Villanova's Saddiq Bey Announces He Will Test 2020 NBA Draft Waters
Apr 7, 2020
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 08: Saddiq Bey #41 of the Villanova Wildcats in action against the Seton Hall Pirates during a college basketball game at Wells Fargo Center on February 8, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Seton Hall defeated Villanova 70-64. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Villanova sophomore forward Saddiq Bey is planning to test the 2020 NBA draft waters, though he appears to be leaving the door open to returning to school.
"I will definitely be trying to test the waters," Bey said Tuesday, per Fox College Hoops' John Fanta. "We just have to wait and see how it unfolds. It's uncharted territory."
Bey averaged 16.1 points on 47.7 percent shooting and 4.7 rebounds for the Wildcats, who finished the season with a 24-7 record.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman's post-NBA trade deadline mock draft on March 19 listed Bey at 17th overall to the Brooklyn Nets.
Wasserman provided the following write-up on Bey in his latest mock: "The Celtics could target Bey for his potential to immediately add three-point shooting (45.1 percent). Though not the flashiest athlete, his ball-handling, passing and jump shot consistently pop for a 6'8", 215-pound forward."
Bey could be on track for a bright NBA future after a solid showing at Villanova. As Wasserman noted, his three-point shooting percentage at his height should be enticing for teams that want to stretch the floor in a pace-and-space league that stretches farther away from the paint year over year.
Jalen Brunson Trolls Justin Jackson During UNC-Villanova NCAA Title Game Replay
Mar 22, 2020
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 08: Jalen Brunson #13 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter during their game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on February 08, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
The men's Division I NCAA tournament was canceled earlier this month in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn't stopped social media conversation about previous tournaments.
CBS replayed the North Carolina Tar Heels-Villanova Wildcats 2016 title game on Sunday, which Villanova won 77-74 on a last-second three-pointer by Kris Jenkins. Nova alum Jalen Brunson tried calling former Tar Heel Justin Jackson to let him know their matchup was on:
Well my friend won’t answer trying to tell him about this game that’s on. Pretty good hope he’s already watching 😅 pic.twitter.com/G7pvJXXnZF
Brunson and Jackson are now teammates for the Dallas Mavericks. The two went back-and-forth on Twitter when CBS announced it would re-air the 2016 championship on Friday:
Villanova went on to beat Michigan 79-62 in the 2018 national title game. Brunson was also a part of that squad, winning the Wooden Award before the Mavs drafted him in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft.
No. 9 Villanova Beats No. 13 Butler 76-61 to Hand Bulldogs 3rd Straight Loss
Jan 21, 2020
Villanova forward Saddiq Bey (41) moves around Butler forward Bryce Nze (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, in Villanova, Pa. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)
No. 13 Butler dropped its third straight game Tuesday night in Philadelphia with No. 9 Villanova picking up a 76-61 victory in a matchup of two of the Big East's top contenders.
A week ago, the Bulldogs were the No. 5 team in the country—the highest-ever in-season ranking for the program—with a star in Kamar Baldwin seemingly capable of carrying the team through March. How quickly fortunes change this college basketball season.
Following a home loss to Seton Hall and a road loss to DePaul, the Bulldogs dropped rapidly in the rankings, setting up as much of a must-win as a team can have in January.
The loss moves Butler to 15-4 (3-3 Big East) and three games back of Seton Hall for the conference lead.
Meanwhile, Villanova (15-3, 5-1 Big East) continues to roll following a setback on the road against Marquette to start January. The Wildcats have now won five in a row and are just a game back of Seton Hall—a team Villanova will still have to face twice before the season ends.
After dropping marquee matchups to then-No. 16 Ohio State, No. 24 Baylor and Marquette, the victory gives Nova a resume-building win to go along with its takedown of then-No. 1 Kansas in December. It's just the second victory against a ranked team this season for the Wildcats.
Kamar Baldwin, G, Bulldogs: 21 points, two rebounds
Bryce Nze, F, Bulldogs: 11 points, 12 rebounds, five assists
Baldwin's 2nd Half Not Enough
Kamar Baldwin connected on just two of nine field-goal attempts in a first half that ended with the Bulldogs facing a 10-point deficit. The solution to getting his game back on track was a simple one: shoot more.
Baldwin put it on himself to will Butler back into the game, even knowing he'd face a double-team off the dribble. The senior guard went 7-of-12 in the second half and brought his team within four points of the lead after sparking a 19-6 run with 11 minutes to play.
It was quite a gutsy comeback after Nova had its own 7-0 run to start the half. It was also a wasted effort. Without Baldwin able to get much support on offense, there was little else the Bulldogs could do.
Starting forward Sean McDermott played 22 minutes and tallied just two points on 11 shots.
Of course it hurt that Butler's players were having trouble staying on the court. Both Aaron Thompson (five points) and Christian David (zero points) were hobbled by injuries throughout the game. David wouldn't be able to return after hurting his left knee early in the first half. Thompson wasn't the same after landing on his hip late in the second half.
Scoring had already been a concern for the Bulldogs before Tuesday. The team has seen its points per game drop in each of its three straight losses.
Baldwin can do a lot on his own, but Butler can't succeed without manufacturing some help for him.
LaVall Jordan calls timeout after Villanova's 8-0 run. 11:33 left in half: Nova 10, #Butler 8.
As stated earlier, Bulldogs did not take advantage of Nova's 1-of-11 shooting start. Butler has had some open looks and missed them. McDermott 0-of-4
Villanova landed forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl over the likes of Arizona, Kansas and North Carolina. It didn't take long Tuesday to figure out why he was so highly coveted. The freshman was extremely efficient, scoring on five of seven field goals while tallying 12 points and 14 assists.
It would've been easy to key on him had it not been for forward Saddiq Bey stretching the floor. Without Bey, Butler's comeback would've been a lot closer down the stretch.
Just before the Bulldogs went on a 19-6 run, Bey pulled off a 7-0 run in 50 seconds by himself—partially thanks to Butler fouling him on a three-point shot (Bey was 4-of-6 from three on the night). That gave Villanova an insurmountable 17-point lead. Bey's 37 minutes were the most of any Wildcat as head coach Jay Wright was unable to risk taking him off the floor for too long.
That much was clear from the opening tipoff as Nova went 1-of-11 from the field while Butler took an eight-point lead. Any more slip-ups would cost Villanova more than it could handle. As much as the Bulldogs fought back, there was simply no overcoming the early punch they took in the second half.
What's Next?
Villanova's schedule takes a small dip with a two-game road trip to Providence and St. John's beginning Saturday. The Wildcats will need to make the most of those two matchups with games against Creighton, Butler and Seton Hall all on the horizon.
Before its rematch with Nova, Butler will host Marquette at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday and then take on Georgetown and Providence as the team preps for the Wildcats to come to town and finishes out the home-and-home series.
Villanova's Jay Wright Named AP Men's Coach of Decade After 2 National Titles
Jan 3, 2020
Villanova's Jay Wright coaches during an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Two national championships in a span of three years helped Villanova coach Jay Wright earn the title of Associated Press men's college basketball coach of the decade, per the AP's John Marshall.
Wright earned 16 of 24 votes to earn the honor ahead of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski who collected five. The only other coaches with votes were Mark Few of Gonzaga, John Calipari of Kentucky and Tony Bennett of Virginia.
Krzyzewski also won two titles this decade in 2010 and 2015. The only other program with multiple titles was Connecticut, although one team was led by Jim Calhoun and the other had Kevin Ollie at the helm.
Still, Wright has turned Villanova into one of the most consistent programs in the country with five regular-season Big East titles and four conference tournament championships in the last six years. The squad has been a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in March Madness in five of those seasons.
After a few years of early exits in the NCAA tournament, he finally broke through with a pair of championships in 2016 and 2018, including a thrilling 2016 win over North Carolina.
"Jay Wright's resume speaks for itself with two national titles in the 2010s," ESPN analyst Dick Vitale said of his vote. "He has developed a consistent winner and has enjoyed success on and off the court. He has a special winner's mentality."
With four Big East Coach of the Year awards this decade along with the pari of national titles, Wright was a clear pick as the top coach in the 2010s.
Villanova's Saddiq Bey (41) goes up for a dunk past Kansas's Ochai Agbaji (30) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Another week, and another No. 1 team has gone down.
No. 18 Villanova became the latest college basketball team to pull off the upset, earning a 56-55 win Saturday over No. 1 Kansas. Just seven weeks into the 2019-20 season, five different top-ranked teams have lost games.
Another No. 1 goes down as No. 18 Villanova tops Kansas 56-55.
It's already the fifth time this year an AP No. 1 has lost, the most before January in AP Poll history.
Jermaine Samuels: 15 points, including go-ahead three-pointer with 20 seconds left. pic.twitter.com/CCV9w0tgO7
Devon Dotson then had several chances to give Kansas the lead, but he missed a key free throw and then a layup in the closing seconds. The guard scored 15 for Kansas (9-2), which suffered its first loss since opening night against Duke.
Samuels was the key factor for Villanova (9-2), scoring 12 of his 15 points in the second half in front of the home crowd at the Wells Fargo Center.
Notable Stats
Devon Dotson, G, Kansas: 15 points, seven rebounds, four assists
Udoka Azubuike, C, Kansas: 12 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks
Saddiq Bey, G, Villanova: Seven points, seven rebounds, five assists
Jermaine Samuels, G, Villanova: 15 points, five rebounds
Balanced Attack Helps Villanova Survive Win
It was an ugly shooting game from both sides early on, and the score sat at 23-23 at halftime.
All tied at the half. Like the first half never happened which, considering the shooting 🤢, I'd be OK with.
The outside shooting was miserable, but six different players hit threes, and they all seemed to come at important times.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Samuels had big stretches during the second half, while Collin Gillespie helped despite shooting only 2-of-10 from three-point range.
Saddiq Bey was also all over the court without getting his usual scoring numbers.
I haven’t watched a lot of Villanova this year, but why is Saddiq Bey not considered an automatic first-round pick? Dude is 6-8 and long with guard skills, court vision and he’s shooting 54.1-44.4-84.4 splits.
Even in a game where the shot isn’t falling, I really love what Saddiq Bey is doing on the floor. Five assists, bunch of rebounds, smart defense. He’s gone way underrated this year
It was enough to pull out a hard-fought win against one of the best teams in the nation.
Offense Can't Match Defense for Kansas
As has often been the case this year, Kansas' defense fueled it against Villanova.
The Wildcats entered the day No. 3 in the country in offensive efficiency, perKenPom, but the Jayhawks held them to 34.9 percent shooting overall and 24.4 percent (10-of-41) from three-point range.
However, they couldn't muster enough offense to stay in front of the Wildcats.
Junior guard Marcus Garrett suffered a leg injury in the first half and was ruled out by halftime, perAndy Katzof Turner Sports.
While he averages fewer than 10 points per game, this was a significant loss for the Jayhawks:
.@KUHoops has a lot of firepower but Marcus Garrett is the most underrated third best player on a team in the country. Hope this is not a serious injury.
KU is 31.8 points per 100 possessions better with Marcus Garrett on the floor coming into today, per hooplens. That's tied for the best on the team with Udoka. Does so many things to make KU better. https://t.co/fAySgiI3SC
Kansas missed his shooting and finished 3-of-13 from three-point range.
In Garrett's absence, depth became a glaring problem for the Jayhawks.
Dotson and Udoka Azubuike had strong performances with a combined 27 points, and Ochai Agbaji added 11, but the team scored its final point with 1:49 remaining.
Combined with its 4-of-10 shooting from the free-throw line, Kansas left town with a missed opportunity.
What's Next?
Villanova will get more than a week off before beginning conference play with a home game against Xavier on Dec. 30. Kansas will go on the other side of the country for a tough road game against Stanford on Dec. 29.
Former 5-Star Recruit Jahvon Quinerly to Transfer from Villanova After 1 Season
Apr 3, 2019
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 17: Jahvon Quinerly #1 of the Villanova Wildcats dribbles the ball against the St. John's Red Storm at Madison Square Garden on February 17, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images)
Villanova men's basketball coach Jay Wrightannounced Wednesday that guard Jahvon Quinerly is going to leave the Wildcats after one season.
"We had a very candid meeting, and Jahvon has decided to transfer to another program," Wright said. "We'll miss Jahvon. He's been an outstanding teammate and was an integral part of our success last season. We wish him the best as he approaches the next step in his basketball career."
Quinerly was a 5-star prospect and the No. 29 overall recruit when he committed to Nova as part of its 2018 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He played a limited role as a freshman, though.
Pittsburgh will be strongly in the mix for @NovaMBB transfer Jahvon Quinerly, per sources.
The 20-year-old New Jersey native averaged just 9.1 minutes across 25 appearances for the Wildcats. The 6'1", 175-pound guard put up 3.2 points, 0.9 assists and 0.8 rebounds per game while shooting 33.7 percent from the field.
His last appearance came March 2 in a 75-54 victory over the Butler Bulldogs. He didn't play in the Big East or NCAA tournaments.
After generating headlines in December for an Instagram post with the caption of "Was my 2nd choice for a reason," he said in January he wasn't considering a transfer, per Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Daily News:
"I want to say I didn't understand why I [wasn't] playing at first. That's why it was so hard. I thought preseason went well so … I was kind of like, how can I say it? I was blindsided that I wasn't playing. That's how I'll put it.
"It was definitely hard, but I'm never the type to give up on something. All the rumors about 'he's going to transfer' and all that, that was never really the case. I was never the type to quit on something, so I just knew that this was the situation I'm in, this is the school I chose, this was the school that me and my family knew was comfortable for me, so I've just got to keep fighting through this."
Quinerly first committed to the Arizona Wildcats in August 2017. Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com reported the guard reopened his recruitment after an FBI investigation discovered evidence former Zona assistant Emanuel "Book" Richardson provided him with impermissible benefits.
He went on to choose Villanova over the Oklahoma Sooners.
Now Quinerly will enter the NCAA transfer portal with the hope of finding a program where he'll have a more consistent chance to showcase his potential.
No. 6 Villanova Avoids No. 11 Saint Mary's Upset, Advances at NCAA Tournament
Mar 21, 2019
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 21: Jermaine Samuels #23 of the Villanova Wildcats goes up for a dunk in the second half against the Saint Mary's Gaels during the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 21, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The sixth-seeded Villanova Wildcats' title defense remains on course after the defending champions defeated the 11th-seeded Saint Mary's Gaels 61-57 on Thursday in the opening round of the 2019 NCAA men's basketball tournament in Hartford, Connecticut.
Phil Booth finished with 20 points and six assists in the win, while Eric Paschall chipped in with 14 points and six rebounds.
Jordan Ford and Malik Fitts—36.6 combined points per game—were big reasons for Saint Mary's regular-season success and West Coast Conference tournament title. Together they had 26 points on 11-of-28 shooting for the Gaels.
Wildcats Can Make Tourney Run Behind Stingy Defense, Controlled Pace
Last year, Villanovaled the nationin scoring, averaging 87.1 points per game, and sat first in adjusted offense onKenPom.com. The Wildcats offense has taken a step backward this season, which isn't all that surprising for a team that lost Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Omari Spellman and Donte DiVincenzo.
Pls the @NovaMBB team playing now r NOT DEFENDING CHAMPS / that 2018 had 4 PTPers go to the @NBA@VUCoachJWright in a battle vs @WCCsports tourney champs @StMarysU Wildcats trying to save day for @BIGEASTMBB up 4 with 3:40 left !
Villanova entered the tournament16thin adjusted offense and averaging 74.5 points per game. Not coincidentally, the Wildcats also dropped from150thto333rdin adjusted tempo.
Although it's not a lot of fun to watch, winning ugly should be Jay Wright's blueprint over the remainder of the Big Dance.
Saint Mary's shot 41.8 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. Villanova, on the other hand, shot an efficient 49.0 percent and went 8-of-20 (40 percent) from the perimeter.
The Wildcats looked a bit sluggish in the first half and trailed 30-28. They were a different team in the second half, especially down the stretch. Every time Saint Mary's looked like it was starting to build momentum, Villanova got a critical bucket.
Jordan Hunter scored to bring the Gaels to within six points, 50-44, with 6:48 left in the game, and Tommy Kuhse followed up with a three-pointer to make it a three-point game at the 6:00 mark. Villanova held Saint Mary's to two points over the next four minutes, during which time its lead grew to eight points, 57-49.
Beyond that, the Wildcats showed the poise of a team in which most of the roster experienced the disappointment of a second-round exit in 2017 and then the euphoria of a national championship in 2018. They committed only seven turnovers and seven personal fouls.
Not long ago, Villanova & Jay Wright were known for early March flame outs. Now, we expect the Wildcats to win, and then the Wildcats win.
Booth and Paschall in particular were unflappable, which is exactly what Wright will have wanted to see from two of his seniors.
The deeper Villanova gets into the tournament, the more its lack of elite talent will be a problem. The Wildcats are less than two weeks removed from a 79-75 defeat to Seton Hall, their fourth in six games to wrap up the regular season.
At this point, though, nobody should bet against Wright to get the most out of his players and grind out hard-earned wins.
What's Next?
Villanova will meet the winner of No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 14 Old Dominion. The Monarchs reached the Big Dance after winning the Conference USA tournament, while the Boilermakers may still be smarting from their upset loss at the hands of Minnesota in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
Villanova Beats Seton Hall 74-72 to Win 3rd Straight Big East Tournament Title
Mar 16, 2019
Villanova's Collin Gillespie, left, Phil Booth, and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree celebrate after defeating Seton Hall 74-72 in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Big East Conference tournament, Saturday, March 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
The top-seeded Villanova Wildcats notched a three-peat by beating the Seton Hall Pirates 74-72 for the Big East tournament championship on Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden.
The Wildcats also won the conference regular-season title for the fifth time in six seasons under head coach Jay Wright.
On Saturday, both offenses started poorly as Villanova led 28-26 at halftime on just 37 percent shooting from the field. The second half saw both teams get into more of an offensive rhythm. As soon as it felt like one team was in control, the other team would make a run.
That led to a frantic pace of play and players on both sides getting chippy. Down the stretch, just about every basket on one end of the court was answered at the other. Ultimately, Seton Hall couldn't capitalize when it counted most.
Senior forward Eric Paschall missed one of his two free throws with 14 seconds left, leaving Villanova's lead at 74-72, and that's how the game would end despite Seton Hall having two chances to tie it up or take the lead.
Seton Hall junior guard Myles Powell led all scorers with 25 points. Paschall led the way for the Wildcats with 17 points,while both senior guard Phil Booth and freshman forward Saddiq Bey had 16 points. Booth scored 15 of his 16 points in the second half.
Despite Inconsistencies, Villanova Can't Be Overlooked in March
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 15: Eric Paschall #4 and Phil Booth #5 of the Villanova Wildcats celebrate in the final minutes of the game against the Xavier Musketeers during the semifinal round of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 1
Villanova struggled immensely to close this one out—mirroring a shaky overtime win over Xavier in the semifinals on Friday. Seton Hall had two chances to win the game in the final five seconds of regulation, and if Powell's game-winning three-point attempt had rimmed in instead of out, this would likely be an entirely different narrative.
The way Villanova's win over Seton Hall unfolded showed how the Wildcats can turn a Big East tournament three-peat into their third national championship in four seasons.At the same time, it showcased their season-long inconsistencies down the stretch.
Beyond the box score, Booth was the catalyst for Villanova as he has been all season. Sunday's final marked Booth's 146th game for Villanova, whichtiednow-Los Angeles Lakers guard Josh Hart (2013-17) for the school record.
Paschall kept the Wildcats' heads above water in the first half, and once Booth found his footing in the second half, their one-two punch proved why this particular Wright squad can't be ignored in the NCAA tournament.
lead·er /ˈlēdər/ noun 1. the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country. synonyms: Phil Booth, Eric Paschall (cc: @NovaMBB) pic.twitter.com/I77d63VaHj
After winning the 2018 NCAA tournament, Villanova lost Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman to the NBA.
"Among the top four players of each champion since 2006, when the one-and-done began, Villanova's departed quartet leave the greatest offensive hole for a reigning champion,"Daniel Levittof FiveThirtyEight pointed out in November.
Despite the departures, this group has faced lofty expectations all season and hasn't always lived up to them.
Last season, perKenPom.com, Villanova ranked first in adjusted offensive efficiency. That ranking has dropped to16ththis season. It's the first time Wright's Wildcats have been outside of the top five in the category since 2014.
Booth and Paschall's senior presence gives Villanova a chance to cut down the nets anyway. However, the fact that Booth and Paschall alone shoulder so much of Villanova's title potential—especially when compared to teams such as Florida State who have a cohesive group of five seniors—gives the Wildcats just as much of a chance to bust.
Scrolling through Villanova's regular-season schedule is like strolling through a fun house of mirrors.
In November, Villanova lost to Michigan but then beat Florida State 11 days later. In December, Nova lost to both Penn and Kansas. You can't use in-conference juggernaut Marquette as a gauge because Villanova split its season series with them.
Seton Hall beat the Wildcats a week ago and could have again beaten them on Saturday, but the stability of Booth and Paschall combined with sparks from Bey and sophomore forward Jermaine Samuels proved the difference—emphasis on combined.
Two players alone will not win any team an NCAA title, but the Wildcats cannot win an NCAA title without their top two players shining. If a team finds a way to take them both away, that's when this season's Villanova team will officially and finally be extinguished.
What's Next?
Both teams will await their NCAA tournament seeding on Selection Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m. EST. The show will be nationally television on CBS and streamed on March Madness Live.
Seton Hall will enter the tournament at 20-13, while 25th-ranked Villanova owns a 25-9record.
