City of Basketball Love

Stephen Pianovich (@SPianovich)
--

BROOKLYN – There are many reasons a win against Iowa and a long-awaited Sweet 16 berth would bring alleviation to the Villanova roster, coaching staff and fan base. But one would stick out more than others to Josh Hart.

“I think the biggest relief would be not having to answer questions (about it) anymore,” the junior forward said.

Well, Jenkins and his teammates still had to field those inquires on Saturday. About 24 hours later, the Wildcats would be answering questions again – either about finally making it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament or falling short yet again.

Second-seeded Villanova finds itself exactly where it has been in the last two seasons: Facing a lower seed in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats will play No. 7 Iowa at 12:10 p.m. on Sunday afternoon in the Barclays Center with a chance to exorcise their first weekend demons. It could also make people forget, at least for the short term, losses to Connecticut and NC State the last two years.

“We don’t want to think about it, but we’re forced to think about it,” Hart said of the Wildcats’ past second-round shortcomings. “But this is such a different team. Jalen (Brunson) is here for the first time, Mikal (Bridges) had to redshirt last year, Phil (Booth) is getting major minutes now. …We’re a totally different team than we were, so we’re not really talking about it too much.”

Hart is right in pointing out that this is a different-looking Villanova squad. The Wildcats’ senior duo of JayVaugn Pinkston and Darrun Hillard from a year ago scored 40 of their 68 points in their loss to eighth-seeded NC State. And each returning Villanova player who was on the floor in that contest – with the exception of Phil Booth – had a subpar outing.

Hart, Ryan Arcidiacono, Daniel Ochefu and Kris Jenkins – Villanova’s top four scorers this season – combined for just 13 points against the Wolfpack, shooting 4-of-22 (18.1 percent). A repeat performance would almost certainly spell another early exit against an Iowa side that was ranked as high as third in the AP poll this season.

The next Wildcats loss would also end the careers of Arcidiacono and Ochefu. And while the duo has been the faces of the winningest class in school history, they understand people are likely to remember what happens more in the Big Dance.

“We played in those games. We haven't come through in the second round of the tournament,” Arcidiacono said. “We've had some great success throughout the regular season and in the Big East Tournament the last couple of years. Hopefully, we can win (Sunday), but we're just excited to play. I can't really tell people how they should look at our senior class or myself in particular. They have the right to think of us how they want to.”

Added coach Jay Wright when he was asked if he thought it was fair that Sunday’s game could help define Ochefu and Arcidiacono’s time at Villanova:  I really don't think it's unfair. I just think it's sports.”

Arcidiacono will play in his 140th game at Villanova on Sunday, a school record. But 141 would mean much more to him and his teammates.

“They really carried the torch for Villanova basketball for the last four years,” Hart said of Arcidiacono and Ochefu. “They came in after that 13-19 year and brought Villanova basketball back in a sense – playing hard, hustling, diving on the floor. The game is not always pretty. They carried us through that year to where we are now. We definitely want to win for them.”

So in a tournament full of upsets, Villanova is trying to avoid becoming the next high seed to be sent packing. And the Wildcats may have more pressure from the outside than any other team in the second round.

All of the talking, questions and perception just makes players want that ball to tip.

“Everybody's been talking about this game for the whole year, even in the summertime before the season started,” Ochefu said. “So the fact that the game is here and we can finally just get it done. Hopefully, we'll get the win, and people will stop talking about it.”