Kevin Willard aims to revive Villanova basketball after Kyle Neptune flop
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Villanova (21-15, 11-9 Big East)
The Wildcats were a team to watch in the national championship mix as recently as 2022. Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright’s unexpected retirement opened the door for longtime assistant Kyle Neptune to take over. The Wildcats missed the NCAA Tournament in all three of Neptune’s seasons before he was fired and the school hired Maryland coach Kevin Willard. The 50-year-old Willard led Maryland to a 65-39 overall record in three seasons, with two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Players to watch
The most NBA-ready prospect is point guard Acaden Lewis. He originally committed to Kentucky before re-opening his recruitment on April 10. Lewis said he chose Villanova in May 2025 after considering Georgia, St. John’s and Miami because of his relationship to Willard and the new staff. He was the No. 31 recruit in the Class of 2025 by ESPN.com and the 2024 Washington, D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year.
Departures and arrivals
Willard said he hadn’t watched one second of game film last season because it didn’t matter. Tyler Perkins is the only returning player who scored a point last season. Villanova has eight transfers and three freshmen. Grand Canyon transfer Duke Brennan and James Madison transfer Bryce Lindsay are also expected to make an impact.
Top games
Willard and the Wildcats get tested out of the gate when they open in Las Vegas on Monday against No. 8 BYU, which will debut highly touted recruit A.J. Dybantsa. Willard makes his home debut on Nov. 8 against Queens University. Villanova and the other five Division I Philadelphia schools are in action on the Dec. 5 Big 5 Classic. The Wildcats play at No. 7 Michigan on Dec. 9 . Willard returns to his old Seton Hall stomping grounds for the first time since he left after 12 seasons. There’s another emotionally-charged game expected Feb. 7 when Maryland fans have said they would buy as many tickets as possible so they could boo Williard when the Wildcats play at Georgetown.
Facts and figures
The Wildcats were picked to finish seventh in the Big East for the second straight season. … The Wildcats haven’t won a tourney game since they beat Houston in the 2022 regional final. … Wright, who guided Villanova to titles in 2016 and 2018, quit his broadcasting job at CBS in part to focus on his as special assistant to the president at Villanova.
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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball