Villanova Basketball set to kick-off Big East Tournament

Happy Thursday Nova Nation! Your Villanova Wildcats are set for their first game of the Big East Tournament tonight against DePaul. At least they are for now. As you’ve probably heard by now, there was a flurry of activity regarding coronavirus last night. The NCAA Tournament and ever major conference have banned fans from attending. The NBA has suspended the season after one of their players tested positive for the virus. And now the college basketball world waits to see if there will be anymore basketball games played this month at all.

As of now, everything’s still on, which means Villanova will try to take down DePaul for a third time this season. The Blue Demons took Nova to overtime the first time they played this season, so it’s by no means a sure thing for the Wildcats to advance. That said, Villanova has won the last 20 games against DePaul (none of which came in the Big East Tournament). So with concerns about coronavirus abound, we’ll keep today’s poll simple. Who will win the game between Villanova and DePaul tonight?

In other “news”, Villanova prepares for the BET and DePaul, Coronavirus having a major impact on the sport of basketball, and Jay Wright has a Top 10 salary in college basketball. Enjoy!

Villanova Men’s Basketball

Once again, Villanova waits until less than 24 hours before tip to learn its first opponent in Big East Tournament | The Inquirer
This is the seventh straight year the Wildcats have been a 1 or a 2 seed in the tournament, meaning they've had to wait until after Wednesday night's session to learn their opponent in Thursday night's quarterfinal.

Villanova's Collin Gillespie will now be leader at the Garden | Sports | delcotimes.com
RADNOR — Collin Gillespie dribbles into the lane, turns his back to the basket like a post player and looks for an open teammate while rarely picking up his dribble.

Robinson-Earl Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year | Villanova University Athletics
Jermiah Robinson-Earl is BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.

Moore: Gillespie taking charge for Villanova | Delaware Online
If Collin Gillespie’s responsibilities with Villanova’s 2019-20 men’s basketball team seem familiar, it’s because they are.

Highest college basketball coach salaries: John Calipari leads top 10 | USA Today
The top 10 highest-paid NCAA men's basketball coaches include John Calipari, who leads oll Division I coaches, and other big names.

See 32 NCAA tournament buzzer-beaters from 1977 to 2019 | NCAA.com
Here's your one-stop shop to re-watch and reminisce upon 32 buzzer-beaters in March Madness history.

Villanova vs DePaul

Fresh off one upset, DePaul eyes another vs. No. 11 Villanova | National Post
Villanova will open the Big East tournament as the No. 2 seed and take on No. 10 DePaul in the quarterfinals Thursday in New York City.The Blue Demons upset No. 7 Xavier 71-67 in the opening round Wednesday night.Villanova, ranked No.

Big East Tournament

Big East bans fans from Madison Square Garden after coronavirus | New York Daily News
After several Division I conferences — including the Atlantic 10 in nearby Brooklyn — and the NCAA announced they were banning fans from their postseason men’s basketball tournaments, the Big East finally acted.

Big East Tournament: Team-by-team analysis, plus predictions | New York Post
The Post provides a team-by-team breakdown of all the squads in the Big East Tournament and what their chances are at winning the tournament that his held at Madison Square Garden.

Restricted Attendance Policy Implemented for Remainder of BIG EAST Tournament | Villanova University Athletics
The BIG EAST will conduct the remainder of its 2020 tournament under a restricted attendance policy.

Creighton hoping Marcus Zegarowski is ready for tournament after knee surgery | ESPN
Creighton's Marcus Zegarowski was scheduled to have knee surgery Wednesday and the Bluejays hope to have him available for the NCAA tournament next week.

Villanova Football

Andy Talley named to College Football Hall of Fame | The Inquirer
The retired Villanova football coach will be inducted in December.

Andy Talley Announced as Part of 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa.—Longtime Villanova University football head coach Andy Talley earned the top honor for a college football player or coach on Wednesday afternoon when

Villanova University

Villanova University To Cancel All In-Person Classes On Campus, Classes To Be Taught Virtually | CBS Philly
The university says faculty is prepared to teach classes online.

Villanova Athletics

Villanova Athletics Announces Precautions for Home Athletic Events Due to Coronavirus | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa.—In response to the global outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), and in conjunction with precautions announced earlier today by Villanova University,

Behind Strong Offensive First Half, Villanova defeats Temple 13-11 | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Behind an explosion of offense in the first half, Villanova (3-5) defeated local rival Temple (5-4) 13-11. The Wildcats broke a four game losing

Softball Home Opener Against Lafayette Cancelled | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa. — The Villanova softball team's home opener against Lafayette College has been canceled. As of now, no make up date has been announced. The Wildcats

Bracketology

College Basketball Bracketology 2020: The bubble is about to boil over | SBNation.com
Just a single NCAA tournament automatic bid is up for grabs tonight, but the at-large picture could see some changes as Wednesday unfolds.

College Basketball

NCAA bars fans from March Madness basketball tournaments | The Inquirer
The men's Final Four will still be played but probably not in a football stadium in Atlanta. First-round venues are expected to remain the same.

NBA suspends season until further notice after player tests positive for the coronavirus | ESPN
The NBA announced that it has suspended its season until further notice after the completion of Wednesday night's games after a member of the Utah Jazz preliminarily tested positive for the coronavirus.

2020 NCAA Tournament games to be played without fans in attendance due to threat of coronavirus | CBSSports.com
There will be no fans allowed at the 2020 NCAA Tournament

Coronavirus updates: How pandemic is affecting NCAA Tournament, college basketball games | CBSSports.com
Some games have been canceled, while others will be played without fans in attendance

CBI called off amid ongoing coronavirus concerns | ESPN
The 2020 College Basketball Invitational has been canceled because of the uncertainty of the coronavirus, tournament organizers announced Wednesday.