Let’s Break It Down: Villanova Picked Third In Big East Preseason Poll

Villanova had a busy offseason in hopes of returning near the top of the Big East.

As we prepare to head into the regular season, that is the expectation — and the polls agree.

Last week, Villanova was picked third in the Big East preseason poll. The Wildcats were picked behind only UConn and St. John’s. They did not receive a first-place vote while Marquette received one.

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Villanova hit multiple home runs this offseason in hopes of closing the gap between the top two teams. It began with bringing in forward Kwame Evans Jr., adding size to the frontcourt. Devin Royal and Elijah Crawford eventually committed as well and are expected to be part of the starting lineup.

The final piece came when Luigi Suigo pulled his name out of the NBA Draft and decided to come to Villanova. Suigo, who is now projected to be a lottery pick in 2027, solidifies the frontcourt at 7-foot-3 with the 6-foot-10 Evans.

The roster returned just two players from last season. Tyler Perkins was named First Team All-Conference preseason and Matt Hodge continues to work his way back from a torn ACL.

Is This The Right Spot?

It feels like it.

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Villanova took major steps forward under head coach Kevin Willard in his first year on the sideline. The team went 15-5 in the conference and finished third with a roster that, on paper, is not as talented as the one coming this season.

The full rankings are as follows:

Both UConn and St. John’s enter the season off incredible campaigns with expectations of making runs to the Final Four. Villanova should be looked at as a second-weekend team but still have a lot to prove before taken seriously as a contender. With that being said, the talent is there on the roster to return to the top three in the conference and compete deep into the postseason.

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/let-break-down-villanova-picked-163015516.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-05 16:30:00

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