By JOSH VERLIN
Jay Wright is used to Villanova being in the Top 25 during his 13 years at the Main Line institution. He’s had the Wildcats ranked as high as No. 2 in the country, with appearances inside the top 20 in six out of seven years between 2004-05 and 2010-11.
However, since that No. 19 ranking on Feb. 28, 2011, the Wildcats had not seen their name in the weekly poll. That 2011 season ended with six consecutive losses, setting the table for that 13-19 season the following year. Last season was certainly getting back on the right track, but though the Wildcats’ 20-14 record was good enough for an NCAA bid, it wasn’t good enough for anything more than a few scattered votes in the AP poll during the season.
Wright has led the Wildcats into the top 25 in seven different seasons. (Photo: Mark Jordan)
What that all means is that when Villanova’s name came up as the No. 14 team in the country in Monday’s polls, for only Wright was it a familiar feeling. Only senior wing James Bell was on the team the last time it was ranked, and he played 9.0 minutes as a true freshman that year.
“It was fun when everybody told us about it, I can’t lie,” sophomore guard Dylan Ennis said. “But it’s not going to make us win any more games, it’s not going to put more points on the board for us, if anything it’s going to put a target on our backs, we’ve got to play harder now.”
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