The State of the Nova Nation podcast

The Villanova Wildcats' season came to an end in the Sweet 16. They gave the top-seeded Baylor Bears a hard fight for most of the game, until a game-changing run by the Bears ended up sealing the 'Cats fate. It's a bittersweet end. On one hand, Villanova got to reach the Sweet 16 -- reaching further than most thought it would -- on the other, the Wildcats were toe-to-toe with the No. 1 seed for a...

The Villanova Wildcats are Sweet 16 bound! We recap the wild weekend in the NCAA Tournament, with Villanova beating Winthrop and North Texas, and a few of the other notable upsets and shockers in other areas of the bracket. We're also joined by DraftKings Head of Sportsbook Johnny Avello to discuss Villanova's odds to win it all in the NCAA Tournament and moving forward into this weekend's big mat...

We take a look at the Villanova Wildcats first weekend path in the NCAA Tournament, starting off with the Winthrop Eagles. Hear Jay Wright's thoughts on Winthrop and who they remind him of. The winner gets to take on the massive Purdue Boilermakers frontcourt or the well-dressed North Texas Mean Green. After previewing potential opponents, we discuss why it's time to allow the NCAA to give athlete...

It was a tough time at the Big East Tournament for the Villanova Wildcats, who were bounced out of the quarterfinals by rival and eventual champion Georgetown. While it was a rough loss, the positive is that the season is not over yet and there's a chance to make one last stand in the NCAA Tournament. The even bigger takeaway was Justin Moore's surprise return. Jay Wright gives a little perspectiv...

The Villanova Wildcats already had the Big East regular season title in the bag, as well as the No. 1 seed in the 2021 Big East Tournament, so Saturday's game was more of a test run to see how the 'Cats would do post-Collin Gillespie injury. Things went from bad to worse, as Justin Moore went down with an ankle injury, and he is now listed as doubtful for this week's tournament. However, the 'Cats...

The Villanova Wildcats got their revenge win over the Creighton Bluejays on Wednesday night. It was a Senior Night victory, one that secured the No. 1 seed at the Big East Tournament and another regular season conference title, but it came at a steep price. Senior point guard Collin Gillespie sustained a serious knee injury and is due for a MRI on Thursday morning. After the 'Nova co-captain went...

The Villanova Wildcats took a tough loss to the Butler Bulldogs on Sunday, falling victim to Hinkle Magic once again. It's the fourth time the 'Cats have fallen at Hinkle Fieldhouse in five years. Villanova went cold from long range, and struggled to contain a Butler team that was missing a couple of key players. Now, it'll look to regroup against Creighton and avenge an earlier loss on Senior Nig...

The Villanova Wildcats enjoyed a dominant wire-to-wire win over the St. John's Red Storm. The 'Cats got a bit of revenge, making up for an earlier loss. They set the tone from opening tip and excelled on both ends of the court, and got complete contributions with deeper bench guys like Bryan Antoine and Trey Patterson making an appearance. Collin Gillespie bounced back, and it was an overall great...

After a defensive nightmare against Creighton, the Villanova Wildcats regrouped during their week off between games and put together their best defensive performance of the season in their win against the UConn Huskies. The shots didn't fall, but the Wildcats were able to buckle down defensively, especially in the second half, where they put the clamps on James Bouknight. Now that they're back on...

The Villanova Wildcats are preparing for their first showdown with the UConn Huskies, since they first rejoined the conference. UConn's top player James Bouknight got cleared in time for Saturday's game and looked just fine in his first game back from an injury, scoring 18 points off the bench in a win over Providence. How will his return boost the Huskies? Also, according to a recent Philadelphia...

The Villanova Wildcats dominated the Marquette Golden Eagles, but stumbled and fell to the Creighton Bluejays over the weekend. After looking like a well-oiled machine against Marquette, what went wrong against Creighton? Is this another example of a temporary February slump, or is there deeper cause for concern? With a couple of days to digest the loss and some time off before the next game again...

Jermaine Samuels went off against the Georgetown Hoyas, posting a career-high 32 points in the Villanova Wildcats' win on Sunday. The Wildcats got back on track with the win over the Hoyas and now they will turn their attention to the Marquette Golden Eagles and Creighton Bluejays. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Villanova Wildcats took their first loss in Big East play on Wednesday night. They struggled with turnovers and a poor shooting night against a suffocating St. John's Red Storm defensive effort and their "40 Minutes of Hell" mentality. What went wrong? How can the Wildcats regroup? Is there reason to panic? After another round of scheduling musical chairs, the Wildcats will now play Georgetown...

The Villanova Wildcats have extended their winning streak to nine games, after completing the sweep of the Seton Hall Pirates. Now, the Wildcats are gearing up for their meeting with the St. John's Red Storm, who are heating up after picking up their fourth-straight win in a close one over Marquette. We recap the Seton Hall game, preview the Johnnies, and take a quick look at Collin Gillespie, who...

With the game against the UConn Huskies postponed, the Villanova Wildcats turn their attention towards a rematch with the Seton Hall Pirates on Saturday. It was a close one the last time out, what's in store for Round 2? Also, Big East commissioner Val Ackerman received a contract extension through 2024. Head coach Jay Wright provides a few snippets, some insight and a glimpse into Bryan Antoine's...

The Villanova Wildcats won in classic Villanova fashion -- a second half surge. The Wildcats beat the Providence Friars and a sun delay for a 71-56 win over the weekend. We discuss some takeaways and thoughts on the game. We also take a look at the polls, and celebrate Collin Gillespie's journey (again) from a not-so-heralded recruit nationally to one of 10 midseason finalists for the Bob Cousy Aw...

The Villanova Wildcats had some rust to shake off on Tuesday night, but they managed and survived a close one against the Seton Hall Pirates to remain undefeated in Big East play. Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels dialed up some big performances, and Brandon Slater and Cole Swider stepped up in the starting five. Now, the 'Cats turn their attention to the Providence Friars, who are coming off...

The day is finally here! After back-to-back COVID-related pauses, the Villanova Wildcats are returning to the court with a clean bill of health and a game against the Seton Hall Pirates. It'll be Villanova's first game in nearly a month--since it last beat Marquette on Dec. 23. The Wildcats had a few injuries during the pause, but is expected to have everyone back, including Bryan Antoine. To add...

The Villanova Wildcats were dealt another tough bit of news. After undergoing a COVID-related shutdown shortly after the Marquette game, the Wildcats returned for practice on Sunday, only to be back on hiatus less than 24 hours later, after two players tested positive for the coronavirus. Head coach Jay Wright shared some thoughts and insight on the situation, as he manages the team from afar and...

After the game against Virginia was cancelled, the Villanova Wildcats were able to bring back Big 5 foe St. Joe's onto the schedule. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl led a strong, balanced, all-around effort by the 'Cats, as Villanova won by 20 points. Maybe his facemask is filled with good luck? Now, the Wildcats are refocusing back on Big East play, as they prepare for a trip to Milwaukee to take on the M...

Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright picked up his 600th win on Wednesday night against the Butler Bulldogs. Villanova tempered the flames from a hot Butler start, took the lead, and eventually pulled away late to win 85-66 in the Wildcats' home opener. Before and after the game, Wright was pretty low-key about his milestone achievement and his players were taken by surprise. Also, there's a f...

The Comeback 'Cats were at it in their Big East opener, as the Villanova Wildcats used a couple of massive runs in the second half to overcome a big deficit against their rival Georgetown Hoyas. Villanova heated up from long range, then clamped down on the defensive end to go ahead and ultimately win, 76-63. With the DePaul Blue Demons undergoing a COVID-related shutdown, the 'Cats now turn their...

The Villanova Wildcats begin conference play with a showdown against the Georgetown Hoyas. We take a look at the Wildcats' rivals, who enter Friday 2-2. There are also some more scheduling changes and potentially more matchups on the horizon. Aside from the scheduling scramble, we discuss Coach K's latest comments, and Jay Wright opens up about he feels about suits and basketball games. Does he wa...

V's up, horns down! The Villanova Wildcats picked up a big 68-64 win over the Texas Longhorns in a contest between two top 25 ranked teams. We discuss some takeaways and standouts, as well as go through a crowded mailbag, where we discuss Jay Wright's hypothetical cowboy hat, early report card grades, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After an extended stay in Mohegan Sun, the Villanova Wildcats will finally say good bye to Bubbleville. Before leaving, they managed to pick up a lopsided win over the Hartford Hawks. While they were heavy favorites to emerge victorious, there were plenty of positives from the game -- from the bench production to the balanced scoring. Now, they'll gear up for a much tougher opponent in the Texas L...