Updated March 20, 2026, 4:17 p.m. ET
Kevin Willard was employed to the coveted job of Villanova basketball coach as a result of he has an extended monitor file of getting groups to the NCAA Tournament. Over the previous decade, he did it 5 instances at Seton Hall and twice at Maryland.
If there was a typical theme of these appearances, it’s that Willard’s squads landed in a first-round 8-9 game on 4 events.
In his first season at Villanova, make it 5.
The eighth-seeded Wildcats drew ninth-seeded Utah State – a Big East vs. Mountain West referendum game – right now in San Diego. (4:10 p.m. ET on TNT … stream with Sling).
Willard’s file in 8-9 video games so far is 2-2 – Seton Hall beat N.C. State in 2018 however misplaced to Arkansas in 2017 and TCU in 2022. Maryland beat West Virginia in 2023. After each victories, Willard’s squad misplaced to the geographically advantaged No. 1 seed in the second spherical – a reminder of simply how laborious it’s to make a Big Dance run from an 8-9 draw.
Top-seeded Arizona awaits the winner of his contest right now.
Catch all the March Madness action on Fubo
Will Pope Leo being a Villanova fan assist the Wildcats in March Madness?
Could issues be completely different this time? Well, he has one new improvement in his favor: Pope Leo is a Villanova University graduate and an enormous faculty basketball fan — to the purpose the place a Villanova-Notre Dame is being scheduled for Rome in November, presumably for a papal viewers.
The concept of the Holy Father unwinding after an extended day of quoting scripture and influencing world affairs by watching Villanova in the Big Dance and analyzing Willard’s teaching just isn’t inconceivable. And possibly he is received a particular blessing up his sleeve to take care of the 8-9 draw.
Some divine favor actually wouldn’t damage.
Jerry Carino has lined the New Jersey sports activities scene since 1996 and the faculty basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
