Villanova and Marquette tip off at the Pavilion on Tuesday. (Photo: Aaron Bracy)
By AARON BRACY
January 30, 2024
Big5Hoops.com
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova’s latest outing looked a lot like its season – wild swings between looking great and looking poor.
There was the start against No. 9 Marquette. The Wildcats did little right while falling behind by 11 consecutive points to start the contest, then eventually by as many as 20 in the first half.
Villanova couldn’t hit a shot, couldn’t grab a rebound, couldn’t buy a stop.
It was Drexel, St. Joe’s and Penn all over again.
The smattering of boos during pregame introductions for coach Kyle Neptune got as loud as I can remember for the Wildcats at the Pavilion during a timeout in the stretch.
It looked as if Villanova might lose by 50.
Then, somewhat shockingly, the Wildcats started cutting into the lead. A Mark Armstrong 3-pointer just before the first-half buzzer sent the Wildcats roaring into the locker room but still down eight.
They came out of the break with the same energy and same confidence.
There was an Armstrong 3 to start the second half, then a Tyler Burton 3. By the time Burton hit another 3 with 13:11 left, Villanova held a four-point advantage.
Really, what just happened?
Villanova was hitting every shot, grabbing every rebound and making every stop.
It was North Carolina, Texas Tech and at Creighton all over again.
The applause that had been building had seemingly gotten loud enough to blow the roof off the Pavilion.
It looked as if Villanova was going to win by double-digits.
Then, Marquette’s Tyler Kolek took over: a Kolek 3, then another Kolek 3, then a David Joplin 3, then another Kolek 3, then another Kolek 3, then Kolek assisted on Oso Ighordoar’s dunk.
Just like that, Villanova was down 9. Eventually, the lead got to 12. And, finally, it ended at five.
Final score: Marquette 85, Villanova 80.
That’s five straight losses for the Wildcats. They’re reeling. They’re now out of the NCAA tournament. Nova Nation is getting even more restless.
So, now what?
“We just have to get together as a unit and change it,” Neptune said. “It’s all the little things. Not just one thing. It’s literally everything.”
Marquette coach Shaka Smart has been there before.
“The only thing you can do is come closer together,” Smart said. “It’s the only way.”
There will be another game for the Wildcats, against Providence on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center. Then another, at Xavier on Feb. 7. Then another, versus Seton Hall on Feb. 11. More will follow.
The Wildcats will need to start faster, shoot better, rebound more and defend.
They will need to play for 40 minutes like they did in the middle stretch against Marquette.
They will need to look like the team that beat North Carolina, Texas Tech and at Creighton.
But with each passing game, with each passing loss, the question becomes this:
Can they?
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Aaron Bracy has been covering Philadelphia sports since 1996. His byline regularly appears on Associated Press stories. Big5Hoops.com is his second website dedicated to Philadelphia college basketball. Follow Bracy on X: @Aaron_Bracy and like his Facebook and Instagram pages.