Last Year: 18-16; 10-10, Sixth in the Big East, lost in the first round of the NIT
Head Coach: Kyle Neptune (Third Year; 35-33 at Villanova, with no NCAA Tournament appearances)
Projected Starting Lineup
PG Jhamir Brickus – 5’11”, 188 5th-year Senior
G Wooga Poplar – 6’5″, 197 Senior
G Jordan Longino – 6’5″, 215 Senior
F Eric Dixon – 6’8″, 265 5th-year Senior
C Enoch Boakye – 6’11”, 255 Senior
Experienced Reserves
G Tyler Perkins – 6’4″, 212 Sophomore
Freshmen
W Kris Parker – 6’9″, 201 (Redshirt)
W Jordann Dumont- 6’8″, 220 (Redshirt)
F Josiah Moseley – 6’6″, 228
F Malcolm Thomas – 6’8″, 218
F Matthew Hodge – 6’8″, 220
Sometimes, even the most carefully orchestrated plans for a peaceful transition of power go awry. Such has been the fate in Philadelphia, where Villanova has fallen quickly from the lofty perch it had occupied for the past two decades. During the tenure of legendary head coach Jay Wright, the Wildcats posted a .695 winning percentage. Under his chosen successor, Kyle Neptune, Nova has dipped to .510 the past two seasons.
The frustration around the program has been palpable and publicly expressed. Last winter, there was open rebellion and talk of season-ticket boycots among the Wildcat faithful, and the Woldcats’ up and down finish to Neptune’s second campaign did little to quell the dissatisfaction.
The only option was for Neptune to turn to the transfer portal, as he appeared to have done successfully last spring. There, however, more frustration was waiting. The Wildcats swung at and missed a host of high-profile transfers, even securing a commitment from VCU’s Max Shulga only to watch him choose to remain a Ram instead. In the end, Neptune landed a couple of stars and some complimentary pieces to fill out the roster.
The questions for this group, once again, aren’t as much with the the composition of the lineup but the decisions which will be made or not made by the man coaching them. The only way that Neptune can change people’s opinions about him is to win, and now the moment is approaching to attempt the feat.
A coach couldn’t ask for a much more reliable pillar to lean upon than Neptune has in returning fifth-year senior Eric Dixon. This will be Dixon’s sixth year in the program, as he redshirted upon first arriving despite his status as a consensus Top 100 recruit. Over the four years since, Dixon’s progress has been steady, and now he is a genuine star and two-time All-Big East selection. Despite his great production – Dixon has been one of the Big East’s top ten scorers each of the past two years – the conversation about him has long been focused on Dixon’s comparative limitations as an undersized post player. By this point, it has been made clear that there are a great many things about what Dixon has to offer which deserve to be appreciated without qualifiers. He worked out for scouts ahead of the NBA Draft this spring, but Dixon’s decision to come back for his final season of eligibility gave the Wildcats a badly-needed jolt.
“Throughout his time here, Eric’s work ethic, intelligence and skill have allowed him to improve every year,” Neptune lauded his returning big man. “In our minds, he’s one of the top basketball players in the country and a cornerstone of our program.”
A smooth forward with the ball skills, range, and toughness to take over games inside and out, Dixon has become the heartbeat of Nova’s offense. He’s one point away from 1,500 for his career, and Dixon has proven his mettle in the biggest moments against top competition. His masterpiece last season came in an overtime win at Creighton in late December. Among his heroics, Dixon splashed a game-tying triple with less than 30 seconds left in regulation, and he finished with 32 of the Wildcats’ 68 points for the night. Opponents know to fear his deep ball, and Dixon can hurt them near the basket with outstanding footwork and an array of post moves. If the Wildcats can find balance around him – and help at the pivot – Dixon should be better than ever this winter.
Last year, Neptune tried to fit an ensemble cast of solid veterans around Dixon. This year, there are two clear co-stars. Even better, they are both from around Philly. If the trio can coalesce around what appear to be their complementary skills, the Wildcats could turn things around fairly quickly.
Former Miami Hurricane wing Wooga Poplar has increased his scoring average by about five points each of the past two seasons. If that course holds true, he’s about to become one of the most dangerous players in the Big East. A sharpshooter with good size who, like Dixon, kicked the tires on going pro this spring, Poplar flashed all sorts of star potential in Coral Gables, FL. He’s seen and been a big part of success in the NCAA Tournament, too – the Canes went to the Elite Eight in his rookie year, and the Final Four when Poplar was a sophomore. That’s the sort of blend Villanova needs, and Neptune has spoken of his anticipation to see what Poplar can do.
“We’re excited to bring another tough Philly guard to our team. Wooga is an explosive athlete and big-time scorer. He does a great job playing off his shot, and attacking mismatches,” Neptune proclaimed upon Poplar’s signing in June.
“Wooga is an explosive athlete and big-time scorer. He does a great job playing off his shot, and attacking mismatches.”
– Kyle Neptune
A slick shooter whose game has been built around his threat from the land of trey, Poplar became more and more dangerous off the bounce since entering Miami’s starting lineup. Over the past two seasons, Poplar has slashed 44.6/38.1/86.5% from the floor, and Poplar had been playing far better than that last year before an ankle injury got in the way. Before the new year, Poplar had averaged 17.5 points on 50.8% shooting from distance through 11 games. He missed three games to begin 2024, and upon his return, Poplar just wasn’t quite right for the rest of the season. A healthy Poplar should give the Wildcats a star scorer opposite Dixon who can spread out the opposing defense and then attack the heart of it. There was plenty of hype about Poplar’s NBA potential last fall which that injury helped to put on hold. This year, playing in front of his home fans, Poplar very well may be about to explode.
The guy who’s been brought in to drive Villanova’s offense is another local kid. So local that, after growing up in and around Philadelphia, Jhamir Brickus spent his first four seasons at La Salle. Now that he’s swapped one Big 5 jersey for another, Neptune needs Brickus to remain the gutsy, play-driving star he became in the Atlantic 10.
“Jhamir is a high-level decision maker, distributor, and scorer,” Neptune commented upon Brickus joining the Wildcats. “He possesses some of the best traits of a Philly guard with his toughness and understanding of the game. His experience and knowledge will be a great asset to our team.”
As an Explorer, was a starter all four years and had the ball in his hands for a lion’s share of the time. His first three years, Brickus was remarkably consistent, posting totals closely in the orbit of his averages of 9.3 points and 3.1 assists per game during that span. Last season, he ranked second in the A10 in assists, and Brickus led the league in averaging the 16th-most minutes among all Division I players. Brickus also continued his evolution as a shooter, allowing his scoring to really take off. He shot 43.3/40.0/85.7% from the floor, and Brickus scored 20+ points five times. He also put on a legendary show in Big 5 competition, scoring 41 points in a three-overtime loss to Temple last November. Brickus has always been a confident driver who can convert tough buckets around the lane, and his ability to put his head down and earn a hoop or some harm will be an asset in late shot clock situations. Neptune will need Brickus to keep up the 2.25:1 assist to turnover ratio he posted last year as the engine of Villanova’s offense.
A pair of big guards will be close in the competition for minutes, and Neptune would love to see Jordan Longino and Tyler Perkins step forward as consistent scorers. This will be Longino’s fourth season as a Wildcat, and the former 4-star recruit has been making steady, if unspectacular, progress. His role did not expand quite as hoped last year, but Longino has the powerful frame and outside touch to become a quality scorer. He significantly improved from three-point territory, raising his percentage from 23.2% as a sophomore to 32.5% last year. Consistency and health are priorities, and a more effective Longino could stabilize the Wildcat rotation.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 65.6 – Opponent Points Per Game (16th) |
| 70.2 – Points Per Game (246th) |
| 80.8% – Team Free Throw Percentage (1st) |
| 0.268 – Free Throw Attempts Per FG Attempt (333rd) |
| 0.260 – Opponent FT Attempts Per FG Attempt (29th) |
“This is maybe the first summer where we’ve had Jordan fully healthy for the whole summer,” Neptune said this summer. “He’s gotten a lot better. There have been strides made with his jump shot. He’s in a great shape and has been a leader, especially to the younger guys. I’m excited about the upcoming season for Jordan.”
Neptune has brought in another Big 5 transfer in former Penn guard Tyler Perkins. He was one of the best freshmen in the Ivy League last season, and showed off quite a well-rounded game for a rookie. He hung 22 points and grabbed six boards on Villanova as the Quakers knocked off Neptune’s team last November, and his new coach has been impressed by Perkins ever since.
“First and foremost, I think we all remember how well Tyler played against us last season at the Palestra. The first thing that strikes me about Tyler is that he is a competitor. There are a lot of things he does on the court – he shoots it, can play in pick and roll, is a good (isolation) player, and a good defender. But the thing that stands out above all of that is his competitiveness.” Perkins ranked top ten in the Ancient Eight in rebounds, free throws, and steals in his debut, and he came in at #11 in scoring average, three’s, and minutes played. His youth was no detriment last year, and if Perkins can translate his production to the Big East, he will be a key piece as a sophomore, as well.
There has been a whole lot of not enough help for Dixon up front since Neptune took over. Last year was particularly rough. To help address that deficiency, Villanova has brought in Fresno State transfer Enoch Boakye and a trio of freshmen. Whether things work out better this time remains to be proven.
Following two years as a deep reserve at Arizona State, Boakye enjoyed by far the best season of his career with the Bulldogs last winter. Strong on the boards at both ends of the floor, Boakye ranked fifth in the Mountain West in rebounding average. He finished sixth in blocks per game, and when he avoids foul trouble, Boakye can be a genuine force at the back end of a defense.
“Enoch is an entity we haven’t had here in some time. He’s all of 6-9, 6-10. He has long arms. He’s really sturdy at about 245 pounds. But then he can also really move,” Neptune analyzed to Nova Notebook this summer. “He can stay in front of guys and protect the rim. We like that he’s a communicator, always talking on defense. This is a guy that loves to compete. We’re lucky to have him and I think he can anchor us defensively.” He remains unrefined offensively, and Boakye figures to get the majority of his points off of quick setups and putbacks. Boakye piled up 30 extra attempts last year, and converted 76.2% of his putback tries at the rim last year, Per Hoop-Math. 56 of the 93 field goals he made with Fresno State were dunks, and Boakye made just 49.2% of his free throws. Brickus and his new buddies can keep Boakye in position to dunk, but he will have to do a bit better at the charity stripe.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| vs Cincinnati – December 3 |
| N Maryland – November 24 |
| Big 5 Classic 3rd Game – December 7 |
| N Virginia – November 15 |
| @ St. Joe’s – November 12 |
Neptune’s freshman class features three youngsters who can help Dixon, too. The guy most similar to him may end up being a key support to Dixon, as Josiah Moseley fits what seems to have been the Villanova prototype at power forward the past decade-plus.
“Josiah plays with a physicality that is so impressive. He can finish at the rim with anyone and has played every position. His versatility will be something that we try to use,” marveled Neptune. Moseley is undersized at the 4 spot, but his powerful frame, aggressive nature, and increasingly, solid jumper get the job done regardless. He should pick up some valuable pointers from Dixon, as their games share so many overlapping attributes.
New Jersey product Matthew Hodge has more size and just as much tenacity as Moseley in the paint. He’s another combo forward, and Hodge is a strong rebounder who can guard some perimeter players. His offense is built on spot-up jumpers and quick post-up’s, and as quickly as Hodge can acclimate to the Big East, he should start playing solid minutes. Malcolm Thomas is the biggest of the three freshmen, and brings bouncy athleticism in a rangy 6’8″ frame. He’s got clear impact potential as a defender, and Thomas could see the floor early on if he can provide a counterpoint to Boakye. Says Neptune, “Malcolm is one of the best athletes we’ve ever had here and we’ve had some great ones.”
Redshirt freshman Jordann Dumont had to have hip surgery this spring, but once he’s able to rejoin the Wildcats, his great length on the wing could be an asset. The youngster from Montreal is an inside-out defender who likes to launch three’s, and a 6’9″ 3-and-D threat would be a nice addition to Nova’s lineup. Another young wing, Kris Parker, is coming aboard after a year at Alabama. In case it takes a bit for Dumont to get rolling, Parker is another 3-and-D wing with great size. He was also considered a 4-star recruit by plenty of recruiting services just last year, and after testing himself against a Tide team which went to the Final Four, Parker may be ready to help.
There are no easy ways to say it: this sure looks like a make-or-break season for Kyle Neptune. The Villanova administration has supported him and provided the resources to succeed, even as fans and boosters have raged against keeping him. With NBA talent on the roster and a great deal more untapped potential, the Wildcats look like an NCAA Tournament team in practice. Can Nova prove to be one of the 68 teams who make it in March? The only answers will come in late winter, and as the calendar advances, the pressure will mount.
Leave a Reply