Villanova Basketball’s Season Is Over

Happy Friday Nova Nation. Villanova Basketball’s 2020 season is over, along with the rest of the college basketball season. No Big East Tournament. No NCAA Tournament. Everything is just over.

Let’s be clear, it’s the right move. The world is in a global pandemic, and that’s one of those things that’s more important than sports or entertainment. That said, it’s still sad to lose the greatest sports tournament in the world.

From the Villanova perspective, there are a few things that fans and players are missing out on. Saddiq Bey just lost his chance to keep improving his draft stock for the upcoming NBA Draft. Collin Gillespie is 15 points shy of scoring 1,000 points for his career as a Junior. The entire freshman class has missed the valuable experience of tournament play at the college level. Sure, these aren’t big problems and there will be other opportunities down the road. But the point is that despite it being the right thing to do, nothing about this outcome feels great right now.

In time, this pandemic will end. Sports will return. We’ll turn to next year’s Villanova squad and the goal of winning yet another Big East Championship and an NCAA Tournament Title. But today, this just sucks. My heart goes out to the players effected, those negatively impacted by this pandemic, and everyone that’s just feeling down today.

We’ll all get through this together as long as we keep looking out for each other. And as far as basketball goes, 2021 feels like a great year to be a Wildcat.

In other “news”, the Big East Tournament is cancelled, the NCAA tournament is cancelled, and Villanova starts virtual classes on Monday. Enjoy!

COVID-19

NCAA cancels men's and women's basketball tournaments | NBC Sports Philadelphia
The NCAA Tournament on Thursday was cancelled amid growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. By Paul Hudrick

NCAA tournaments canceled over coronavirus | ESPN
The NCAA has called off its men's and women's basketball tournaments as part of a complete cancellation of all remaining spring and winter championships.

COLUMN: Because We Don’t Know, These COVID-19 Cancellations Had To Happen | SI
Nobody is sure when the COVID-19 epidemic will run its course throughout the world and so, these sports officials simply had no choice.

Canceling NCAA Tournament leaves painful trail of what ifs | New York Post
Your heart breaks for all the student-athletes, all these kids with the biggest dreams at Seton Hall, and the kids with the Cinderella dreams at Hofstra, as...

Sportsbooks and coronavirus cancellations: It’s gonna be ugly | The Inquirer
One industry analyst says the dark March calendar could result in more than $500 million in lost sports bets in New Jersey alone.

In sports’ peak season, the calendar is being altered by coronavirus | The Inquirer
Now we don't have sports to turn to as a distraction in a time of peril.

It's easy to see why the NCAA Tournament had to be canceled, but it's still hard to deal with its loss | CBSSports.com
The NCAA took a while to decide to cancel March Madness, but we all knew the sad news was coming

What we know and don't know after NCAA tournament cancellations | ESPN
After Thursday's historic decision to cancel NCAA championships, here are the next steps and what we still need to learn.

Villanova Men’s Basketball

Jay Wright, more Philly college coaches react to NCAA tournament cancellation | NBC Sports Philadelphia
Instead of dancing, local college basketball programs are spending March at home because of coronavirus concerns. By Adam Hermann

Villanova's Jay Wright fine with decision to cancel NCAA tournament | Sports | delcotimes.com
RADNOR — After speaking with reporters about the cancellation of the Big East men’s basketball tournament, Villanova coach Jay Wright was informed that the NCAA bagged its championship tournament for

Jay Wright: Villanova disappointed but realistic over cancellation of Big East, NCAA Tournaments | The Inquirer
The Wildcats finished in a three-way tie for the regular-season conference championship but never got a chance to play in a postseason game, an abrupt end to their year.

Collin Gillespie fuels the Villanova offense | The Morning Call
Villanova guard Collin Gillespie runs the Wildcats' offense and is a primary scorer and team leader.

NBA Draft 2020: Latest 1st-Round Order and Mock Predictions | Bleacher Report
With the current NBA season suspended "until further notice" and the status of March Madness still unknown, teams still have to look towards the future with optimism...

Big East Tournament

As Conference Tournaments Cancel Due To Coronavirus, Big East Delivers A Surreal First Half | Forbes
Before noon several leagues already canceled but the Big East still had not decided, meaning on Fox Sports One the show must go on with play-by-play man Tim Brando and analyst Nick Bahe on the microphones for St. John’s and Creighton.

BIG EAST Announces Cancellation of BIG EAST Tournament | Villanova University Athletics
NEW YORK -- Following a call with our Presidents and Athletics Directors and additional consultation with the City of New York, the BIG EAST Conference has cancelled

2020 Big East Tournament canceled Thursday amid coronavirus pandemic concerns | CBSSports.com
The Big East was one of many conferences to bring a halt to its annual tournament on Thursday

Big East 2020 Final Team Standings, Top Player Stats, Best NBA Draft Prospects | Bleacher Report
One of the final times Seton Hall's Myles Powell and Marquette's Markus Howard stepped on to a college hardwood, they delivered one of the best individual back-and-forths of the men's college basketball season...

Ackerman Leads Big East Back From Ruins To Reclaim Position as Top Hoops Conference | SI
Strong additions in Creighton, Butler and Xavier and a pair of men’s basketball national championship teams have aided the conference’s resurgence on the floor (Seton Hall’s return to prominence has also been a boon), but it was the hiring of founding WNBA President Val Ackerman - along with some fortuitous timing - that has the league back on the right path financially.

Villanova Basketball Alumni

NBA Player Daniel Ochefu Is Starting a Summer Camp for Kids to Hone in on Their Basketball Skills and Sportsmanship. | Digital Journal
Digital Journal is a digital media news network with thousands of Digital Journalists in 200 countries around the world. Join us!

NBA Wildcats

Coronavirus: Eric Paschall reacts to the NBA suspending the season | Warriors Wire
Warriors rookie Eric Paschall used social media to react to the news of the NBA suspending the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Villanova University

COVID-19 Turns Villanova to Alternative Learning | AKSM Media
Villanova University will be suspending all in-person classes starting on

Monday, March 16, 2020. […] This course of action is simply being used as a

way to prevent that from happening. Despite classes being put online,

Villanova’s campus will remain open.

Villanova Athletics

Remainder of Winter and Spring Sport Championships and Competitions are Cancelled | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa.—In response to the rapidly evolving situation around coronavirus (COVID-19) and with the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, staff and

Aztec Invitational Cancelled | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa. — The Villanova women's water polo team's was scheduled to play in the Aztec Invitational at San Diego State this weekend, however, that tournament

Men's Tennis Match Against Bryant Canceled | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Villanova's home match against Bryant, which was scheduled for tomorrow, has been canceled. The Northeast Conference, which Bryant is a member of,

Temple Match Postponed, Drexel Match Canceled | Villanova University Athletics
VILLANOVA, Pa. - There are two changes to Villanova's Spring schedule. The Wildcat's match against Temple, which was scheduled for tomorrow, has been postponed to

College Basketball

The teams, players and coaches hit hardest by the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Tournament | CBSSports.com
Without March Madness there are no winners, only losers, and some were hit harder than others