# 2020–21 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team

The 2020–21 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team represented Villanova University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by head coach Jay Wright in his 20th year, the Wildcats played their home games at the Finneran Pavilion on the school's campus in the Philadelphia suburb of Villanova, Pennsylvania. However they did not play at Wells Fargo Center due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are members of the Big East Conference. They finished the season 18-7, 11-4 in Big East Play to finish as regular season champions. However, star guard Collin Gillespie suffered a season-ending MCL tear with a single game left in the regular season and were upset in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament by Georgetown. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament where they defeated Winthrop and North Texas, despite the loss of Gillespie and Justin Moore in the first round game, to advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they lost to the eventual champions Baylor.

## Previous season

The Wildcats finished the 2019–20 season 24–7, 13–5 in Big East play to finish tied for first place. As the No. 2 seed in the Big East tournament, they were slated to play DePaul in the quarterfinals, but the Tournament was cancelled at halftime of the first game of the quarterfinals due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the rest of the NCAA postseason.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Tim Saunders | 12 | G | 6'4" | 200 | Senior | Del Mar, CA | Graduated |
| Saddiq Bey | 41 | F | 6'8" | 216 | Sophomore | Largo, MD | Declared for the 2020 NBA draft; selected 19th overall by the Brooklyn Nets |

## Preseason

The Wildcats were picked to win the Big East Conference in the coaches' poll, receiving nine first-place votes and a total of 99 points. Collin Gillespie and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl were selected to the Preseason First Team All-Big East, while Justin Moore was selected to the Preseason Second Team All-Big East. Villanova was considered one of the favorites to win a national title after returning most of its roster from the previous season, and was ranked third in the preseason Associated Press poll.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season |||||||||
| November 25, 2020* 9:30 pm, ESPN | No. 3 | vs. Boston College 2K Empire Classic semifinal | W 76–67 | 1–0 | 18 – Robinson-Earl | 10 – Robinson-Earl | 7 – Gillespie | Mohegan Sun Arena (0) Uncasville, CT |
| November 26, 2020* 9:30 pm, ESPN | No. 3 | vs. No. 18 Arizona State 2K Empire Classic championship | W 83–74 | 2–0 | 28 – Robinson-Earl | 12 – Moore | 4 – Daniels | Mohegan Sun Arena (0) Uncasville, CT |
| November 28, 2020* 8:00 p.m., ESPNU | No. 3 | vs. Virginia Tech Hall of Fame Tip Off | L 73–81 $^{OT}$ | 2–1 | 25 – Gillespie | 9 – Robinson-Earl | 4 – Gillespie | Mohegan Sun Arena (0) Uncasville, CT |
| November 30, 2020* | | Saint Joseph's Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Finneran Pavilion Villanova, PA |
| December 1, 2020* 5:30 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 12 | vs. Hartford Bubbleville | W 87–53 | 3–1 | 15 – Moore | 10 – Tied | 5 – Moore | Mohegan Sun Arena (0) Uncasville, CT |
| December 3, 2020* | | Temple Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Finneran Pavilion Villanova, PA |
| December 6, 2020* 1:00 p.m., ESPN | No. 12 | at No. 17 Texas Big East/Big 12 Battle | W 68–64 | 4–1 | 19 – Tied | 12 – Samuels | 3 – Tied | Frank Erwin Center (2,506) Austin, TX |
| December 11, 2020 5:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 9 | at Georgetown | W 76–63 | 5–1 (1–0) | 18 – Tied | 8 – Moore | 6 – Tied | Capital One Arena (0) Washington, DC |
| December 14, 2020 7:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 7 | DePaul Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Finneran Pavilion Villanova, PA |
| December 16, 2020 7:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 7 | Butler | W 85–66 | 6–1 (2–0) | 18 – Tied | 6 – Samuels | 5 – Gillespie | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| December 19, 2020* 9:00 pm, FS1 | No. 7 | Saint Joseph's | W 88–68 | 7–1 | 25 – Robinson-Earl | 8 – Samuels | 6 – Robinson-Earl | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| December 23, 2020 7:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 5 | at Marquette | W 85–68 | 8–1 (3–0) | 22 – Gillespie | 7 – Robinson-Earl | 5 – Daniels | Fiserv Forum (0) Milwaukee, WI |
| January 2, 2021 2:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 4 | at Xavier Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Cintas Center Cincinnati, OH |
| January 5, 2021 7:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 3 | at DePaul Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Wintrust Arena Chicago, IL |
| January 8, 2021 9:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 3 | Marquette Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Finneran Pavilion Villanova, PA |
| January 13, 2021 6:30 p.m., FS1 | No. 3 | at Xavier Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Cintas Center Cincinnati, OH |
| January 15, 2021 9:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 3 | at No. 25 Connecticut Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Gampel Pavilion Storrs, CT |
| January 19, 2021 9:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 3 | Seton Hall | W 76–74 | 9–1 (4–0) | 22 – Gillespie | 9 – Samuels | 7 – Moore | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| January 23, 2021 2:30 p.m., FOX | No. 3 | Providence | W 71–56 | 10–1 (5–0) | 15 – Tied | 10 – Samuels | 6 – Gillespie | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| January 28, 2021 9:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 3 | at Connecticut Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Gampel Pavilion Storrs, CT |
| January 30, 2021 3:00 p.m., FOX | No. 3 | at Seton Hall | W 80–72 | 11–1 (6–0) | 23 – Robinson-Earl | 5 – Tied | 11 – Gillespie | Prudential Center (0) Newark, NJ |
| February 3, 2021 9:00 p.m., CBSSN | No. 3 | at St. John's | L 59–70 | 11–2 (6–1) | 16 – Daniels | 17 – Robinson-Earl | 6 – Gillespie | Carnesecca Arena (0) Queens, NY |
| February 7, 2021 2:30 p.m., FOX | No. 3 | Xavier Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Finneran Pavilion Villanova, PA |
| February 7, 2021 2:30 p.m., FOX | No. 3 | Georgetown | W 84–74 | 12–2 (7–1) | 32 – Samuels | 6 – Robinson-Earl/Samuels | 5 – 3 tied | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| February 9, 2021 9:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 5 | DePaul Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | | | | | | Finneran Pavilion Villanova, PA |
| February 10, 2021 9:00 p.m., FS1 | No. 5 | Marquette | W 96–64 | 13–2 (8–1) | 27 – Robinson-Earl | 11 – Gillespie | 3 – Tied | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| February 13, 2021 5:00 p.m., FOX | No. 5 | at No. 19 Creighton | L 70–86 | 13–3 (8–2) | 21 – Moore | 7 – Robinson-Earl | 3 – Tied | CHI Health Center Omaha (2,544) Omaha, NE |
| February 20, 2021 1:00 p.m., FOX | No. 10 | Connecticut | W 68–60 | 14–3 (9–2) | 20 – Gillespie | 11 – Robinson-Earl | 3 – Swider | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| February 23, 2021 8:00 p.m., CBSSN | No. 8 | St. John's | W 81–58 | 15–3 (10–2) | 17 – Daniels | 9 – Samuels | 5 – Gillespie | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| February 28, 2021 12:00 p.m., CBS | No. 8 | at Butler | L 61–73 | 15–4 (10–3) | 16 – Robinson-Earl | 16 – Robinson-Earl | 2 – Gillespie | Hinkle Fieldhouse (2,203) Indianapolis, IN |
| March 3, 2021 8:30 p.m., FS1 | No. 10 | No. 14 Creighton | W 72–60 | 16–4 (11–3) | 24 – Moore | 14 – Robinson-Earl | 7 – Samuels | Finneran Pavilion (0) Villanova, PA |
| March 6, 2021 2:30 p.m., FOX | No. 10 | at Providence | L 52–54 | 16–5 (11–4) | 21 – Samuels | 13 – Robinson-Earl | 2 – Arcidiacono | Alumni Hall (0) Providence, RI |
| Big East tournament |||||||||
| March 11, 2021 12:00 p.m., FS1 | (1) No. 14 | vs. (8) Georgetown Quarterfinals | L 71–72 | 16–6 | 26 – Robinson-Earl | 7 – Samuels | 4 – Samuels | Madison Square Garden (824) Manhattan, NY |
| NCAA tournament |||||||||
| March 19, 2021* 9:57 pm, TNT | (5 S) No. 18 | vs. (12 S) Winthrop First Round | W 73–63 | 17–6 | 22 – Robinson-Earl | 12 – Robinson-Earl | 5 – Robinson-Earl | Indiana Farmers Coliseum (873) Indianapolis, IN |
| March 21, 2021* 8:45 pm, TNT | (5 S) No. 18 | vs. (13 S) North Texas Second Round | W 84–61 | 18–6 | 18 – Robinson-Earl | 9 – Samuels | 6 – Robinson-Earl | Bankers Life Fieldhouse Indianapolis, IN |
| March 27, 2021* 5:15 pm, CBS | (5 S) No. 18 | vs. (1 S) No. 3 Baylor Sweet Sixteen | L 51–62 | 18–7 | 16 – Samuels | 12 – Robinson-Earl | 3 – Moore | Hinkle Fieldhouse Indianapolis, IN |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. |||||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
| AP | 3 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 18 | Not released |
| Coaches | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 17 | 11 |
^Coaches did not release a Week 1 poll.