Villanova will face Duke in the NCAA Tournament, just not on the hardwood

Happy Monday Nova Nation! It was a busy weekend for the University, at least as far as the links go. But let’s start with the somewhat surprising inclusion of the Villanova Wildcats in the men’s lacrosse NCAA Tournament.

Many people, myself included, thought that the bubble had burst for Villanova last week when they lost in the Big East Tournament to Georgetown. But thanks to a few upsets in other conference tournaments, the Wildcats were able to get in as an at large bid. Even the team was surprised (and understandably excited) when they found out the news:

Best of luck to them this weekend, and BEAT DUKE!

In other “news”, Jay Wright’s been active on the transfer market, Villanova is expecting another upturn in enrollment applications, and the Houston Rockets take Villanova’s style of basketball to the next level. Enjoy!

Villanova to Face No. 4 Duke in First Round of NCAA Tournament | Villanova.com
The Villanova Wildcats (10-5, 3-2 BIG EAST) earned their third bid in program history to the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament, as announced Sunday evening on ESPNU. The Wildcats will travel to Durham, North Carolina to take on the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils in the first round match up. Game time is scheduled for Saturday, May 12th at 2:15 p.m. and can be seen on ESPNU.

Scout's Take: SF Justin Moore picks Villanova | ESPN Insider ($ub)
Villanova is off to a fast early start in the 2019 class with two four-stars now in the fold.

How, and why, Albany guard Joe Cremo became one of the hottest targets in college basketball | KUsports.com
The visits with Villanova and Kansas are over, now we wait for Cremo's decision.

Former SEC all-freshman men's basketball performer Key to transfer to Virginia | Roanoke.com
Nobody could speak more highly of Braxton Key, Virginia’s latest men’s basketball addition, than his former coach at Oak Hill Academy in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. Villanova showed interest before backing off to protect their status with other recruits.

A Championship Wins Over Prospective Students for Villanova | The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, president of Villanova University, says its recent NCAA basketball championships have attracted star students as well. But, he says, it still struggles to increase its enrollment of students of color and from low-income families.

The Rockets Are Fun to Watch or Proof That Science Is Ruining the NBA | The Ringer
Forget about whether Houston’s brand of basketball can win a title. It’s time to not-so-analytically answer the question that’s tearing this nation apart: Are James Harden, Chris Paul, and the Rockets entertaining?