As first-year Villanova basketball coach Kevin Willard takes a third program into March Madness, he appears headed toward a familiar place: an 8-9 game.
The Wildcats are the last No. 8 seed according to Bracket Matrix, which compiles the work of 117 established bracketologists (yes, there are at least that many).
They are a No. 9 seed according to ESPN.com’s Joe Lunardi, the Godfather of bracketology.
Willard’s teams have appeared in an 8-9 game four previous times, going 2-2:
–In 2017, Seton Hall lost a close game to Arkansas in the Round of 64.
–In 2018, Seton Hall beat N.C. State in the Round of 64 before losing a hard-fought Round of 32 game to top-seeded Kansas in Wichita.
–In 2022, Seton Hall got romped by TCU in the Round of 64.
–In 2023, Maryland beat West Virginia in the Round of 64 before getting routed by top-seeded Alabama in Birmingham.
The 8-9 game is a tough spot because of the likelihood that the winner will have to face a No. 1 seed in a true road environment.
Who does Villanova play in NCAA Tournament 2026?
Villanova will find out its seed and first-round opponent on Selection Sunday, March 15 at 6 p.m. on CBS.
Lunardi’s bracket projection has Villanova facing Clemson in Tampa, with defending national champ Florida as the No. 1 seed in the grouping. Other possible first-round opponents for the Wildcats include Ohio State, TCU, Georgia, Saint Louis, Utah State, Iowa, Miami, Saint Mary’s, Kentucky and UCLA.
At 24-8, with a NET ranking of 35, Villanova is 2-6 vs. Quad 1 opponents and 10-7 vs. Quads 1-2. The lack of Quad 1 victories, a byproduct of a metrically weak Big East, will hold the Wildcats back from a higher seed despite their impressive record.
In the big picture, getting Villanova back to the Big Dance after a three-year absence under the disastrous tenure of Kyle Neptune is a good start for Willard’s regime on the Main Line. The Wildcats were picked to finish seventh in the Big East’s preseason coaches’ poll and wound up third.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Villanova March Madness bracket predictions for 2026 NCAA tournament