PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — In their first two NCAA Tournament games, Villanova was favored against Winthrop and North Texas. That won’t be the case on Saturday.
The Wildcats will take on top-seeded Baylor with a chance to move on to the Elite 8. The Bears are one of the best teams in the country and the top seed in the South Region. Villanova is seeded fifth and has advanced despite playing without injured point guard Collin Gillespie.
Beating the Bears will be a difficult task, but sophomore Jeremiah Robinson-Earl said he and his teammates are taking the same approach that they did in their first two tournament games.
“We don’t go into games knowing that we’re going to play a really good team or a team that isn’t,” he said. “We take every single team the same way. We go into practice and play really hard and we have respect — the utmost respect — for every single team we play.”
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While the Wildcats have had high praise for the Bears, it won’t make their task any easier on Saturday. Baylor is a talented and experienced team, and many of the Bears were on the court when Baylor beat Villanova in November 2019.
Head coach Jay Wright said the Bears have benefitted by having so many players stay with the program for a long period of time.
“It’s not just their talent,” he explained. “Their basketball IQ is outstanding, and that’s what happens when guys stay in college for a few years.”
As the tournament continues in Indiana, the players remain limited when it comes to outdoor activities. For the Wildcats, much of the day outside the hotel involves practice, extra shootarounds and workout time. Wright believes it has worked to his players’ advantage.
“There’s nothing else to do,” said Wright. “The whole staff goes down there and sometimes you’re shooting around with the guys and you’re on the court talking with them. That part’s been really enjoyable.”
The Wildcats have dealt with their share of challenges on and off the court this season. Their biggest challenge awaits on Saturday. A victory would put Villanova one step away from the Final Four.
Robinson-Earl assured the Wildcats have the right mindset ahead of their battle against the Bears.
“The most important thing is just taking it one day at a time and just not looking too far ahead,” he said. “Don’t dwell on the past and just stay in the moment because just staying in the moment can lead to success.”