This was Villanova’s year to win the national championship. And not just because the Wildcats were playing at a level unmatched by any of the 350-plus Division I teams. With two seniors on the roster, and several other players with the potential to at least test NBA draft waters, the team Villanova returns to the Main Line in 2016-17 could be vastly different.
That will be the case for much of college basketball next season. This was a year defined by seniors, and that should continue. And while there aren’t prospects with the hype of Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram soon stepping foot on college campuses, there will be a flood of highly talented freshmen who will play significant roles in their respective teams’ title chances.