Villanova Wildcats basketball — program history
Villanova's basketball program was established in 1920 at the private Catholic university outside Philadelphia. The Wildcats have won three national championships (1985, 2016, 2018) and are a cornerstone of Big East basketball. Their 1985 title as a No. 8 seed — shooting 78.6% from the field against Patrick Ewing's Georgetown in 'The Perfect Game' — remains the lowest seed ever to win the championship. Kris Jenkins' buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat North Carolina in the 2016 title game is considered one of the greatest shots in sports history.
The name
The 'Wildcats' nickname was adopted in 1926 through a campus-wide contest, the winning suggestion of assistant football coach Edward Hunsinger, who had played at Notre Dame alongside the famed 'Four Horsemen'
Signature moment
Kris Jenkins' buzzer-beating three-pointer to give Villanova a 77-74 victory over North Carolina in the 2016 NCAA Championship game
In the 1985 championship game known as 'The Perfect Game,' Villanova shot 78.6% from the field — a championship game record that still stands — to upset heavily favored Georgetown
The Villanova Wildcats compete in the Big East and hold an all-time record of 1931–1015 (.655 winning percentage) across 106 recorded seasons dating back to 1920-21. The program has won 3 NCAA national championships (1985, 2016, 2018) and reached 6 Final Fours.
National championships
1985, 2016, 2018
Season-by-season results
More Big East programs
Butler Bulldogs · Creighton Bluejays · DePaul Blue Demons · Georgetown Hoyas · Marquette Golden Eagles · Providence Friars · Seton Hall Pirates · St. John's Red Storm · UConn Huskies · Xavier Musketeers
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