Villanova Wildcats men's basketball

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Villanova Wildcats
2016–17 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team
UniversityVillanova University
First season1920–21
All-time record1,685–917 (.648)
Head coachJay Wright (16th season)
ConferenceBig East Conference
ArenaThe Pavilion 6,500
Wells Fargo Center 21,600
NicknameWildcats
ColorsNavy blue and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away


NCAA tournament champions
1985, 2016
NCAA tournament runner-up
1971*
NCAA tournament Final Four
1939, 1971*, 1985, 2009, 2016
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1939, 1949, 1962, 1970, 1971*, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 2006, 2009, 2016
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1951, 1955, 1962, 1964, 1970, 1971*, 1972, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2016
NCAA tournament appearances
1939, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1971*, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
*vacated by NCAA
Conference tournament champions
1978, 1980, 1995, 2015
Conference regular season champions
1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1997, 2006, 2014, 2015, 2016

Villanova University's men's basketball team has competed since the 1920–1921 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 37 times, the 8th highest total in NCAA history. They were National Champions in 1985 and 2016. They made the Final Four in 1939, 1971, 1985, 2009, and 2016, their 5 appearances are 14th most all-time. They have an NCAA Tournament record of 57–35 (.620). Their five wins over number one seeds in the NCAA Tournament is 6th most all-time. Villanova has appeared in the NIT 17 times, winning in 1994. They won the Big East Tournament in 1995 and 2015. Villanova will enter the 2016–2017 season with an all-time winning percentage of .648, placing the Wildcats tied for 13th among all NCAA Division I basketball programs. As of the end of the 2015–16 season Villanova has 1,685 wins, which is 26th among Division I men's basketball teams.

History

Early years (1920–1936)

Villanova began its varsity basketball program in 1920. Michael Saxe coached for six seasons, from 1920–1926, compiling a 64–30 record (.681). John Cashman coached three seasons, from 1926–1929, compiling a 21–26 record (.447). George "Doc" Jacobs coached seven seasons, from 1929–1936, and had a 62–56 record (.525).

The team played its first game in 1920 in Alumni Hall on Villanova's campus, beating Catholic University 43–40. In the early years, Villanova's home courts were Alumni Hall and West Catholic High School. The Wildcats moved into the Villanova Field House (now known as the Jake Nevin Field House) in 1932. Villanova also played many home games at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania beginning in 1929. The Wildcats played home games in both the Villanova Field House and the Palestra until 1986.

Al Severance era (1936–1961)

Alexander Severance coached Villanova for 25 seasons, from 1936 to 1961. It was under the leadership of Coach Severance that Villanova's basketball program rose to prominence. Severance compiled a 413–201 record (.673).i

The 1938–39 team won the first ever NCAA Tournament game, which put them in the inaugural Final Four. Severance led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament again in 1949, 1951, and 1955. Villanova earned NIT bids in 1959 and 1960.

The most storied player in Villanova history, Paul Arizin, played during this era. Severance discovered Arizin, already a Villanova student, playing basketball in the Villanova Fieldhouse. Arizin holds the Villanova record for most points in a game (85), and is credited with inventing the jump shot and was the 1949 College Player of the Year. Other notable players from the Severance era include Joe Lord, Larry Hennessy, Bob Schafer and George Raveling.

Coincidentally, Al Severance died in 1985 on the same day that Villanova upset Georgetown University and Patrick Ewing to take the NCAA basketball championship.

1939 Final Four

The inaugural NCAA Tournament featured eight teams from throughout the country. Villanova, representing the Middle Atlantic States, beat Brown, representative of the New England States, 43–40 before a crowd of 3,500 at the Palestra. The following night, the Wildcats lost to Ohio State 53–36 in the Eastern Division Championship.

Jack Kraft era (1961–1973)

Jack Kraft coached Villanova for 12 years, from 1961 through 1973. He compiled a 238–95 record (.715). Kraft led Villanova to the NCAA Tournament six times, and five times to the NIT. Only once did Kraft's teams fail to earn a post-season bid, in his final season. The 1971 team, led by Howard Porter, reached the NCAA Championship game, and lost to UCLA at the height of the UCLA dynasty.

Notable players during the Jack Kraft era include: Chris Ford, Tom Ingelsby, Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni, Howard Porter, Jim Washington, and Hubie White.

1971 NCAA Finalist

On March 27, 1971, Villanova made its first appearance in an NCAA basketball tournament championship game. The unheralded Wildcats took on the legendary John Wooden and his mighty UCLA Bruins. The 28–1 UCLA squad featured Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, Henry Bibby, and Steve Patterson. Going into the title game, the Bruins had won six of the previous seven NCAA championships, including the previous four.

Jack Kraft's Villanova squad, nicknamed the "Iron Men", was made up of just nine players. Led by Howard Porter, Clarence Smith, Hank Siemiontkowski, Chris Ford, Tom Ingelsby, Bob Gohl, Mike Daley, John Fox and Joe McDowell. Villanova amassed a 27–6 record, including a shocking 90–47 victory over a powerhouse Penn squad.

Villanova fought from behind for most of the game, twice cutting the lead to three in the final minutes. Villanova lost by six, 68–62. The six-point loss was the narrowest spread of UCLA's seven consecutive victories in NCAA title games.

Despite the loss, Villanova's Howard Porter was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Porter was later stripped of the award and the team's NCAA victories were vacated after it was discovered that Porter had violated NCAA rules because he had signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Condors of the American Basketball Association during the middle of his senior year.

Rollie Massimino era (1973–1992)

During Rollie Massimino's tenure, the Villanova Wildcats abandoned their traditional independent status by joining the newly formed Eastern Eight Conference in 1975. In 1980, the 'Cats moved into the new Big East Conference, along with Georgetown, St. John's, and Syracuse. The 1980s were the golden age of the Big East, highlighted by the 1985 NCAA Tournament, when Villanova, Georgetown, and St. John's reached the Final Four.

Massimino's teams had tremendous success in the NCAA Tournament, usually in an underdog role. Coach Massimino led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament eleven times, winning in 1985. His teams reached the Elite Eight five times in an eleven-year span: 1978, 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1988. Coach Massimino's teams were well-prepared for the Tournament, always playing a difficult schedule, and playing tenacious defense. Massimino lost their opening game in the NCAA Tournament only once, to Shaquille O'Neill and Chris Jackson-led LSU in 1990.

Massimino coached for 19 seasons at Villanova, compiling a record of 357–241 (.596). In the NCAA Tournament, Massimino had a 20–10 record (.667).

Notable players from the Massimino era include Alex Bradley, Stewart Granger, Keith Herron, Dwayne McClain, Harold Jensen, Ed Pinckney, John Pinone, Harold Pressley, Rory Sparrow, and Doug West.

In 1976, the Wildcats played their first game in the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Because of the greater seating capacity, the 'Cats generally played a few home games each year at the Spectrum until the opening of what is now known as the Wells Fargo Center. Villanova christened its current home court, the Pavilion, with a 64–62 victory over Len Bias led Maryland squad on February 1, 1986.

1985 National Champions

Main article: 1984–85 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team

In 1985, under the direction of coach Rollie Massimino, the men's basketball team completed one of the most surprising runs in NCAA tournament history by winning the national championship in the first year of the 64-team field. The eighth-seeded Wildcats (unranked in the final AP poll) beat Dayton (at Dayton), top-seeded Michigan, Maryland and second-seeded North Carolina to win the Southeast Regional en route to the Final Four in Lexington, Kentucky. After defeating 2-seed Memphis State in the national semifinals, Villanova met defending champion and ten-point-favorite Georgetown, led by Patrick Ewing, in the title game on April Fool's Day.

Top-seeded Georgetown had beaten conference rival Villanova twice during the regular season, and had reached the title game with tenacious defense, which gave up less than 40% of their opponents' shots from the field in both the regular season and the postseason. Before the championship game, Massimino told his team they would have to play a perfect game in order to beat Georgetown. In perhaps the greatest shooting performance in NCAA history, the Wildcats went 22-of-28 from the field to convert a blistering 78.6% of their shots, including a second half where they missed only one basket. The Hoyas hung tough, converting 55% of their 53 attempts, but were unable to overcome the astounding shooting performance as Villanova won 66–64 to claim the NCAA championship. The Wildcat squad remains the only eight-seed and the lowest overall seed in tournament history to win the championship, and their overall team shooting percentage remains an NCAA tournament record for a single game. The game is often cited among the greatest upsets in college basketball history. Ed Pinckney, who shot 5-of-7 and had 16 points in the game, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. This game is featured in the book The Perfect Game by Frank Fitzpatrick.[2]

In an ironic coincidence, Al Severance, Villanova's coach for 25 years from 1936–1961, died on April Fools' Day, April 1, 1985, which was the same day that Villanova won the NCAA Championship.

Steve Lappas era (1992–2001)

The Steve Lappas era was marked by extraordinarily strong regular seasons, including teams that won Villanova's only NIT and a Big East Tournament Championship. However, Lappas' teams are also remembered for their underachieving performances in NCAA Tournaments.

Lappas compiled a respectable record of 174–110 (.613) during his years at Villanova. The 1994 and 1995 teams, led by Kerry Kittles, Jason Lawson, Eric Eberz, and Alvin Williams, won the NIT and Big East Tournaments, respectively. However, five nights after their victory in the Big East Championship, the 1995 Wildcats lost a triple-overtime thriller to underdog Old Dominion on St. Patrick's Night in Albany, New York in a game many Villanova fans consider the most painful loss in Villanova history.

Under Coach Lappas, Villanova reached the NCAA Tournament in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1999, compiling a 2–4 record.

Notable players in the Lappas era include Michael Bradley, Kerry Kittles, Jason Lawson, Tim Thomas, John Celestand and Alvin Williams and Eric Eberz.

Villanova began playing a few major home games at the Wells Fargo Center beginning in 1996. Villanova's first game in the new arena was a December 1996 loss to the Duke Blue Devils.Wells Fargo Center was known as the CoreStates Center, the First Union Center, and the Wachovia Center before it adopted the Wells Fargo Center name.

1994 NIT Champions

On March 30, 1994, Villanova became the 15th school to win both NCAA and NIT Championships when the Wildcats defeated Vanderbilt 80–73 to win the NIT title. The Wildcats were led by Jonathan Haynes, who scored 19 points, and Kerry Kittles, who posted 18. Eric Eberz added 16 points and seven rebounds. Haynes and Kittles earned spots on the All-Tournament team for their efforts.

Jay Wright era (2001–present)

Jay Wright was named Villanova's coach in 2001. As a former Rollie Massimino assistant, Wright was well-acquainted with Villanova. Prior to his appointment at Villanova, Wright was head coach at Hofstra.

Villanova earned a post-season tournament berth in each of Wright's initial ten seasons as Villanova head coach before missing in 2011–12. The Wildcats played in the NIT in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and in the NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015. During Wright's tenure, Villanova has compiled a 14–10 record in the NCAA Tournament. Six of Wright's ten NCAA Tournament losses at Villanova were to the eventual National Champion. The highlight of his tenure was an amazing run to the 2009 Final Four when Villanova beat Pittsburgh in the Elite 8 on a coast to coast buzzer beater shot by team captain Scottie Reynolds. Villanova subsequently lost in national semifinals to eventual NCAA Champion North Carolina.

The struggling finishes to both the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons were highlighted by losing streaks down the stretch followed by some poorly played NCAA games where Villanova barely beat Robert Morris in overtime and took losses at the hands of St Mary's (2010) and George Mason (2011) in the NCAA Tournament. Villanova had a rebuilding season with a disappointing 13–19 record in 2011–12 season and they missed an NCAA bid after 7 consecutive appearances in the Tournament. It was the first season that Jay Wright did not lead the program into any postseason tournament. The 2012–13 season saw a return trip to NCAA tournament but a #2 seed in 2013–14 and a #1 seed in 2014–15 both ended quickly in the Round of 32 showing a negative 6 year trend where Jay Wright went 3–5 in NCAA Tournament games despite favorable seeds. This drew comparisons to Steve Lappas tournament futility in the prior regime.

Notable players during the Jay Wright era include Randy Foye, Kyle Lowry, Dante Cunningham, Allan Ray, Will Sheridan, Curtis Sumpter, Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, Maalik Wayns, Mouphtau Yarou, JayVaughn Pinkston, Darrun Hilliard, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Josh Hart.

2004–05 season

Under coach Jay Wright, Villanova's men's basketball team reached the 2005 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, defeating New Mexico and Florida before losing to #1 seed and eventual champion North Carolina by one point. Junior Forward Curtis Sumpter was injured in the Florida game and did not return to the court until the 2006–07 season. There is controversy surrounding a disputed traveling call against Allan Ray made in the closing seconds of the UNC game. With under a minute left and Villanova down by three, Ray drove and made a shot. There was contact with a UNC defender and a whistle. Most assumed the whistle signified a foul on Carolina, giving Ray a chance to tie the game with the resultant free-throw. Incredibly, the officials ruled that Ray committed a traveling violation prior to taking the shot, negating the basket, and rendering Kyle Lowry's buzzer beating 3 pointer a mere footnote to a painful loss.

2005–06 season

Main article: 2005-06 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team

Led by senior guards Randy Foye and Allan Ray as well as sophomore guard Kyle Lowry, the Villanova men's basketball team began the 2005–2006 year ranked #4 in the major polls from USA Today and the Associated Press. Having lost only three regular season games, the Wildcats enjoyed a #1 seed in the 2006 tournament—their first. The Wildcats' wins over Monmouth, Arizona, and Boston College brought them back to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1988. Villanova's 75–62 upset loss in Minneapolis to eventual champion Florida ended the team's run toward a Regional Final. The loss to Florida was the second consecutive year that Villanova was eliminated in the NCAA Tournament by the eventual national champion. The Wildcats' 28 wins during the 2006 campaign was the second most victories for any Villanova Men's Basketball team at that time. Foye, Ray and Lowry all entered the NBA following the season.

2006–07 season

Main article: 2006-07 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team

Wright's 2006–2007 team was composed mainly of freshmen and sophomores who, at times, struggled to mesh. The Wildcats improved throughout the season, due in large part to the emergence of freshman Scottie Reynolds. Villanova finished the 2006–07 season with a record of 22–11. The Wildcats earned an at-large bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament, where they lost in the second round to the Kentucky Wildcats. Villanova's 2006–07 free throw percentage of .781 led the NCAA, and set a Villanova season record.[3]

2007–08 season

Main article: 2007-08 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team

The 2007–08 campaign was an erratic one for the young Wildcats, a team with no seniors. After a promising 9–1 start, Villanova had a rough start to its Big East season. In mid-season, the Wildcats lost five consecutive games by double digits and lost 6 of 7 games during a 3-week span in the middle of the season, as the freshmen struggled to adjust to the college game, and the experienced players encountered difficulties in adjusting to leadership positions. In February and March, as the players became more comfortable within Coach Wright's system, and with improved defense, the team began to win.

A win against Syracuse in the Big East Tournament was good enough for the Wildcats to secure one of the final at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament. Villanova proved it was worthy of the bid when an upset over Clemson and a victory over Siena put them in the final 16 teams in the tournament, where they lost to eventual National Champion Kansas.

2008–09 season

Main article: 2008-09 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team

Most notable in the 2008–09 season was the rise to prominence of senior forward Dante Cunningham. Cunningham averaged 16.1 points per game, an increase of nearly 6 points over the previous season. He also managed to average 7.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game.[4] Cunningham was honored as the Big East Most Improved Player.[5] His teammate, tenacious sophomore guard Corey Fisher, was also honored as the Big East Sixth Man of the Year for his contributions off the bench.[5]

The Wildcats finished the regular season with a mark of 26–7, earning a school record for most regular season victories. They lost their final regular season game to the Louisville Cardinals, 69–55, in the fourth round, or semi-finals of the Big East Tournament.[6] The Wildcats began the NCAA Tournament at the Wachovia Center, a secondary venue for home games. They survived an early scare by American[6] to handily beat two of college basketball's most prestigious programs, UCLA and Duke, in the rounds of 32 and 16 by a combined margin of 43 points.[7][8]

Villanova won a very close match up against number 1 seed Pittsburgh in the Elite 8 round of the tournament, with guard Scottie Reynolds racing down the court to make a layup with only 0.5 seconds left. Pitt took the final shot, which bounced off the backboard to end the game. The last-second basket by Reynolds was widely hailed as one of the most exciting plays of that year's tournament, with Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis calling the victory "one of the great games in NCAA tournament history".[9] Villanova advanced to the Final Four where they faced the North Carolina Tar Heels. Villanova fell to the Tar Heels in the National Semifinals at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, by a final score of 83–69.[10] This would be the fourth time in five years that Villanova's tournament ouster would be by the eventual National Champion.

The Wildcat's record of 30–8 broke a previous high for most victories in a season, a distinction previously held by the 2005–06 Wildcats squad. The senior class of 2009, composed of forwards Dante Cunningham, Shane Clark, Dwayne Anderson and Frank Tchuisi, earned the distinction of being the winningest senior class in school history.[11]

2009–10 season

Main article: 2009-10 Villanova Wildcats Men's Basketball

The Wildcats enjoyed another highly successful regular season, finishing with a record of 24–7 and earning a #2 Seed in the NCAA Tournament. They lost in the first round of the Big East Tournament to Marquette and required overtime to defeat 15th seeded Robert Morris University in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats were defeated in the 2nd round by the 10th seeded St. Mary's Gaels.

Scottie Reynolds ended his career as the second-leading scorer in Villanova history with 2,222 points, 21 points short of breaking Kerry Kittles's all-time record. He finished his College career with 472 assists and 203 steals. Reynolds was named to the 2010 AP All-American 1st team, but was not selected in the NBA draft.

2016 National Champions

Main article: 2015-16 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team

The Wildcats enjoyed another highly successful regular season and held the AP #1 ranking in the nation for the first time in school history over a 3-week period. They finished the regular season with a 27–4 record losing only to teams (Oklahoma, Virginia, Providence, Xavier) that were ranked at the time of the match-up. Villanova finished Big East Conference play 16–2 for the third year in a row also garnering their 3rd straight outright Regular Season Conference Title. After losing in the Big East Tournament Championship Game to Seton Hall, 69–67, the Wildcats earned a 2 seed in the The NCAA Tournament South Region where they dispatched the #15 seeded UNC Asheville by 30 points, followed by a 19-point win over #7 seed Iowa. After defeating #3 seed Miami by 23, they moved on to the Elite Eight to face the overall #1 seed Kansas Jayhawks. The Wildcats defense shined as they won by 5 points to advance to their 5th Final Four and the first since 2009. They faced #2 seed Oklahoma Sooners, who had beaten Villanova by 23 on December 7, 2015 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii early in the season. In the National Semi-Finals, Villanova beat the Sooners by 44 points (a NCAA Final Four record) to advance to the NCAA Championship for the first time in 31 years. They would face the second-overall #1 seed North Carolina Tar Heels for the championship. On April 4, Villanova defeated UNC on a game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer by Kris Jenkins to win the NCAA Championship by a final score of 77–74, winning their second NCAA championship. UNC had recovered from a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes to tie the game on an off-balance, double-clutch three-point shot that passed through the net with 4.7 seconds left, leaving the Wildcats one last chance to clinch a victory before overtime. Kris Jenkins inbounded the ball to four-year team captain Ryan Arcidiacono, who dribbled down court, passed the ball and set a bubble screen to assist Jenkins' game-winning shot. Coach Jay Wright credits the play to the "Wildcat minute", where the team practices late-game scenarios at every practice. The game has been called one of the greatest in the history of NCAA Tournament Championships.[12][13]

Villanova ended the 2016 season at 35–5 including the unanimous #1 ranking in the final Coaches' Poll (USA Today) while capturing their 2nd NCAA basketball championship trophy in the history of the program. In beating #3 seed Miami (AP #10), #1 seed Kansas (AP #1), #2 seed Oklahoma (AP #7) and #1 seed UNC (AP #3), Villanova became the first school in 31 years — since the 1985 Villanova Wildcats — to not only beat four top-three seeds on the way to a national title but to also beat four straight opponents ranked in the AP top 10, in addition to beating AP ranked Iowa in the Round of 32, by an average victory margin of 19 points per game. Villanova's run included two of the ten most offensively efficient games in the analytics era (2002–present), beating Miami and Oklahoma by scoring 1.56 and 1.51 points per possession in the Sweet Sixteen and Final Four, respectively.[14] It has been called perhaps the most dominant tournament championship run of all time, and the most dominant of the analytics era by a wide margin.[13]

Player honors

Postseason

NCAA Tournament history

Villanova has appeared in 37 NCAA Tournaments, beginning with the first in 1939. The Wildcats have amassed a tournament record of 57–35 (.620), and were the national champions in 1985 and 2016. Villanova has won as the underdog (based on Tournament seeding) 16 times, more than any other program.[16] Villanova is one of only two programs (the other being Ohio State) that has played in the NCAA Tournament in every decade since the 1930s.

Opponent Result Score Site City Round
2016 – 2 Seed – NCAA CHAMPIONS
UNC Asheville W 86–56 Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York First Round
Iowa W 87–68 Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York Second Round
Miami W 92–69 KFC Yum! Center Louisville, Kentucky Regional Semifinals
Kansas W 64–59 KFC Yum! Center Louisville, Kentucky Regional Finals
Oklahoma W 95–51 NRG Stadium Houston, Texas National Semifinals
North Carolina W 77–74 NRG Stadium Houston, Texas National Championship
2015 – 1 Seed
Lafayette W 93–52 Consol Energy Center Pittsburgh Second Round
North Carolina State L 68–71 Consol Energy Center Pittsburgh Third Round
2014 – 2 Seed
Milwaukee W 73–53 First Niagara Center Buffalo. NY Second Round
Connecticut L 65–77 First Niagara Center Buffalo, New York Third Round
2013 – 9 Seed
North Carolina L 71–78 Sprint Center Kansas City, Missouri Second Round
2011 – 9 Seed
George Mason L 57–61 Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, Ohio Second Round
2010 – 2 Seed
Robert Morris W 73–70 OT Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence, Rhode Island First Round
St. Mary's L 68–75 Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence, Rhode Island Second Round
2009 – 3 Seed – FINAL FOUR
American W 80–67 Wachovia Center Philadelphia First Round
UCLA W 89–69 Wachovia Center Philadelphia Second Round
Duke W 77–54 TD Banknorth Garden Boston Regional Semifinals
Pittsburgh W 78–76 TD Banknorth Garden Boston Regional Finals
North Carolina L 69–83 Ford Field Detroit National Semifinals
2008 – 12 Seed – Sweet 16
Clemson W 75–69 St. Pete Times Forum Tampa, Florida First Round
Siena W 84–72 St. Pete Times Forum Tampa, Florida Second Round
Kansas L 57–72 Ford Field Detroit Regional Semifinals
2007 – 9 Seed
Kentucky L 58–67 United Center Chicago First Round
2006 – 1 Seed – Elite 8
Monmouth W 58–45 Wachovia Center Philadelphia First Round
Arizona W 82–78 Wachovia Center Philadelphia Second Round
Boston College W 60–59 OT Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis Regional Semifinals
Florida L 62–75 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis Regional Finals
2005 – 5 Seed – Sweet 16
New Mexico W 55–47 Gaylord Entertainment Center Nashville, Tennessee First Round
Florida W 76–65 Gaylord Entertainment Center Nashville, Tennessee Second Round
North Carolina L 67–66 Carrier Dome Syracuse, New York Regional Semifinals
1999 – 8 Seed
Mississippi L 70–72 Bradley Center Milwaukee First Round
1997 – 4 Seed
Long Island W 101–91 Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum Winston-Salem, North Carolina First Round
California L 68–75 Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum Winston-Salem, North Carolina Second Round
1996 – 3 Seed
Portland W 92–56 Bradley Center Milwaukee First Round
Louisville L 64–68 Bradley Center Milwaukee Second Round
1995 – 3 Seed
Old Dominion L 81–89 3OT Pepsi Arena Albany, New York First Round
1991 – 9 Seed
Princeton W 50–48 Carrier Dome Syracuse, New York First Round
North Carolina L 69–84 Carrier Dome Syracuse, New York Second Round
1990 – 12 Seed
LSU L 63–70 Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee First Round
1988 – 6 Seed – Elite 8
Arkansas W 82–74 Riverfront Coliseum Cincinnati First Round
Illinois W 66–63 Riverfront Coliseum Cincinnati Second Round
Kentucky W 80–74 BJCC Birmingham, AL Regional Semifinals
Oklahoma L 59–78 BJCC Birmingham, AL Regional Finals
1986 – 10 Seed
Virginia Tech W 71–62 LSU Assembly Center Baton Rouge, Louisiana First Round
Georgia Tech L 61–66 LSU Assembly Center Baton Rouge, Louisiana Second Round
1985 – 8 Seed – NCAA CHAMPIONS
Dayton W 51–49 University of Dayton Arena Dayton, Ohio First Round
Michigan W 59–55 University of Dayton Arena Dayton, Ohio Second Round
Maryland W 46–43 BJCC Birmingham, AL Regional Semifinals
North Carolina W 56–44 BJCC Birmingham, AL Regional Finals
Memphis State W 52–45 Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky National Semifinals
Georgetown W 66–64 Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky National Championship
1984 – 7 Seed
Marshall W 84–72 The MECCA Milwaukee First Round
Illinois L 56–64 The MECCA Milwaukee Second Round
1983 – 3 Seed – Elite 8
Bye First Round
Lamar W 60–56 The Summit Houston Second Round
Iowa W 55–54 Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri Regional Semifinals
Houston L 71–89 Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri Regional Finals
1982 – 3 Seed – Elite 8
Bye First Round
Northeastern W 76–72 3OT Nassau Coliseum Uniondale, New York Second Round
Memphis State W 70–66 OT Reynolds Coliseum Raleigh, North Carolina Regional Semifinals
North Carolina L 60–70 Reynolds Coliseum Raleigh, North Carolina Regional Finals
1981 – 9 Seed
Houston W 90–72 Charlotte Coliseum Charlotte, North Carolina First Round
Virginia L 50–54 Charlotte Coliseum Charlotte, North Carolina Second Round
1980 – 8 Seed
Marquette W 77–59 Providence Civic Center Providence, Rhode Island First Round
Syracuse L 83–97 Providence Civic Center Providence, Rhode Island Second Round
1978 – Elite 8
La Salle W 103–97 Palestra Philadelphia First Round
Indiana W 61–60 Providence Civic Center Providence, Rhode Island Regional Semifinals
Duke L 72–90 Providence Civic Center Providence, Rhode Island Regional Finals
1972 – Sweet 16
East Carolina W 85–70 Jadwin Gymnasium Princeton, New Jersey First Round
Pennsylvania L 67–78 WVU Coliseum Morgantown, West Virginia Regional Semifinals
South Carolina L 78–90 WVU Coliseum Morgantown, West Virginia Consolation
1971 – NCAA RUNNER-UP
Saint Joseph's W 93–75 Palestra Philadelphia First Round
Fordham W 85–75 Reynolds Coliseum Raleigh, North Carolina Regional Semifinals
Pennsylvania W 90–47 Reynolds Coliseum Raleigh, North Carolina Regional Finals
Western Kentucky W 92–89 Astrodome Houston, Texas National Semifinals
UCLA L 62–68 Astrodome Houston National Championship
1970 – Elite 8
Temple W 77–69 Palestra Philadelphia First Round
Niagara W 98–73 Carolina Coliseum Columbia, South Carolina Regional Semifinals
St. Bonaventure L 74–94 Carolina Coliseum Columbia, South Carolina Regional Finals
1969
Davidson L 61–75 Reynolds Coliseum Raleigh, North Carolina First Round
1964 – Final 16
Providence W 77–66 First Round
Duke L 73–87 Regional Semifinals
Princeton W 74–62 Consolation
1962 – Final 8
West Virginia W 90–75 Palestra Philadelphia First Round
NYU W 79–70 Cole Field House College Park, Maryland Regional Semifinals
Wake Forest L 69–79 Cole Field House College Park, Maryland Regional Finals
1955 – Final 16
Duke W 74–73 Madison Square Garden New York City First Round
Canisius L 71–73 Palestra Philadelphia Regional Semifinals
Princeton W 64–57 Palestra Philadelphia Consolation
1951 – Final 16
North Carolina State L 62–67 Regional Semifinals
1949 – Final 8
Kentucky L 72–85 Madison Square Garden New York City Regional Finals
Yale W 78–67 Madison Square Garden New York City Consolation
1939 – NCAA FINAL FOUR
Brown W 42–30 Palestra Philadelphia Regional Finals
Ohio State L 36–53 Palestra Philadelphia National Semifinals

NIT history

The Wildcats have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 17 times. Their combined record is 24–17. They were NIT Champions in 1994.

Year Round Opponent Result
1959 First Round St. John's L 67–75
1960 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Detroit
Utah State		 W 88–86
L 72–73
1963 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		 DePaul
Wichita State
Canisius
Marquette		 W 63–51
W 54–53
L 46–61
L 58–66
1965 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		 Manhattan
NYU
St. John's		 W 73–71
W 91–69
L 51–55
1966 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		 St. John's
Boston College
NYU
Army		 W 63–61
W 86–85
L 63–78
W 76–65
1967 First Round Marshall L 68–70
1968 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Wyoming
Kansas		 W 77–66
L 49–55
1977 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		 Old Dominion
Massachusetts
St. Bonaventure
Alabama		 W 71–68
W 81–71
L 82–86
W 102–89
1987 First Round La Salle L 84–86
1989 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		 Saint Peter's
Penn State
Michigan State		 W 76–56
W 76–67
L 63–70
1992 First Round Virginia L 80–83
1994 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 Canisius
Duquesne
Xavier
Siena
Vanderbilt		 W 103–79
W 82–66
W 76–74
W 66–58
W 80–73
2000 First Round
Second Round		 Delaware
Kent State		 W 72–63
L 67–81
2001 First Round Minnesota L 78–87
2002 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		 Manhattan
Louisiana Tech
Temple		 W 84–69
W 67–64
L 57–63
2003 Opening Round Siena L 59–74
2004 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		 Drexel
Virginia
Rutgers		 W 85–70
W 73–63
L 60–72

National Campus Basketball Tournament results

The Wildcats appeared in the only National Campus Basketball Tournament. Their record is 0–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
1951 Quarterfinals Utah L 65–67

Year-to-year history

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Independent (1920–1976)
1920–21 Michael Saxe 8–7
1921–22 Michael Saxe 11–4
1922–23 Michael Saxe 10–6
1923–24 Michael Saxe 14–7
1924–25 Michael Saxe 10–1
1925–26 Michael Saxe 10–6
Michael Saxe: 64–30(.681)
1926–27 John Cashman 11–7
1927–28 John Cashman 4–11
1928–29 John Cashman 6–8
John Cashman: 21–26(.447)
1929–30 George Jacobs 11–6
1930–31 George Jacobs 7–13
1931–32 George Jacobs 7–11
1932–33 George Jacobs 9–4
1933–34 George Jacobs 9–3
1934–35 George Jacobs 13–7
1935–36 George Jacobs 6–12
George Jacobs: 62–56(.525)
1936–37 Alexander Severance 15–8
1937–38 Alexander Severance 25–5
1938–39 Alexander Severance 20–5 NCAA Final Four
1939–40 Alexander Severance 17–2
1940–41 Alexander Severance 13–3
1941–42 Alexander Severance 13–9
1942–43 Alexander Severance 19–2
1943–44 Alexander Severance 9–11
1944–45 Alexander Severance 6–11
1945–46 Alexander Severance 10–13
1946–47 Alexander Severance 17–7
1947–48 Alexander Severance 15–9
1948–49 Alexander Severance 23–4 NCAA Elite Eight
1949–50 Alexander Severance 25–4
1950–51 Alexander Severance 25–7 NCAA First Round
1951–52 Alexander Severance 19–8
1952–53 Alexander Severance 19–8
1953–54 Alexander Severance 20–11
1954–55 Alexander Severance 18–10 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1955–56 Alexander Severance 14–12
1956–57 Alexander Severance 10–15
1957–58 Alexander Severance 12–11
1958–59 Alexander Severance 18–7 NIT First Round
1959–60 Alexander Severance 20–6 NIT Quarterfinals
1960–61 Alexander Severance 11–13
Alexander Severance: 413–201 (.673)
1961–62 Jack Kraft 21–7 NCAA Elite 8
1962–63 Jack Kraft 19–10 NIT 4th Place
1963–64 Jack Kraft 24–4 NCAA Sweet 16
1964–65 Jack Kraft 23–5 NIT Runner Up
1965–66 Jack Kraft 18–11 NIT 3rd Place
1966–67 Jack Kraft 17–9 NIT 1st Round
1967–68 Jack Kraft 19–9 NIT Quarterfinals
1968–69 Jack Kraft 21–5
1969–70 Jack Kraft 22–7 NCAA Elite 8
1970–71 Jack Kraft 27–7 NCAA Runner Up
1971–72 Jack Kraft 20–8 NCAA 2nd Round
1972–73 Jack Kraft 11–14
Jack Kraft: 242–96
1973–74 Rollie Massimino 7–19
1974–75 Rollie Massimino 9–18
1975–76 Rollie Massimino 16–11 ECAC South Semifinals
Eastern Collegiate Basketball League/Eastern 8 (1976–1980)
1976–77 Rollie Massimino 23–10 6–1 2nd (East) NIT Third Place
1977–78 Rollie Massimino 23–9 7–3 T–1st NCAA Elite Eight
1978–79 Rollie Massimino 15–13 9–1 1st
1979–80 Rollie Massimino 23–8 7–3 T–1st NCAA Second Round
Big East Conference (1980–2013)
1980–81 Rollie Massimino 20–11 8–6 T–3rd NCAA Second Round
1981–82 Rollie Massimino 24–8 11–3 1st NCAA Elite Eight
1982–83 Rollie Massimino 24–8 12–4 T–1st NCAA Elite Eight
1983–84 Rollie Massimino 19–12 12–4 T–2nd NCAA Second Round
1984–85 Rollie Massimino 25–10 9–7 T–3rd NCAA Champion
1985–86 Rollie Massimino 23–14 10–6 4th NCAA Second Round
1986–87 Rollie Massimino 15–16 6–10 6th NIT First Round
1987–88 Rollie Massimino 24–13 9–7 T–3rd NCAA Eilte Eight
1988–89 Rollie Massimino 18–16 7–9 T–5th NIT Third Round
1989–90 Rollie Massimino 18–15 8–8 T–5th NCAA First Round
1990–91 Rollie Massimino 17–15 7–9 T–7th NCAA Second Round
1991–92 Rollie Massimino 14–15 11–7 4th NIT First Round
Rollie Massimino: 357–241 139–88
1992–93 Steve Lappas 8–19 3–15 10th
1993–94 Steve Lappas 20–12 10–8 T–4th NIT Champions
1994–95 Steve Lappas 25–8 14–4 2nd NCAA First Round
1995–96 Steve Lappas 26–7 14–4 2nd NCAA Second Round
1996–97 Steve Lappas 24–10 12–6 T–1st NCAA Second Round
1997–98 Steve Lappas 12–17 8–10 4th
1998–99 Steve Lappas 21–11 10–8 T–4th NCAA First Round
1999–00 Steve Lappas 20–13 8–8 T–6th NIT Second Round
2000–01 Steve Lappas 18–13 8–8 T–3rd NIT First Round
Steve Lappas: 174–110 87–71
2001–02 Jay Wright 19–13 7–9 5th NIT Quarterfinals
2002–03 Jay Wright 15–16 8–8 T–3rd NIT First Round
2003–04 Jay Wright 18–17 6–10 11th NIT Quarterfinals
2004–05 Jay Wright 24–8 11–5 T–3rd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2005–06 Jay Wright 28–5 14–2 T–1st NCAA Elite Eight
2006–07 Jay Wright 22–11 9–7 7th NCAA First Round
2007–08 Jay Wright 22–13 9–9 T–8th NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2008–09 Jay Wright 30–8 13–5 4th NCAA Final Four
2009–10 Jay Wright 25–8 13–5 T–2nd NCAA Second Round
2010–11 Jay Wright 21–12 9–9 T–9th NCAA Second Round
2011–12 Jay Wright 13–19 5–13 T–13th
2012–13 Jay Wright 20–14 10–8 T–7th NCAA Second Round
Big East Conference (2013–present)
2013–14 Jay Wright 29–5 16–2 1st NCAA Third Round
2014–15 Jay Wright 33–3 16–2 1st NCAA Third Round
2015–16 Jay Wright 35–5 16–2 1st NCAA Champion
Jay Wright: 354–157 (.693) 162–96 (.628)
Total:

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Basketball Hall of Fame

Paul Arizin '50, inducted 1978.

Retired numbers and jerseys

Villanova honors outstanding former players, coaches, and others by retiring their numbers or jerseys. For those honored, a replica jersey is hung in the rafters of the Pavilion. Uniform numbers of retired jerseys remain in circulation, while retired numbers are no longer used. Paul Arizin's #11 is the only retired number. As of 2011, 19 have been honored with a retired number or jersey, including 14 players, four coaches, and longtime trainer Jake Nevin.[17]

The honorees include:

Villanova career records

Games Played
Rebounds Howard Porter – 1,325 rebounds
Assists Kenny Wilson – 627 assists
Steals Kerry Kittles – 277 steals
Blocks Jason Lawson – 375 blocks
Points Scored Kerry Kittles – 2,243 points

Villanovans in the NBA/ABA

Villanova's All-Time NBA/ABA roster

Members of professional championship teams

  • 1948 Baltimore Bullets (BBA) – Herman "Red" Klotz
  • 1956 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA) – Paul Arizin, Larry Hennessy
  • 1967 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) – Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni
  • 1974/1976 New Jersey Nets (ABA) – Bill Melchionni
  • 1981 Boston Celtics (NBA) – Chris Ford
  • 2000 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) – John Celestand

Villanova players currently in the NBA

Villanova records in the NBA

Games Played Rory Sparrow – 836 games
Minutes Played Paul Arizin – 24,897 minutes
Rebounds Jim Washington – 6,637 rebounds
Assists Rory Sparrow – 4,192 assists
Steals Chris Ford – 1,152 steals
Blocks Ed Pinckney – 435 blocks
Points Scored Paul Arizin – 16,266 points

Villanovans drafted

Rivals

Big East

Some Villanovans count Georgetown as their most intense rivalry, having played a historic NCAA Championship game and many competitive Big East Tournament and regular season games against the Hoyas. Other rivals from the Big East Conference include founding members of the original Big East—Providence (an eastern rivalry which predates the original Big East) and St. John's, plus Syracuse who left the Big East as part of its 2013 split ACC.

Big Five

Main article: Holy War (Villanova vs. St. Joe's)

Villanova along with Saint Joseph's University, La Salle University, Temple University, and University of Pennsylvania banded together to create the Philadelphia Big-5 in 1954–55. From that date until the mid-1970s all Big 5 games were contested at the Palestra (cap. 9,208) on Penn's campus. The Five competed in a round-robin City Series. Additionally, all participated in numerous doubleheaders against non-Big 5 opponents. Most games were televised locally on WPHL-TV, broadcast by Harry Kalas.

Villanova's bitterest Big 5 rival is Saint Joseph's University, in what has become known as the Holy War. See main article.

Traditions

Villanova basketball athletes traditionally remain enrolled four years, graduate, and go on to enjoy post-college success. Villanova has never had to fire a head basketball coach (men's or women's) for any reason. Villanova has won more NCAA tournament games as a lower seed than any school. Villanova won what has been called the greatest college basketball game ever played, defeating Georgetown 66–64 on April 1, 1985 to win the NCAA National Championship.

Songs

V for Villanova is the Wildcats' fight song. Other Villanova songs include March of the Wildcats.

Streamers

Villanova had a tradition of throwing paper streamers in the school colors of blue and white onto the basketball court at home games, particularly Big Five games, after the first Wildcat basket. This tradition was shared by other Big Five basketball teams, and at Big Five games, streamers were thrown by both teams following their team's first field goal. The tradition was stopped in the late 1980s after the NCAA declared that throwing streamers would result in a technical foul. Since then Villanova has restarted the tradition, throwing the streamers on the first basket of the new season during the blue and white scrimmage game during Hoopsmania.

Hoops Mania

Hoops Mania has been an annual tradition to celebrate the start of basketball season. It was originally held in the Jake Nevin Fieldhouse for students and has since grown larger after the success of the 2005–06 season. It is now open to the public and students.

Tony Yayo At Villanova Hoops Mania 06'

The 2006–07 Hoops Mania had special guest appearances by G-Unit performers 50 Cent and Tony Yayo.[citation needed] The 2008 Hoops Mania featured a performance by T-Pain, and in 2011 there was a guest appearance by Drake.[citation needed] Other performers have included Rick Ross in 2012, Nicki Minaj in 2013, Schoolboy Q in 2014, and Big Sean in 2015.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Villanova Athletics Identity Standards Guide and Apparel Specifications (PDF). February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  2. ^ 'The Perfect Game' – How 3 Core Players From '85 NCAA Title Team Decided To Attend Villanova Frank Fitzpatrick January 22, 2013
  3. ^ http://villanova.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/051007aaa.html
  4. ^ Fri8:00 PM ET (1987-04-22). "Dante Cunningham Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio – Minnesota Timberwolves – ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b "Cunningham and Fisher Honored by BIG EAST – Villanova University Official Athletic Site". Villanova.com. 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  6. ^ a b CBSSports.com wire reports. "NCAA College Basketball Recap – Villanova Wildcats at Louisville Cardinals – Mar 13, 2009". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  7. ^ Maaddi, Rob (2009-03-22). "'Nova reaches round of 16 with 89–69 win over UCLA". Usatoday.Com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  8. ^ Gardiner, Andy (2009-03-28). "Villanova vexes Duke, storms into Elite Eight with 77–54 romp". Usatoday.Com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  9. ^ "Villanova-Pittsburgh was one of the NCAA tourney's greatest games – Seth Davis – SI.com". Sports Illustrated. 2009-03-28. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  10. ^ Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan (2009-04-04). "Villanova Wildcats vs. North Carolina Tar Heels – NCAA Tournament Game – Recap – April 04, 2009 – ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Pedulla, Tom (2009-03-18). "Villanova's winningest class hopes seniority rules at Dance". Usatoday.Com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  12. ^ Ruiz, Steven. "Villanova-UNC was the best NCAA championship game ever".
  13. ^ a b Winn, Luke. "The Five Most Dominant Tournament Runs of the Analyics Era". SI.com.
  14. ^ Gasaway, John. "Best Offensive Performances". ESPN.
  15. ^ a b [1][dead link]
  16. ^ http://villanova.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031107aaa.html
  17. ^ http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/press-ford013006.html
  18. ^ "Richie Moore Past Stats, Playoff Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards". Basketballreference.com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  19. ^ http://www.nba.com/draft/2015/draftboard.html

External links

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