Villanova Wildcats
Overall Rank: #36
Conference Rank: #3 Big East
Villanova Team Page
In what was the final season of the classic Big East Conference, Villanova did its best to get to 20 victories. It was not easy, however, as the Wildcats suffered some disappointing losses toward the end of the season, split its two Big East tournament games and then fell in the NCAA tournament. How will the Wildcats fare in a revamped Big East without some familiar faces shooting the basketball? Villanova will have to turn to new talent in veteran coach Harry Perretta’s 36th season on the job.
2012-13 Record: 21-11, 9-7
2012-13 Postseason: NCAA (lost to Michigan in first round, 60-52)
Coach: Harry Perretta
Coach Record: 638-404 overall
Strengths:
Villanova played a clean game of basketball throughout the season, as its 10.5 turnovers per game ranked as the least in all of women’s Division I college basketball. The team’s assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.51 ranked second in the country, and its scoring defense of 52.5 points per game was 18th. On the offensive side of the ball Villanova accounted for just over eight 3-point goals per game and that was good for eighth in the country. The good news on the perimeter game is Lauren Burford’s return, as she was one of the team’s leaders in that category. Caroline Coyer is also back to help out in that statistic.
Weaknesses:
Laura Sweeney and Rachel Roberts, who accounted for close to 25 of Villanova’s 59 points per game last season, have graduated, and that leaves a void on the offense that needs to be filled in a hurry. Roberts was also the team’s leading 3-point shooter, so that absence must be filled quickly. The good news is the next five leading scorers all return, so that should help everyone slide up the depth chart. The team also needs to shore up its rebounding; Sweeney and Megan Pearson, who had about one-third of the rebounding, are gone.
Final Projection:
It will be a rough go at first as the team adjusts to life without Sweeney and Roberts, not to mention what happens with the new Big East schedule and what it will do to Villanova’s chances for success. The team recruited three freshmen, all over six feet tall, and stuck close to its traditional Pennsylvania and New Jersey routes to find new talent. Time will tell if the strategy is a success, but there is a reason Perretta is one of the more respected coaches in the country. He gets the job done, and it’s likely Villanova will have another 20 wins before all is said and done.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
Projected Starting Five:
Lauren Burford, Junior, Forward, 40 percent from 3-point range
Taylor Holeman, Junior, Forward, 43 percent shooting from field
Caroline Coyer, Sophomore, Guard, 7.4 points per game
Devon Kane, Senior, Guard, 6.5 points per game
Emily Leer, Junior, Forward/Center, 25 blocked shots
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 59.3 (230th in nation, 11th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 52.5 (18, 2)
Field-Goal Percentage: 39.5 (131, 9)
Field-Goal Defense: 36.9 (73, 5)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 8.2 (8, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 32.8 (70, 4)
Free-Throw Percentage: 69.0 (166, 8)
Rebound Margin: -4.0 (281, 14)
Assists Per Game: 15.9 (21, 4)
Turnovers Per Game: 10.5 (1, 1)
Madness 2013 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#70 Megan Quinn
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