Run Up To March Madness: The Villanova Wildcats
By Jamie Light
Are you ready for March Madness? The Villanova Wildcats are predicted to be in the Sweet Sixteen. Here’s how their run has been up to March Madness…
This years March Madness starts with Selection Sunday falling on March 12th. The Villanova Wildcats are out of the Big East Conference, and are the defending National Champions. They have had an awesome season again this year, with a record of 29-3. In fact, they are already predicated as being one of the teams to make it in the Sweet Sixteen. The Wildcats have a chance at winning back-to-back championships, which hasn’t happened since the Florida Gators did it in 2006-2007.
Last years win couldn’t have been any more thrilling, with Kris Jenkins making a last minute 3-point shot to seal the deal! Another key component for Villanova, is that they still have the majority of last year’s team intact, and Jenkins has been on it! In their most recent game he scored 24 points, which was following close behind Donte DiVincenzo.
Better yet, the entire team has already been making their presence known with a sweeping win against St. John’s Red Storm on March 9th, clinching the Big East Conference Quarter Finals. ESPN reported that…
"The second-ranked and top-seeded Wildcats shot 63.2 percent (36 for 57) and committed just five turnovers in a record-setting 108-67 victory Thursday over St. John’s in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals."
The Wildcats played a near-perfect game, while setting a record by tying a 41-point margin in their 108-67 win. No team has won by such a margin, since Boston did it in 1999. Next they plowed right through the Seton Hall Pirates, and finally clinched their seed for thee NCAA tournament against the Creighton Bluejays!
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The Villanova Wildcats most certainly appear to be a team to keep tabs on in the upcoming weeks of March Madness. Their first match up will be AGAINST THE Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers, on Thursday, March 16th, at 7:10 pm. The game will air on CBS.