The Sun’s Arizin: Villanova Basketball Records That Could Fall In 2022

Happy Game Day Nova Nation! Right off the top, a quick reminder that tonight’s game time got pushed back to 7PM on FS1:

Plenty of DePaul talk in yesterday’s post and in our Game Preview article if you’re looking for more, but today I wanted to talk about some of the “what ifs” for the rest of the season. You see if you’re like me and you see Villanova possibly making runs at the BET Championship game and the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament, then we’re now at the mid-point of Villanova’s season. It’s about this time that I like to take a look at some of the projected stats for the teams and players and see if there are any records that could be broken.

This season there are a handful that could (or definitely will) fall, and there’s certainly a theme. Games played (thanks COVID), Three pointers, and Free Throws are the stats where the Wildcats have the best chances to make their mark on the record books this year. Let’s breakdown specifically which records could fall.

Team Records

Highest Free Throw Percentage (Game): 100%, Many Times

2022 has already seen Villanova set this record twice, including the most FT’s made in a perfect game that I have found on record:

• vs Howard on 11/16/21: 26 for 26
• vs Georgetown on 1/22/22: 16 for 16

Highest Free Throw Percentage (Season): 79.0% (538-681) in 2017

Villanova currently leads the country in FT% at 82.4% (253-307). The Cats have shot over 79% from the line in 12 of 19 games this season, including 8 of their last 9 games.

Individual Records

Most Career Games Played: 148, Phil Booth

Collin Gillespie, barring any setbacks, will tie this record with Villanova’s last regular season game of the season. He would break it with the first game of the Big East Tournament. Also worth noting, Gillespie has 3 more games played than Jermaine Samuels, who could also break the record.

Most Three-Point Field Goals Made (Game): 8, Four Players

This record is currently held by Allan Ray, Darrun Hilliard, Kris Jenkins, and Saddiq Bey have all had big games from deep. This year, Collin Gillespie and Justin Moore both have the ability and opportunity to hit this on a given night. In fact, they’ve each made 6 3pt FGs in a single game this season, and they’ve both taken the volume needed to hit 8. Not saying it’s a lock, but this record should definitely be on alert.

Most Three-Point Field Goals Made (Season): 107, Allan Ray (05-06)

Collin Gillespie has already made 62 threes on the season, averaging 3.3 per game. If he can keep that pace up for the remainder of the season, he’d pass Ray in 14 games. That puts him at either the Big East Tournament Championship Game, or in the NCAA Tournament. I’d give Gillespie a 50/50 chance of breaking this record, given the most recent close calls were Kris Jenkins in 2016 (100) and Mikal Bridges in 2018 (104).

Most Three-Point Field Goals Made (Career): 337, Gary Buchanan

A little more challenging undertaking for Gillespie would be to surpass Gary Buchanan for the most goals in school history. Gillespie sits at 275 threes made, and at his current average it would take another 19 games to break the record. Either Villanova would have to make deep runs in both post-season tournaments, or Collin would need to somehow shoot even better than the 41.6% pace he’s currently on this season. Breaking this record would be a stretch, but it’s on the radar.

Most Three-Point Field Goals Attempted (Season): 288, Allan Ray (05-06)

This is another stretch goal for Gillespie, who currently sits at 149 attempted threes on the season, averaging 7.8 per game. At this pace, he’d need another 18 games to break the record, which would require deep runs in both the Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

Most Three-Point Field Goals Attempted (Career): 856, Gary Buchanan

Gillespie would actually need three fewer three attempts to break the career 3FGA record than he needs for the season record. They’re both long shots, but it could happen.

Records By Class

Highest Free Throw Percentage by a Senior (Season): 88.9% (112-126), Allan Ray (05-06)

Gillespie is currently shooting 91.1% from the line, and that’s certainly something he could keep up this season. He ranks as the 26th best free throw shooter in the country through his first 19 games.

Other Records

Most Games by a Recruiting Class: 146, Class of 2017

Like a lot of these records, the COVID season is going to give an edge to some of the current players. The Class of 2021 (now 2022), are already at 151 games.

For today’s game day poll, let’s stay on theme and ask which single game record does Villanova have the best chance of breaking tonight:

In other news...

DePaul at Villanova

DePaul to Visit Villanova Tuesday Night | Villanova University
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday night at Finneran Pavilion

Wildcat Recruiting

Finnish basketball star Miro Little enjoyed a memorable official visit in Bloomington | The Daily Hoosier
Little’s visit to Indiana capped off a three-school tour as the Helsinki Basketball Academy star fitted in multiple stops in the U.S. to optimize his long journey from Finland.

Big East

College basketball rankings: Marquette making moves in Top 25 And 1 after winning sixth straight game | CBSSports.com
The Golden Eagles are 14-6 and jumped to No. 20 in the Top 25 And 1 after beating Xavier

NBA Wildcats

Mikal Bridges has to step up his offensive load in face of injuries | Bright Side Of The Sun
With Crowder and Payne both out for the near future with wrist injuries, Bridges needs to pick up more of an offensive load.

Villanova Women’s Basketball

Philly Women’s D1 College Basketball Weekly Awards and Review | Philly College Sports
Maddy Siegrist totaled 56 points in the two-game series giving her 1,397 points in her career.

Villanova Athletics

Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Tabbed CSCAA Scholar-All America Teams | Villanova University
RICHMOND, Va. – Villanova has been named a College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America team for the Fall 2021 semester,