Josh Hart cuts down the nets at Madison Square Garden.
Villanova Wins Third #BEtourney Title Behind Two-time MOP Hart
By SEAN BRENNAN
Special to BIGEAST.com
Thirteen months ago they were standing on a similar stage, championship hats on backwards, music blaring, Nova Nation roaring for their Wildcats. That celebration was for the National Championship after the ‘Cats conquered North Carolina thanks to Kris Jenkins’ Hail Mary shot.
This time, Saturday night in New York City, inside Madison Square Garden, they set up another impromptu stage for Villanova. The hats were on backwards again. More music pulsating through the arena, this time it was Kool and the Gang singing “Celebration.” Nova Nation was there again to witness the Wildcats adding another golden page to the glowing basketball resume that defines Villanova basketball.
Saturday night in New York, the defending National Champions became the newly-minted BIG EAST Tournament champions after the top-seeded Wildcats closed out a memorable conference tournament by knocking out No. 6 Creighton, 74-60, to capture their second tourney title in three seasons.
Titles. Championships. Lots of hardware. That’s all these Wildcats seem to be taking home these days.
“It’s really good players,” Villanova head coach Jay Wright said, when asked what Villanova’s secret to success was. “Kris Jenkins, Josh Hart, Darryl Reynolds were on these teams and so was Mikal (Bridges). And so was (injured) Phil Booth. We’ve got good players and that’s what does it.”
The post-victory celebration seemed to last forever as the Wildcats players and coaches were handed their championship watches before they climbed the ladder to perform the customary cutting down of the championship nets. Meanwhile there was Villanova head coach Jay Wright, the mastermind behind this mini-Wildcat dynasty, flashing his trademark smile and signaling a “V” to the thongs of Villanova fans who made the trip up from Philly by the thousands to witness the latest accomplishment. It stood for “Villanova” or maybe for “victory.” Probably both, knowing how much Villanova piles up victories these days.
The Villanova victory party inside the World’s Most Famous Arena was so loud that when BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman took to the stage to congratulate the new champs and hand them their latest championship trophy (where do they put them all, you wonder) most of her words were drowned out by the roar of the Villanova faithful who apparently decided it was much more fun to stick around and watch the celebration than enjoy a Saturday night in the "City That Never Sleeps."
And that roar grew by a 100 decibels or so after Wright, who could run for Mayor of Philly these days and win in a landslide, shouted, “I want to thank Nova Nation for coming out!” Ten more seconds of not being able to hear anything in the building.
Before exiting the stage Wright needed to comment on two more things: how much he loved playing in Madison Square Garden and then to praise his three superlative seniors - Hart, Jenkins and Reynolds. Yet another thunderous roar from Nova Nation, and now Wright could run for governor of the great commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Who could blame the Wildcats for wanting the party to last? All season long they played with a target on their collective backs. When you’re the defending National Champions that just comes with the territory. Then there was all the talk about whether Villanova could win the BIG EAST regular season title for a fourth straight time (they did) and if the No. 1 seeded ‘Cats could win another BIG EAST Tournament with their vaunted senior class (they did that, too).
In the postgame press conference it didn’t take long before this question was posed to Wright: ‘No team has won back-to-back NCAA titles in 20 years. What’s it going to take for you guys to repeat?’ Their BIG EAST title was barely 30 minutes old and it was time to look past it already? Talk about a buzzkill.
“You know what, I don’t know yet about the pressure. There’s different kinds of pressure during the year,” Wright said. “There’s definitely a hangover from last year (and) it put pressure on us though this season. But now we have the final piece going into the tournament. This tournament was like a break from all (the pressure) because you just get here and you know the NCAA Tournament is coming (but) you get here and you’re just in New York. It’s just BIG EAST teams, it’s New York, Madison Square Garden vibe. This was a really nice break.”
The championship game itself never seemed to be in doubt as Villanova built a lead as large as 20 points (46-26) with 15:06 to play after a 3-ball by Hart, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, as if there was ever any doubt. From there Creighton, a team that can make some noise in the NCAA Tournament, never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.”
Hart never really liked coming to New York earlier in his career. Too big, too noisy, too congested for the guy from Silver Spring, Maryland. But that was before winning the Dave Gavitt Trophy as Most Outstanding Player as a sophomore. And again Saturday night. And now there is a chance he will be back here in two weeks for the NCAA East Regionals. They will be prohibitive favorites to take care of business in beautiful Buffalo next weekend in the opening round then it would be a return trip to the Garden. Now you wouldn’t be surprised if you spot Hart sporting an “I Love NY” t-shirt when he returns to the Big Apple.
“If I’m back here in two weeks I would love that,” said Hart, who finished with 29 points in the win. “I’m not one for the hustle and bustle. I’m more of a homebody. But I love it here right now, I’ll tell you that.”
Wright said the team planned on celebrating in New York Saturday night and then bus back to Philly for the Selection Sunday Show. The quest for a repeat begins.