If you listen closely, you can still hear the sound of Villanova turning the ball over.
A brand-new Wildcats roster looked like a team playing together for the first time on Sunday morning. Villanova squandered away a game where it led for a majority of the time thanks to 20 turnovers and a cold stretch over the final five minutes.
Villanova, a team picked third in the Big East by many this season, fell to ACC bottom-feeder Notre Dame in Rome as a decent favorite. Not ideal for a team that was supposed to take big steps forward.
Let’s make something clear — Villanova will be just fine. There were many good things that happened in the opener but the turnover issues paired with missed free throws highlighted a performance that lacked detail.
Villanova finished 13-for-18 from the free throw line and missed 20 three’s along with 20 turnovers, with 15 coming in the first half. Notre Dame scored 20 points off Villanova turnovers.
This was the bad, along with a lack of ball handlers. The backcourt was figured to take a step back from last year but there is a need for consistency, especially once Big East play begins.
There was also some good. Jake Fiegen scored 11 points and knocked down three three’s. Tyler Perkins picked up right where he left off last season with 18 points. Kwame Evans also made an immediate impact defensively thanks to his size. He grabbed seven rebounds but turned the ball over five times in what was his first action of the season.
Devin Royal will also be better. The scoring leader from exhibitions took just one shot and finished with five points.
The good news for Villanova is that it has a three-game stretch coming up with Holy Cross, La Salle, and Rider. The Wildcats will get a chance to come together and figure out what works and what doesn’t.
It is a long season and two things can be true at the same time. The fact remains, this was a bad loss to begin the season but it was the first day of the college basketball year and there is plenty of time for a talented Wildcats roster to make up for it.