# 1987–88 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team

The 1987–88 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team represented Villanova University in the 1987–88 season. The head coach was Rollie Massimino. The team played its home games at The Pavilion in Villanova, Pennsylvania, and was a member of the Big East Conference.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| November 27, 1987* | | vs. Nebraska Hawaiian Airlines Maui Classic Quarterfinal | W 70–53 | 1–0 | Lahania Civic Center (1,200) Lahaina, Hawaii |
| November 28, 1987* | | vs. Illinois Hawaiian Airlines Maui Classic Semifinal | W 78–76 | 2–0 | Lahania Civic Center (1,200) Lahaina, Hawaii |
| November 29, 1987* | | vs. No. 11 Iowa Hawaiian Airlines Maui Classic Championship | L 74–97 | 2–1 | Lahania Civic Center (3,200) Lahaina, Hawaii |
| December 2, 1987* PRISM | | Penn Big 5 | W 84–55 | 3–1 | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,222) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| December 6, 1987* | | California | W 65–50 | 4–1 | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| Big East Conference regular season ||||||
| December 8, 1987 Big East TV | | Connecticut | W 63–61 | 5–1 (1–0) | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| December 12, 1987* PRISM | | St. Joseph's Big 5 | L 52–53 | 5–2 | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| December 18, 1987* PRISM | | at La Salle Big 5/Jostens Philadelphia Classic Semifinal | W 83–80 | 6–2 | The Palestra (8,144) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| December 19, 1987* | | vs. Wake Forest Jostens Philadelphia Classic Championship | W 83–70 | 7–2 | The Palestra (5,114) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| December 29, 1987* | | vs. Auburn Cotton State Kiwanis Classic Semifinal | L 64–65 | 7–3 | The Omni (11,033) Atlanta, Georgia |
| December 30, 1987* | | vs. William & Mary Cotton State Kiwanis Classic Consolation | W 76–57 | 8–3 | The Omni (13,111) Atlanta, Georgia |
| January 2, 1988* | | Virginia | W 63–54 | 9–3 | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| Big East Conference regular season ||||||
| January 4, 1988 ESPN | | at St. John's | W 69–62 | 10–3 (2–0) | Alumni Hall (6,008) Jamaica, New York |
| January 9, 1988 Big East TV | | Boston College | W 66–54 | 11–3 (3–0) | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| January 11, 1988 ESPN | | No. 7 Syracuse | W 80–78 | 12–3 (4–0) | The Spectrum (16,284) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| January 16, 1988 Big East TV | | at No. 6 Pittsburgh | L 73–85 | 12–4 (4–1) | Fitzgerald Field House (6,798) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| January 20, 1988 Big East TV | | at Connecticut | W 69–58 | 13–4 (5–1) | Hartford Civic Center (13,077) Hartford, Connecticut |
| January 23, 1988 Big East TV | | Seton Hall | W 69–63 | 14–4 (6–1) | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| January 27, 1988 ESPN | No. 19 | St. John's | L 55–60 | 14–5 (6–2) | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| January 30, 1988 Big East TV | | Providence | L 76–82 | 14–6 (6–3) | Providence Civic Center (13,041) Providence, Rhode Island |
| February 1, 1988 ESPN | | No. 15 Georgetown | W 64–58 | 15–6 (7–3) | The Spectrum (18,059) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| February 6, 1988 Big East TV | | at Boston College | W 66–54 | 16–6 (8–3) | Boston Garden (7,427) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| February 10, 1988* PRISM | No. 20 | at No. 1 Temple Big 5 | L 86–98 | 16–7 | McGonigle Hall (4,500) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Big East Conference regular season ||||||
| February 13, 1988 Big East TV | No. 20 | No. 5 Pittsburgh | L 75–87 | 16–8 (8–4) | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| February 15, 1988 ESPN | | at Georgetown | L 54–56 | 16–9 (6–5) | Capital Centre (11,816) Landover, Maryland |
| February 20, 1988 Big East TV | | Providence | W 96–68 | 17–9 (9–5) | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| February 22, 1988* | | Drexel City 6 | W 90–73 | 18–9 | John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion (6,500) Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| Big East Conference regular season ||||||
| February 27, 1988 Big East TV | | at Seton Hall | L 58–84 | 18–10 (9–6) | Meadowlands Arena (13,101) East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| March 1, 1988 Big East TV | | at No. 12 Syracuse | L 69–71 | 18–11 (9–7) | Carrier Dome (30,139) Syracuse, New York |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| March 3, 1988* | | at Vermont | W 92–62 | 19–11 | Patrick Gym (1,893) Burlington, Vermont |
| Big East tournament ||||||
| March 11, 1988* Big East TV | (4) | vs. (5) St. John's Big East tournament Quarterfinal | W 71–68 | 20–11 | Madison Square Garden (19,591) New York City, New York |
| March 12, 1988* Big East TV | (4) | vs. (1) No. 5 Pittsburgh Big East tournament Semifinal | W 72–69 | 21–11 | Madison Square Garden (19,591) New York City, New York |
| March 13, 1988* CBS | (4) | vs. (2) No. 13 Syracuse Big East tournament championship | L 68–85 | 21–12 | Madison Square Garden (19,591) New York City, New York |
| NCAA tournament ||||||
| March 18, 1988* ESPN NCAA Productions | (6 SE) | vs. (11 SE) Arkansas NCAA tournament first round | W 82–74 | 22–12 | Riverfront Coliseum (16,562) Cincinnati, Ohio |
| March 20, 1988* CBS | (6 SE) | vs. (3 SE) No. 16 Illinois NCAA tournament second round | W 66–63 | 23–12 | Riverfront Coliseum (16,562) Cincinnati, Ohio |
| March 24, 1988* CBS | (6 SE) | vs. (2 SE) No. 6 Kentucky NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen | W 80–74 | 24–12 | BJCC Coliseum (16,816) Birmingham, Alabama |
| March 26, 1988* CBS | (6 SE) | vs. (1 SE) No. 4 Oklahoma NCAA Tournament Elite Eight | L 59–78 | 24–13 | BJCC Coliseum (16,816) Birmingham, Alabama |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. SE=Southeast. ||||||

## Awards and honors

* Doug West, 2nd Team All-Big East
* Doug West, 1st Team All-Big East tournament
* Doug West, NCAA Tournament All-Southeast Region
* Mark Plansky, 3rd Team All-Big East
* Mark Plansky, 1st Team All-Big East tournament
* Tom Greis, 3rd Team All-Big East
* Kenny Wilson, NCAA Tournament All-Southeast Region
* Gary Massey, Big East Defensive Player of the Year

## Team players drafted into the NBA

| Year | Round | Pick | Player | NBA Club |
| 1989 | 2 | 38 | Doug West | Minnesota Timberwolves |