Villanova Wildcats
Record: 32-2, 16-2 Big East
Head coach: Jay Wright (14th season)
Season summary: Villanova is the most talented team that nobody seems to care about. The Wildcats don't have a Jahlil Okafor or a Frank Kaminsky, but the Wildcats do have co-Big East Player of the Year Ryan Arcidiacono. Sure, his numbers don't jump off the page—the guard averages 10.2 points and 3.5 assists per game—but the junior has been the heart and soul of this Wildcat team. Jay Wright's bunch is led by Darrun Hilliard II and his 14.0 points per game, and gets solid contributions from nearly everyone else getting major minutes—Dylan Ennis, Josh Hart, JayVaughn Pinkston and Daniel Ochefu.
For those who like to cry about strength of schedule: Although it's true that Villanova doesn't play in the ACC or the Big 12, the Wildcats do have wins against Virginia Commonwealth, Georgetown, Butler (twice), St. John's (twice), Xavier (three times) and Providence (three times), all of whom are tournament teams. Villanova hasn't lost since Jan. 19 and is sure to be a handful for any team in its path.
How they make a run: The unselfish style of play works to perfection and Hart continues to be a difference-maker off the bench, propelling Villanova to easy wins like the one it had in the Big East championship game against Xavier.
How they falter: Without a true No. 1 scoring option, the Wildcats fail to get timely hoops and come up short against the top talent in the country.
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