hotbeds in the country.

    “When my grandpa was playing for them, it was the New York Nets,” Jake Melchionni said. “They were living in Garden City, N.Y., which is Long Island, which is obviously the lacrosse powerhouse. So my dad played lacrosse [at] not too young an age, but has played pretty much his whole life. I played hockey and soccer and a couple other sports from a young age, but it’s always really been lacrosse at the forefront.”

    Melchionni grew up playing lacrosse in Bernardsville, N.J., after picking up the sport from his parents, Christina and Keith Melchionni. His father played Division I lacrosse at Duke, while his mother played at Trinity.

    Melchionni’s father was also a long-stick midfielder.

    Longtime assistant Scott Meehan gets his chance to lead the helm of St. Joe’s men’s lacrosse

    “He was an All-American at Duke,” Melchionni said.” He obviously knows the game better than anyone. So I think obviously some parents like to give advice to kids and sports, and even lacrosse and stuff like that, but just having a dad who played the same position and knows that position really well, he knows the little things that I did wrong, the little things that I did right. It’s just so easy from a young age to lean on him and just always have him in my corner after games and before games.”

    The first time Bill Melchionni saw Keith play lacrosse, he was stunned.

    “I never saw a lacrosse game until [Jake’s dad played],” Bill Melchionni said. “So his dad didn’t start playing lacrosse until ninth grade. And I had never seen the game. I had no idea about the game, but I remember the first time I went to see him play, I said to him, ‘This is nuts.’ I mean, these guys are out [there] whacking each other over sticks and stuff, and the goalie’s got no protection.”

    It was a large contrast from basketball, which Bill Melchionni is all too comfortable with. However, it did not stop him from supporting his family in playing lacrosse.

    Jake Melchionni is a junior midfielder for Villanova lacrosse.

    “My grandpa, he’s a massive supporter of mine,” Jake Melchionni said. “I pretty much talk to him every day and definitely after every game and stuff like that. And it’s just really fun.”

    Recently, the two were seen in the crowd for Villanova basketball’s game against Seton Hall on Feb. 4, where they were shown on the video board during the second half.

    “When he comes back, he’s really respected at basketball games,” Melchionni said. “So that’s really cool to see. And it’s definitely something that I think is really cool.”.

    With most of the season still in front of the team, Villanova men’s lacrosse coach Mike Corrado saw a large improvement from Melchonni in his sophomore year and expects the same this season.

    “He plays long-stick middie, which is kind of a unique position,” Corrado said. “And I’ve coached a long time, and we’ve had some great ones, and they’re usually great with sticks.

    “They’re usually really good off the ground. They’re usually very good at transition. And a lot of times, they aren’t the most studious with six-on-six basic base core defensive principles. I would say the area that Jake has improved in the most is his ability to operate in the six-on-six defense. They have the ball, and we’re on defense, and we got to try to stop them. And so he’s definitely improved in that area.”

    Villanova is coming off back-to-back seasons where they lost in the Big East championship game. Melchionni and the Wildcats (1-1) will look to get past that obstacle and earn their way into the NCAA Tournament this time around.

    “The Big East tournament, Big East championship is number one on our list,” Melchionni said. “But it’s deeper than that, I know it’s a little cliché to say, but it’s really just focusing on one game. Just the step ahead. I just think it’s getting 1% better every day.”

  • Has Villanova’s winning streak opened the door for new NCAA Tournament seeding? Yes and no.

    Has Villanova’s winning streak opened the door for new NCAA Tournament seeding? Yes and no.

    The NCAA Tournament is coming to Philadelphia for one of its eight opening-weekend sites, and Villanova made sure to plan for the occasion.

    The Wildcats hosted four games at Xfinity Mobile Arena last season but scheduled only two home games there this season — the second of which is Saturday evening vs. No. 5 Connecticut. NCAA rules prohibit a team from playing tournament games in a venue where they host more than three home games, and the lowest seeds typically are rewarded geographically with first- and second-round locations.

    It was rather ambitious planning for Villanova, given that the Wildcats had a new coach and a new roster and hadn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2022. And it remains lofty even now, after a six-game winning streak has Villanova at 21-5 overall and 12-3 in the Big East. The Wildcats are almost guaranteed to snap that tournament drought, but they remain unlikely to get to a seeding that would reward them with some home cooking in the first and second rounds.

    “There is a path,” ESPN bracket master Joe Lunardi said Thursday when asked if Villanova could get as high as the No. 4 line, but when asked how realistic it was, Lunardi said “minimally.”

    Lunardi spoke via phone from an interesting location, given the subject of the conversation. He was in Indianapolis, where a mock NCAA Tournament selection exercise with media members was taking place. In his own bracket projection, Lunardi had Villanova 25th as of Thursday morning, otherwise known as the top seventh seed on his big board. The Wildcats were 28th, the lowest possible seventh seed, and slotted in Buffalo to face 10th-seeded Auburn in the first round when the mock committee went through its process Thursday, 24 days from Selection Sunday.

    The mock committee ranked the top 20 seeds and placed the last four at-large teams into the field, but it used computers to seed most of the rest of the bracket. Of note, those computer models had Temple, which is tied for sixth in the American Conference, winning its conference tournament and getting into the field.

    What did Villanova’s women learn in their loss to No. 1 UConn? The game truly is ‘four quarters.’

    Back to Villanova and to Lunardi’s bracket … not much has changed since Jan. 28, when we last caught up with him to assess the Wildcats’ tournament path. They were a No. 7 seed then, and while they moved up a few spots on the seeding line, they’re a No. 7 seed as of Friday even after reeling off six consecutive wins following their overtime road loss to UConn on Jan. 24.

    Similarly, Villanova was 34th in the NCAA’s NET rankings on Jan. 28 and 29th on Friday. And at KenPom, the Wildcats were 27th on Jan. 28 and 27th on Friday. That is life in the 2025-26 Big East. Six wins in a row doesn’t move the metrics much.

    Kevin Willard has Villanova in line for an NCAA Tournament bid in his first season on the Main Line.

    “They’re certainly looking the part,” Lunardi said. “The problem is, the dirty little secret, the league standing is flat if not declining.”

    The mock bracket on Thursday had just three Big East teams in the field of 68: UConn, St. John’s, and Villanova.

    Villanova has just three Quad 1 wins to date: Wisconsin, the road win at Seton Hall, and last Saturday’s road win at Creighton. That game was a Quad 2 game until Creighton knocked off UConn on Wednesday and moved back into the top 75 of the NET rankings. It could slip back into Quad 2 territory if Creighton moves back in the rankings. As it stands, the Wildcats have just two more chances at Quad 1 victories in the regular season: Saturday vs. UConn and next Saturday at St. John’s.

    Why are those opportunities important? As of Thursday morning, the top 21 teams in the NET rankings all had four or more Quad 1 wins. NET standings don’t necessarily translate to tournament seeds, but it’s hard to imagine Villanova climbing high enough in any tournament bracket without adding another regular-season Quad 1 win and another one or two en route to cutting the nets down at Madison Square Garden after winning the conference tournament.

    It’s not impossible, just not all that likely.

    Villanova recruited Devin Askew in high school. Six years and five schools later, he’s fueling the Wildcats.

    What the winning streak has done, though, is shift the floor a little bit. As of three weeks ago, getting a No. 9 or 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament seemed just as likely as a No. 6 seed. Now, a No. 6 seems much more likely than a No. 10.

    “Six is a great spot because you should win your first game, and it’s not too heavy of a lift in the second game,” Lunardi said. “And you avoid the one [seed].”

    “They’re going to wear white,” he said later, implying that Villanova seems like it’s on a path to be, at worst, a No. 8 seed and be the de facto “home” team in its first-round game.

    Home just probably won’t be South Philly. How does a mid-March trip to Buffalo sound?

  • Villanova’s battle against No. 1 UConn brought fleeting flashbacks of the ‘old-school Big East’

    Villanova’s battle against No. 1 UConn brought fleeting flashbacks of the ‘old-school Big East’

    The Finneran Pavilion was the loudest it had been all season for Villanova women’s basketball as the Wildcats hosted No. 1 UConn on Wednesday night.

    The energy in the packed arena intensified at halftime when the unexpected happened: Villanova led the undefeated Huskies by three points. It was the first time all season that UConn trailed at the half.

    “The atmosphere that was created was tremendous,” said Villanova coach Denise Dillon. “I loved hearing [the fans]. They were here for us. That was the difference, and you felt it from the beginning of the game and carrying through.”

    What did Villanova learn in its loss to No. 1 UConn? The game truly is ‘four quarters.’

    The magic of Villanova’s first half eventually wore off, as UConn pulled away in the third quarter. The Huskies then held a double-digit lead to secure an 83-69 win. Villanova will be back in the Finneran Pavilion on Sunday to host Marquette, which stands fourth in the Big East (3:30 p.m., Peacock).

    However, Villanova’s tough stance against the nation’s top team was enough to remind the 41-year UConn coach Geno Auriemma of what he called the “old-school Big East.”

    The conference rivalry, which has dissipated since the advent of the NIL and transfer portal era, seemed to have been revived — at least for the moment.

    Looking back

    Auriemma reflected on the rivalry between Villanova and UConn over the years. Although UConn owns the all-time record 49-7, the longtime coach, who grew up in Norristown, suggested the competition intensified since UConn rejoined the Big East in 2000 after a seven-year stint in the American Confernce.

    Now, UConn (28-0, 17-0 Big East) and Villanova (21-6, 14-4) hold the top two places in the conference standings. But the gap between the two programs remains wide.

    Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe finished wih 26 points in a loss to UConn on Wednesday.

    “Every mistake we made in the first half [tonight], we paid for it,” Auriemma said. “The crowd was great. The two best teams in the league are playing, it’s a great atmosphere. I love the way Denise does things with her team. As much as I enjoy coming [to Villanova] because a lot of friends and family are down here, I didn’t really miss it those seven years.”

    Wednesday’s game was a much different contest than the last time the two teams faced off just over a month ago. The Huskies bulldozed their way to a 99-50 victory on Jan. 15 on their home court.

    Before Alexis Eberz begins her journey at Villanova, she has unfinished business with Archbishop Carroll

    “It honestly was a train wreck at their place,” Dillon said. “So the growth from a month ago is fantastic. That’s what you want, especially when you have younger players and [Jasmine Bascoe] leading the way, directing out there on the floor.”

    After being limited to just eight points in January’s matchup against UConn, sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe was all over the court on Wednesday night. Bascoe scored 18 of her 26 points in the first half. She also added nine rebounds and seven assists, while playing the full 40 minutes.

    Carter’s veteran view

    In each of Denae Carter’s three seasons at Villanova, a win over UConn was out of sight. UConn recorded 100 points against Villanova for the first time last season and went on to win the national championship. The Huskies were one point away from repeating that in January.

    Carter, a graduate forward who joined the Wildcats in 2023-24 as a Mississippi State transfer, is one of Villanova’s few veteran players.

    Against UConn, she recorded a career-high 21 points, shooting 8-for-9 from the field and 3-for-3 on three-pointers. She also notched three steals and three blocks while being matched up with Sarah Strong, the Big East’s top scorer.

    Villanova’s Denae Carter (left) scored a career-high 21 points agains UConn on Wednesday.

    “[Strong] is a great player, and our focus really was just stopping everybody and helping each other,” Carter said. “I think we did a really good job in the first half, and we just have to sustain that.”

    With two regular-season games remaining of her college career, Carter is a player the program will continue to lean on.

    “I think that maturity came through tonight and she’s tough to take off the floor at any point,” Dillon said. “We’re going to keep [Carter] out there longer as she finishes her career.”

    Villanova honors alumni and coach Harry Perretta during its win over Georgetown

    What was once an intense rivalry between UConn and Villanova may not be achievable in the current college sports landscape. But Villanova’s unprecedented first half on Wednesday showed that the program is hungry to change that.

    “We have such a great connection,” Carter said. “On the court, we’re able to display that a lot. We have fun together. We’re playing all five out there, and I think Sunday is just going to be a really great opportunity for us to get that one back.”

  • Before Alexis Eberz begins her journey at Villanova, she has unfinished business with Archbishop Carroll

    Before Alexis Eberz begins her journey at Villanova, she has unfinished business with Archbishop Carroll

    Alexis Eberz knew she wanted play in the Big East. So when it came down to deciding between Maruqette or Villanova, the Archbishop Carroll senior guard did what most high schoolers do: she asked for her mother’s advice.

    “I just told her to pray on it,” said Michelle Eberz, Alexis’ mother.

    Her advice came at the perfect time. It was the end of Eberz’s junior year, and she was about to embark on a religious retreat called “Kairos,” which was hosted by Carroll. It was a four-day, three-night retreat at the Malvern Retreat House with no cell phones. It was the perfect opportunity for Eberz to reflect on where she wanted to play college basketball.

    “I said, ‘Alexis, listen to me. Go to Kairos and pray on it. You will find your answer,’” Michele said. “And, honestly, it was almost like the pressure melted off her.”

    Eberz decided on Villanova and signed with the team in November. Besides getting to play in the Big East, Villanova has always felt like home, which stems for her parents. Michele and her husband, Eric, played basketball on the Main Line and exposed their daughter to the school at a young age.

    However, Alexis has forged her own connection to the program and is ready to take her game to the next level. But first, the senior has some unfinished business to take care of at Carroll.

    Alexis and Kayla Eberz ‘work together’ to guide Archbishop Carroll back to the Palestra

    This season, Eberz is averaging 17.5 points and was named Catholic League MVP. The Patriots will face Cardinal O’Hara on Sunday at the Palestra in the Catholic League final, marking their third consecutive appearance. The last time Carroll won a PCL title was in 2019.

    No stranger to ’Nova

    Long before she picked up a basketball, Villanova has been part of Eberz’s life.

    “It’s a parent’s dream that she’s actually not only at [our] alma mater, but so close to home,” Michele said. “So many people know her already before she even steps on campus.”

    Alexis Eberz added: “I’m really close with Maddy Siegrist. I would shoot with her and do workouts with her [and former coach] Harry Perretta.”

    Learning from Siegrist, Villanova’s all-time leading scorer for men and women, contributed to Eberz wanting to play for Villanova. But it wasn’t the only factor.

    “I was around Villanova at such a young age,” Eberz said. “And then I never really went away from it. You’re never going to get that tight-knit community anywhere else. It’s awesome. The players, the coaching staff, everyone’s so nice. That really stuck out to me.”

    Plus, Villanova coach Denise Dillon viewed Eberz as an elite addition to the roster.

    “I think [what stood out to us] was a combination of the tangibles and intangibles,” Dillon said. “The tangibles being her ability to make shots. She’s a great shooter, great passer, moves well without the ball. The intangibles [being] her toughness. I just think she is a competitor. She doesn’t care who it is: post player, perimeter player, she’s going to battle.”

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    It also doesn’t hurt that Dillon has been longtime friends and former teammates with Michele.

    Their time also overlapped at Villanova from 1993 to 1995. During Michele’s senior season, the Wildcats went 19-9 overall and 13-5 in the Big East.

    “The years I played with Denise, we really grew as a team and friends,” Michele said.

    Alexis Eberz was named Catholic League MVP this season.

    The two even are in a group chat with old teammates.

    But Michele and Eric were careful to stay out of their daughter’s recruiting process. They wanted their daughter to make the decision for herself, even if they were rooting for her to be a Wildcat.

    “A coach is going to be hard on you on the basketball court, but [Villanova] also cares a lot about developing players into a young woman or becoming successful in school,” said Eric, who played at Villanova from 1992 to 1996. “You know that your coach’s job is to help kids find their path in life, too, and I think Denise does a great job at that.”

    ‘A really good teammate’

    Alexis Eberz has had quite an accomplished career with the Patriots.

    During her junior year, she averaged 17.6 points and earned first-team All-State honors. She also was named first-team All-Philadelphia Catholic League, first-team All-Delaware County, and scored her 1,000th career point.

    “When [Alexis] was a freshman, she was a very good shooter and had a great IQ for the game,” Archbishop Carroll coach Renie Shields said. “What she’s progressed into was a really good teammate [who] understands more about the game, and that’s just what her continual growth has been: increasing her skill set, shooting, ballhandling, and then now it’s movement without the ball and how to find openings for herself and her teammates.”

    The Eberz sisters make up 60% of Archbishop Carroll’s starting five. For them, basketball is a family tradition.

    She’s one of the senior leaders this season, alongside Ursinus pledge Bridget Grant, who happens to be Dillon’s niece and Eberz’s best friend. Also on the roster are Eberz’s younger twin sisters, Kelsey and Kayla, who are sophomores.

    “It’s awesome,” Eberz said. “It’s been surreal. It’s so special getting the chance to play with my sisters. I’m also really blessed, because some people don’t get a chance to play with their younger sisters, so I’ve been really grateful to have that chance.”

    With Grant and her sisters, Eberz is leading Carroll to a memorable season, as the team is 19-5 entering Sunday’s matchup. While the Palestra is an arena filled with history and tradition, for Eberz, it represents redemption.

    Archbishop Carroll will face Cardinal O’Hara in the Catholic League girls’ basketball final on Sunday.

    The Patriots have been to the PCL final the past two seasons, but lost both years.

    “There’s no other option,” Eberz said. “I have to win.”

    With one final shot at a PCL title, Eberz is looking to rewrite her team’s story.

    “Obviously we have a target on our back, being undefeated. … but I think that also gives us more of a reason to want it more,” she said. “It’s just the fact that we played so hard all season, and we beat all the teams so that we can get to this point. I think it just makes us want it more.”

  • What did Villanova learn in its loss to No. 1 UConn? The game truly is ‘four quarters.’

    What did Villanova learn in its loss to No. 1 UConn? The game truly is ‘four quarters.’

    It would be unfair to call Wednesday night’s Big East clash between Villanova and No. 1 Connecticut anything other than what it ultimately was: a litmus test for the Wildcats.

    Villanova may sit in second place in a demanding Big East, but in Wednesday’s game against UConn, the Wildcats once were again looking up at a Geno Auriemma-coached Huskies program, which entered Finneran Pavilion undefeated with 27 wins.

    Technically, make that 43 regular-season games, if you consider the Huskies haven’t lost since last February when, as the No. 1 team in the land, they suffered a four-point upset against then-No. 19 Tennessee.

    Is Tyler Perkins Villanova’s new Josh Hart? He might be close enough.

    A perennial power team in a power conference, Villanova wasn’t just playing the women wearing the Huskies’ deep blue on the other side of the floor; it was playing to prove itself against UConn’s stature, its reputation.

    And, if we’re being honest, the result of UConn’s tens of millions in NIL funding, ready for distribution.

    Villanova coach Denise Dillon approaches UConn coach Geno Auriemma following Wednesday’s game between the two at Finneran Pavilion.

    In her six years as head coach, Denise Dillon has never made concessions for her team after it came up short against UConn, time and time again.

    But if she wants this year’s Wildcats to dance far into March, their performance has to match what was on display in the first half on Wednesday night. And look a heck of a lot better than a second-half fallout that resulted in an 83-69 loss.

    “Honestly, give them credit. [UConn] stuck to their game plan,” Dillon said. “I think we let up on what we needed to do … miss a possession here or there, they’re going to take advantage.

    “And that’s what happened.”

    Villanova’s Ryanne Allen (left) is held back by UConn’s Sarah Strong during their game on Wednesday. Strong finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

    Don’t sleep on the Wildcats

    Villanova (21-6, 14-4 Big East) looked like a true contender in the first eight minutes. The Wildcats held a one-point lead at the first television timeout with 4 minutes, 38 seconds remaining and went into halftime up three.

    It marked the only time UConn (28-0, 17-0) has trailed at halftime this season and one of its longest deficits, with the Wildcats ahead for 16:10 of the first half, compared to just 2:09 for the Huskies.

    “How we started the game was unacceptable,” said UConn guard Azzi Fudd, who finished with a team-high 25 points. “We need to be able to start the game strong, play the full 40, and not take the game or a team for granted. I think they proved we cannot overlook anyone.”

    One player UConn certainly couldn’t overlook was Jasmine Bascoe, who had a game-high 26 points and was a rebound shy of a double-double. She got help from Denae Carter (21 points) and freshman Kennedy Henry, who finished with nine, but played one of her best games of the season.

    Big 5 hoops: Why Kevin Willard doesn’t mind a Villanova shot clock violation, predicting award winners, and more

    “If it weren’t for my two girls [Fudd and forward Sarah Strong], she’d be the best player in the Big East, hands down,” said Auriemma, who lauded Bascoe’s performance. “Just an amazing talent, and she made it really tough for us tonight.”

    Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe signals one of her four made three-pointers in Wednesday’s game against UConn.

    Lessons learned

    The reason UConn is No. 1 — besides having one of the most dominant players in women’s college basketball in Strong — is an ability to grind out wins.

    Speaking of Strong, while she finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds, the Wildcats frustrated the sophomore enough that by the third quarter, she was in danger of fouling out. She kept her composure and aided the Huskies in outscoring Villanova, 46-29, in the second half.

    Strong and Fudd did what they do, but in the end, turnovers were the Wildcats’ undoing; UConn scored 28 points off 26 Villanova turnovers.

    Villanova’s Denae Carter has her shot blocked from behind by UConn’s Serah Williams.

    “We talked about it, even at the end of the first quarter,” Dillon said. “I said, ‘Imagine if we’d got 8-10 more shots off in that period, what a difference it could make.’ We just have to focus our attention on taking care of the basketball.”

    Before the game, ESPN bracketologists had Villanova as a bubble team, projected as the No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Judging by last night’s performance, it feels like a pretty fair assessment.

    “The goal is to get to the [Big East] championship game and [get into] March Madness,” Dillon said. “We’re preparing for that every day. We talk to our players about our practice plan, which is to prepare to face a UConn; and if they train that way, you’re going to have a lot of success along the way.”

    On Wednesday night, the Wildcats came close to the type of success that could have landed them in Top 25 polls this time next week.

    That didn’t happen.

    Villanova honors alumni and coach Harry Perretta during its win over Georgetown

    But the consolation? They did more than enough to impress a storied coach who has firsthand experience of what success looks like.

    “They’re a team that will be in the tournament, I think,” Auriemma said. “They’re really well coached. Denise [Dillon] does a tremendous job. You know, this felt like one of those old-school Big East games tonight where you have to grind it out, and that’s usually what it’s like when you play here.”

    Up next

    Villanova will remain in town in preparation for Marquette at the Finn on Sunday (3:30 p.m., Peacock). The Golden Eagles (16-10, 10-7) are coming off a 71-56 Valentine’s Day loss to UConn and will look to snap a three-game losing streak.

    It’s Huskies week in Philly

    On Saturday, Villanova’s men host No. 5 UConn (24-3, 14-2) at Xfinity Mobile Arena (5:30 p.m., TNT). The Wildcats (21-5, 12-3 Big East) are on a six-game winning streak and are looking to avenge a 75-67 overtime loss against then-No. 2 UConn on Jan. 24.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Villanova athletics right here!
  • Villanova continues ‘growing up in front of everybody’s eyes’ with OT win at Xavier

    Villanova continues ‘growing up in front of everybody’s eyes’ with OT win at Xavier

    Acaden Lewis did a little bit of everything to lift Villanova to a 92-89 overtime victory over Xavier in Cincinnati on Tuesday.

    Lewis had 21 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and four steals, including one that sealed the win in the final seconds of the game. Villanova (21-5, 12-3 Big East) improved to 7-1 on the road in the Big East.

    “I think we’re just built for [overtime],” Lewis told reporters. “We’ve been on the road. We’ve had seven road wins after this game. So I think we’ve been through the fire. We’ve been in some far games. We played the first game of the year [against] BYU in Las Vegas. It was with no other games around. So, we’re used to it at this point. We’re growing up in front of everybody’s eyes. And I think we’re getting really good on the road for that reason.”

    Big 5 hoops: Why Kevin Willard doesn’t mind a Villanova shot clock violation, predicting award winners, and more

    Lewis is averaging 12.7 points and leads the Wildcats in assists (5.3).

    Duke Brennan had 10 points and 13 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season. He is two double-doubles shy of tying Michael Bradley’s single-season program record.

    In overtime, Villanova outscored Xavier, 11-8, and outrebounded the Musketeers, 5-4. Lewis and Bryce Lindsay had nine of the 11 points.

    Bench lifts Villanova

    Xavier (13-12, 5-9) opened the game on an 11-2 run that forced Villanova coach Kevin Willard to call a timeout. Willard took out Matt Hodge, Brennan, and Lindsay. He replaced them with Devin Askew, Malachi Palmer, and Braden Pierce.

    Villanova quickly spun off a 17-7 run over the next six minutes to take a lead. It spun into a 28-13 run.

    Askew scored back-to-back three-pointers during the run.

    “Coming into the game, we didn’t get any stops,” Lewis told reporters. “Starting five was out there, kind of, lackadaisical. They were running the speed of the game kind of got to us. And we didn’t really respond. Chris [Jeffrey] came in, Dev [Askew] came in, a bunch of guys came in and just changed the whole game. Got more stops, got us in the rhythm. And then going back in and help guys that start to get into a rhythm as well. And I think [the starters] just kept that same pressure.”

    Duke Brennan, shown during a game on Feb. 10, had his 12th double-double of the season against Xavier on Tuesday.

    Lindsay shows improvement

    After scoring double digits in 13 of his first 14 games of the season, Lindsay has struggled. He went from averaging 16.9 points over the first 14 games to just 6.4 over the last 10.

    Against Xavier, Lindsay finished with 15 points, shooting 5-for-11 from the field and 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. It was his fourth double-digit performance in the last 11 games.

    “There’s a reason he started,” Willard told reporters. “I have tremendous confidence in Bryce, and he’s been putting the work in. He’s just been in a little bit of a slump, and it’s good to see him get out of it.”

    Lewis echoed Willard’s thoughts on Lindsay’s performance.

    “That’s great to see,” Lewis told reporters. “I’m proud of [Lindsay]. It’s not easy to go through big slumps like this when you’re playing on national TV. And everyone expects so much out of you. So for him to just keep his head down, stick to it, and keep working … I mean, that’s what happened.”

    Is Tyler Perkins Villanova’s new Josh Hart? He might be close enough.

    Up next

    Villanova returns home after two road games to face No. 5 UConn at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday (5:30 p.m., TruTV/TNT). UConn won 75-67 in overtime on Jan. 24 in Storrs, Conn.

    The last time Villanova hosted UConn, it upset the No. 9 Huskies, 68-66, on Jan. 8, 2025.

  • Villanova women ‘ready for battle’ in rematch with top-ranked UConn

    Villanova women ‘ready for battle’ in rematch with top-ranked UConn

    The Villanova women’s basketball team has many reasons to feel confident entering the final three games of the regular season.

    The Wildcats (21-5, 14-3 Big East) are riding a six-game winning streak and have a solid grasp on second place in the Big East standings. During last week’s road trips, they took care of Xavier on Wednesday, 78-38, and Creighton on Sunday, 74-64.

    And back on its home floor on Wednesday night, Villanova will face No. 1 Connecticut for the second time this season (7 p.m., Peacock).

    What’s it like to face one of Geno Auriemma’s UConn teams? Ask Villanova’s Denise Dillon.

    The Huskies (27-0, 16-0), coached by Norristown-raised Geno Auriemma, continue to loom over the conference and the nation. For Villanova coach Denise Dillon, Wednesday’s matchup will be a chance for the team to show how it has progressed this season. Most of all, it will be a mental test for the Wildcats as much as a competitive one against the nation’s top program.

    “I always say, ‘If you want to be the best, you got to play the best,’” Dillon said. “And we have them here in our conference in UConn. … With UConn, there is no room for error. You have to be sharp, focused, and ready to battle.”

    UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who grew up near Philadelphia, brings an undefeated team into Finneran Pavilion on Wednesday.

    Seeking improvement

    The last time the top two teams in the Big East faced off, the Huskies sent the Wildcats home with a 99-50 loss on Jan. 15. According to Dillon, the humbling defeat was a dent in the team’s confidence. An upset loss to St. John’s followed two games later, forcing the team to reevaluate its standards.

    “[The team] didn’t like how they handled [the loss to UConn],” Dillon said. “They didn’t like how the game went for us and didn’t even like how we responded thereafter. We got some wins after, but we weren’t playing very good basketball, and we weren’t where we needed to be. So I think that lesson was certainly felt and learned, and now here’s another opportunity to see how much we have grown.”

    Top-ranked UConn routed Villanova, but there were still plenty of lessons to learn

    Dillon also was pleased with the team’s mental composure in its most recent win at Creighton. Despite trailing by three at halftime, Villanova’s offense surged in the second half for a double-digit win. Sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe led the way with 21 points, and freshman guard Kennedy Henry had 17.

    “It was a huge win for us,” Dillon said. “The first half was a little shaky because it was three-point game, and in that second half, we settled in, played our game, and took care of business. … I think Jasmine did a great job in the second half of just directing, of settling in the team, and making plays for others.”

    Bascoe’s leadership will continue anchoring the team on Wednesday night. Dillon also has high expectations for Henry, who led Villanova with 12 points at UConn.

    “Kennedy’s a stat-filler,” Dillon said. “She’s doing it on both ends of the floor. I think she impacts the game immensely. She’s smart enough to know that [UConn is aware] what she did the first time, so they’re going to do what they can to counter it. And that’s the beauty of the game, you want to find different ways that you can impact, and I know Kennedy is going to be on point to do that.”

    Villanova guard Kennedy Henry (22) was the team’s leading scorer in the first matchup vs. UConn.

    Stopping Strong

    The Huskies are led by 6-foot-2 sophomore forward Sarah Strong, who averages 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds. Strong dropped 24 points in the January matchup.

    Strong has been a force for the Huskies against Big East and national opponents, leading the conference in scoring and field-goal percentage. Alongside Strong, the Huskies are stacked with versatile players, including second-leading scorer Azzi Fudd (17.8 points per game) and assists leader KK Arnold (4.6 assists per game).

    UConn forward Sarah Strong (21), driving against Villanova’s Denae Carter on Jan. 15, is the Big East’s leading scorer.

    “It’s a big task when all [of UConn’s] players are a threat, an option out on the floor,” Dillon said. “[Strong] is getting a touch every possession, so it’s just recognizing where her spots are, where she wants to get these looks, and trying to force her to catch a little bit farther out. So it’s not just a clean shot or burying us in the paint, just being more active with where those looks are coming.”

    While Villanova will aim to limit Strong’s shooting, generating offense against UConn’s signature full-court press also will be a challenge. UConn allows just 50.5 points per game, the lowest average in the nation.

  • Villanova wins fifth straight in conference play following a convincing road rout of Creighton

    Villanova wins fifth straight in conference play following a convincing road rout of Creighton

    A double-double performance from Duke Brennan and Villanova now has 20 wins this season.

    The senior forward finished with a team-high 21 points and added 12 rebounds to lead the Wildcats in an 80-69 road defeat of Creighton in Omaha, Neb., on Saturday.

    Brennan collected his 11th double-double of the season, and is now second all-time in program history behind Michael Bradley’s 14 during the 2000-01 season. Villanova (20-5, 11-3 Big East) never trailed, avenging a January loss to the Bluejays (13-12, 7-7).

    “Duke’s been great,” said Villanova head coach Kevin Willard. “You can’t talk enough about Duke. I mean, [he’s] just taking his time, having some big finishes and again the guards [are] finding him.”

    It also marks a five-game win streak for Villanova, which earned its first 20 wins in the first 25 games for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

    Tyler Perkins scored 17 points, marking his ninth consecutive game with double-digits. Perkins also hauled in 11 rebounds in what was his second double-double of the season.

    Perkins is now averaging 17.9 points per game over his last nine games. He is averaging a team-high 13.5 points per contest this season, averaging 44% from the field and 37% on three-pointers.

    Big 5 roundup: Why Kevin Willard doesn’t mind a Villanova shot clock violation, predicting award winners, and more

    “I think [Perkins] had six points off offensive rebounds, big tip backs,” Willard said. “There was one late in the second half that was monstrous as [Creighton was] making a run. They cut [it] to seven, pushed it back up to nine, which was unbelievable. I think he’s starting to really settle into who he is as a player and he keeps getting better.”

    First-half defense smothers Creighton

    Villanova was able to hold Creighton’s offense to 10 points through the first 13 minutes of the game. The Bluejays’ starting lineup had just five points, and Austin Swartz had five points off the bench.

    Villanova took a 25-10 lead over Creighton with seven minutes left in the first half. Creighton was 4-for-18 from the field at that point.

    Villanova also scored 12 points on eight first-half turnovers by the Bluejays.

    I think we started off really good and were just really solid,” Willard said. “I think at our place we got caught up on switches a couple times and they took advantage of it. I thought we were really solid and just guarded our man really well.”

    Creighton finished the first half with 27 points, and its starting lineup had just 13 combined points as the Bluejays shot 34.4% from the field and 27.3% from beyond the arc.

    Plenty of points in the paint

    Villanova’s offense dominated under the basket. It scored 48 of its 80 points inside the paint, 30 of them coming in the first half.

    The Wildcats shot 3-for-11 on three-pointers in the first half and finished the game 6-for-21. Villanova entered the game averaging 27.4 three-point attempts per game. Additionally, the Wildcats attempted 44 two-point field goals, entered the game averaging 31.6 per contest, which ranked 308th in the nation.

    Strong day from the bench

    Villanova had 25 points from its bench, with 13 coming from Devin Askew and 10 from Malachi Palmer, who shot a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc.

    Askew has averaged 9.8 points off the bench this season, but has had five double-digit performances through conference play.

    Palmer has recently begun to get more time on the court. He has scored double digits on the bench in three of his last four games, including a career-high 15 points against Seton Hall on Feb. 4.

    Up next

    Villanova stays on the road, traveling to Xavier (13-12, 5-9) on Tuesday (6:30 p.m., FS1). It will be the first time the two teams meet this season. Villanova leads the all-time series, 35-9.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Villanova athletics right here!
  • Big 5 hoops: Why Kevin Willard doesn’t mind a Villanova shot clock violation, predicting award winners, and more

    Big 5 hoops: Why Kevin Willard doesn’t mind a Villanova shot clock violation, predicting award winners, and more

    Every once in a while, Kevin Willard loves when the shot clock expires before a Villanova shot attempt.

    There really is a time and place for everything.

    “Everyone will say, ‘You’re nuts,’” Willard said Tuesday night after Villanova rallied late to beat Marquette. “It takes 30 seconds; it sets up our defense. The worst thing you can do is come down and jack up a shot with 2 seconds on the shot clock, long rebound, your defense isn’t set. I’d rather have a shot-clock violation, set my defense up, have them work for 25 seconds, and then take 30 seconds and the game’s over.”

    Villanova has taken its share of violations in the second half of victories this season. There were two during a 12-point win over Seton Hall on Feb. 4 while the Wildcats held leads of 14 and 12 inside of five minutes. They took one vs. Providence up by 19 points with four minutes left. They took one vs. Butler while ahead by 12 with 2½ minutes to go. And they had three during their Big East opener on Dec. 23, when they built a big lead over Seton Hall on the road and won by eight.

    To be clear, there were no such violations during Tuesday’s win. So how did we get to this topic? Willard was asked after the game about tempo and whether he thought the team could play a little faster. The Wildcats are ranked 337th by KenPom’s adjusted tempo metric and 296th in average possessions per game (68.4).

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    Willard, who has the Wildcats at 19-5 overall and 10-3 in the Big East entering Saturday’s game at Creighton, is a passionate talker of tempo. He went on a mini rant about the subject in April at his introductory news conference at Villanova. He focuses on defensive tempo, he explained then, the amount of time it takes for an opponent to get off a shot. On the offensive side, the difference between shot speed from top to bottom is only a matter of a few seconds, he said.

    “You know the difference between the 20th fastest team and us?” Willard asked Tuesday. “1.6 seconds.”

    By average number of possessions, the difference between Villanova at 297th and the 100th-ranked team (Miami) is just four possessions.

    Freshman point guard Acaden Lewis is charged with setting Villanova’s tempo on offense.

    “I have a young team, and when we get up I’m going to control the ball and take the air out of the ball,” Willard said. “That’s one of the reasons why our tempo is so low is if you watch any time we’ve gotten up more than 12, I’ve taken the air out of the ball and we have run the clock down. One of the easiest ways to lose leads is to take quick shots.

    “I think we play pretty fast. It’s not like he walks the ball up,” Willard said, pointing to freshman point guard Acaden Lewis. “It’s not like we’re ever walking the ball up. It’s 1.6 seconds. Everyone gets stuck on that tempo s—.”

    Is Tyler Perkins Villanova’s new Josh Hart? He might be close enough.

    Award season approaching

    Less than a month of regular-season basketball remains, so it feels like a good time to round up who could win Big 5 awards.

    Let’s start with the coaches. The easy answer here is Villanova sweeping. Willard is on his way to stopping the three-year NCAA drought on the men’s side. Denise Dillon has her fifth 20-win season in six years as Wildcats coach. But those are the obvious answers partially because they coach teams that entered the season with at-large NCAA Tournament chances.

    But how about Mountain MacGillivray, the La Salle women’s coach? The Explorers went 4-15 in the Atlantic 10 last season. They’ve nearly doubled that total so far in 2025-26 and still have five games left. And what about Adam Fisher? The Temple men’s coach had to rebuild another roster in the offseason and has the Owls at 7-4 in the American Conference and in the mix. Or Steve Donahue, who stepped into a weird situation at St. Joseph’s, got off to a slow start, and has the Hawks in fourth place in the A-10?

    La Salle’s Ashleigh Connor is guarded by St. Joseph’s Rhian Stokes on Jan. 28.

    As for player of the year on the men’s side, Villanova’s Tyler Perkins and Lewis have good arguments, as do Penn’s Ethan Roberts, Derek Simpson of St. Joe’s, and Temple’s Derrian Ford. On the women’s side, it might be Villanova sophomore Jasmine Bascoe’s award to lose. But La Salle’s Ashleigh Connor is having a great season, as is Drexel’s Amaris Baker and Gabby Casey of St. Joe’s.

    La Salle’s loyal baseball community restored the program. Now it’s time to get it ‘back on the map.’

    Dillon’s Wildcats on the bubble

    The Villanova women won by 40 Wednesday night at Xavier and Bascoe reached the 1,000-point plateau in less than two full seasons. The Wildcats are rolling. They’re 13-3 in the Big East and firmly in second place, two games clear of Seton Hall in the loss column.

    But they’re also firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble. ESPN’s latest bracketology had the Wildcats as a No. 10 seed and in the “last four byes” group. The projected field capped just six spots behind them.

    Villanova coach Denise Dillon with her star guard, Jasmine Bascoe.

    Like the men, the women are in Omaha, Neb., this weekend. They play a Creighton team on Sunday that they already beat by 10 at home. It’s not a great time to have a slip-up, because after that it’s the annual home game vs. No. 1 UConn, which is undefeated and already beat Villanova by 49. Just two games are on the schedule after that: a home game vs. fourth-place Marquette and a road showdown at Seton Hall. Then comes the conference tournament.

    It’s crunch time for the Cats.

    Speaking of the NCAA Tournament

    We’ve mentioned a few times in recent weeks that the Villanova men are closing in on locking up an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. The Wildcats are at 99.1% to make the NCAA Tournament, according to Bart Torvik’s analytics site.

    Since we last took stock of the Big 5 men’s teams, a few more got on the positive side of .500 in league play, which brings a better possibility of running the table come conference tournament time.

    What’s Torvik’s math — which is based on thousands of simulations — for the rest of the pack?

    • Penn: 10.1%
    • Drexel: 3%
    • Temple: 2.9%
    • St. Joe’s: 2.6%
    • La Salle: 0.1%

    The Big 5’s streak of no men’s teams looks like it’s ending. Just don’t count on Villanova having any company at the dance.