By PAUL GOTHAM
BROOKLYN — The narrative chases Jay Wright‘s Villanova Wildcats. Since reaching the 2009 national semi-final Villanova hasn’t advanced beyond the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Despite averaging more than 30 wins a season over the last three years, Wright’s Wildcats have won just two games in the Big Dance in their three previous trips.
Just don’t expect Wright to feel sorry for himself or his players.
“I really don’t think it’s unfair,” Wright said when asked about the national perception of Villanova. “I just think it’s sports, and that’s the beauty of coaching college athletics is that you get to use these as life lessons.”
Seniors Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu have won 112 collegiate games but have never played in the Sweet Sixteen.
“They’re either going to go by this weekend, and they’re going to be the winningest class in Villanova history and they’re going to get to a Sweet 16, or they’re not, and they’re going to be the winningest class in Villanova history and didn’t get past the second round,” Wright explained. “Either way, it’s going to be a learning process for them.
“I don’t think they’re going to define themselves by this for the rest of their life,” Wright added. “It would seem unfair, but that is the way it is. You get a lot of benefits playing for Villanova. They’re going to use those the rest of their life. But this is all part of it.”
The first round upsets of this year’s tournament were not lost on Wright.
“I heard (Denzel) Valentine from Michigan State yesterday say, ‘this is something I’m going to live with the rest of my life.’ If you’re a big time athlete, you put yourself out on the stage in the arena, that’s all part of it. That’s why you’ve got to respect what these guys do.”
A year ago Villanova, as a No. 1-seed, opened the NCAA Tournament with a win over Lafayette before falling to North Carolina State. The loss has brought questions of the national perception of Villanova.
“Everyone has the right to think what they want, say what they want,” Arcidiacono said. “We played in those games. We haven’t come through in the second round of the tournament. We’ve had some great success throughout the regular season and in the Big East Tournament the last couple of years. Hopefully, we can win tomorrow, but we’re just excited to play.
“I can’t really tell people how they should look at our senior class or myself in particular. They have the right to think of us how they want to.”
“Within the Villanova family, their legacy is going to be the winningest class in Villanova history, and I think Daniel Ochefu will go down as one of the great big men in Villanova history,” Wright noted. “I think Ryan Arcidiacono will also go down as one of the great guards in Villanova history.
“Now, nationally, we realize their legacy is going to be based on what they do in the NCAA Tournament. It’s just what college basketball is. We obviously care much more about our legacy within our program, but we understand the national legacy is important, and I think that’s how it’s going to play out.”
No. 2-seed Villanova will tip off against No. 7-seed Iowa Sunday at 12:10 p.m. from the Barclays Center.
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