Will Villanova basketball make the March madness 2024? Breaking down the Wildcats' NCAA tournament 2024 odds
With three Final Four appearances and a pair of NCAA Tournament titles in the last decade, wildcats" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Villanova basketball is one of the top programs in the nation. But will it be enough to earn the Wildcats a spot in the 2024 NCAA Tournament? At the moment, Villanova is probably on the outside of the Big Dance bubble. There's time and opportunity left for Villanova to make the NCAA field.
Will Villanova basketball make the 2024 NCAA Tournament?
At this moment in time, trends tend to say no. The Wildcats (13-11, 6-7 in the Big East) certainly need to buttress their play down the season's stretch to have a chance. Villanova certainly needs a winning mark in conference play, which is plausible with two of their remaining seven games coming against cellar-dwellers Georgetown. Nova then needs a good conference tournament run.
As the Wildcats already have double-digit losses, avoiding bad defeats and possibly knocking off a few more quality foes will help. Upcoming games against No. 1 UConn and No. 17 Creighton could provide a possible lift.
Villanova basketball NCAA tournament history
Villanova won NCAA crowns in 1985, 2016, and 2018. The Wildcats reached the Final Four in 2022, but did not make the tournament last season. Villanova has an all-time mark of 67-38 in the NCAA Tournament. Nova won the 1985 tournament as the No. 8 seed, shocking Georgetown in a miracle win. The Wildcats have 16 upset NCAA Tournament wins, the most of any program in college basketball.
Villanova basketball march madness odds
Odds for Villanova to win the NCAA Tournament range from +6600 to +25000. Odds to reach the Final Four range from +4000 to +7000. Teamrankings.com gives Villanova a 65.6% chance of making the NCAA Tournament. That's impressive considering that only two of the 103 brackets listed at Bracketmatrix.com include Villanova.
Villanova basketball strengths
Villanova can count on experience, as several current players remember the 2022 Final Four run. The Wildcats are also stout defensively, holding opponents to 66.5 points per game (45th best in the nation) and 41.6 percent (in the top quarter of collegiate teams). The Big East conference will also ensure that the Wildcats are ready for quality competition.
Villanova basketball weaknesses
Already having 11 losses in mid-February is not a great start. Villanova is limited offensively, with only one player, senior forward Eric Dixon, topping 10.5 ppg (Dixon averages 15.8). The Wildcats are 295th nationally in shooting at 42.4%. Villanova also has some bad early losses to teams like St. Joseph and Drexel.
Villanova basketball quadrant records
Villanova is a respectable 3-6 against quadrant 1 teams, with wins over North Carolina and Creighton. Their 5-2 record against quadrant 2 teams isn't bad either. But the issue the Wildcats will struggle to overcome is a miserable 1-3 record against quadrant 3 teams. The 38th ranked Wildcats are one of only two top 50 teams in the NET (Texas A&M at 43rd is the other) with three and 3 losses.
Villanova is 4-0 against quadrant 4 foes, which should not change given the remainder of their schedule.