A Look Back at the 2018 Villanova Basketball Roster and Championship Team
I still remember watching that 2018 Villanova season opener like it was yesterday - there was something electric in the air that told me this wasn't going to be just another championship run. That was very much evident in their season opener, as the black-and-gold flexed its muscles - on defending champion University of the Philippines, no less. What struck me most wasn't just the victory itself, but how they achieved it. Jay Wright had assembled what I consider one of the most perfectly balanced rosters in modern college basketball history, blending veteran leadership with explosive young talent in a way that felt almost revolutionary.
Looking back at that championship roster, the numbers still impress me - Jalen Brunson's 18.9 points per game while shooting 52.1% from the field, Mikal Bridges' 17.7 points with that incredible 43.5% from three-point range. These weren't just statistics; they represented a system where every player understood their role perfectly. Donte DiVincenzo, who came off the bench in most games, ended up being the X-factor in the championship game with 31 points. I've always argued that his performance against Michigan might be the greatest sixth-man showing in NCAA tournament history, though I know some Carolina fans might debate that with me.
The beauty of that team was how they complemented each other. Brunson provided the steady hand and basketball IQ, Bridges brought the two-way versatility that NBA scouts drool over, and Omari Spellman stretched defenses with his surprising three-point range for a big man. What often gets overlooked is how Phil Booth's leadership shaped that team's chemistry. Having been part of the 2016 championship team, his experience in high-pressure situations gave the younger players a calmness that I think made all the difference during tight games.
Their offensive efficiency numbers were absolutely ridiculous - they averaged 86.6 points per game while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range as a team. In my twenty years of covering college basketball, I've never seen another team maintain that level of shooting efficiency throughout an entire season. The way they moved the ball, the unselfish play, the constant motion - it was basketball poetry. I particularly loved watching their sets after timeouts, where Wright's play-calling genius would often result in wide-open looks that felt almost unfair to opposing defenses.
Defensively, they were significantly underrated. While everyone talked about their offensive firepower, their ability to switch everything and contest shots without fouling was masterful. They held opponents to just 41% shooting from the field, and Bridges' 1.5 steals per game don't fully capture how many possessions he disrupted with his length and anticipation. Eric Paschall's physicality in the post allowed them to play smaller lineups without sacrificing rebounding, which was crucial in their championship game victory where they outrebounded Michigan 38-27.
The tournament run itself felt inevitable once they got past West Virginia's press in the Sweet Sixteen. I remember telling my colleagues that if they survived that test, nobody was stopping them. Their victory over Kansas in the Final Four showcased their versatility - when their three-point shooting wasn't falling early, they adjusted and attacked the basket, with Brunson particularly brilliant in breaking down the Jayhawks' defense off the dribble.
What made that team special, in my view, was how they represented the culmination of Wright's system. Having followed Villanova basketball since the early 2000s, I'd watched the program evolve from a tough Big East team to a national powerhouse, and the 2018 squad was the perfect embodiment of that transformation. They played with a professionalism and maturity that you rarely see in college basketball, treating every possession with equal importance whether it was November or April.
The legacy of that team continues to influence college basketball today. The emphasis on positionless basketball, the value placed on three-point shooting across all positions, the importance of veteran leadership - these are all elements that the 2018 Villanova team perfected. Six players from that roster have played in the NBA, with Brunson developing into an All-Star, proving that their success wasn't just about college-level talent but developing players for the next level.
I often find myself comparing current dominant teams to that 2018 Villanova squad, and frankly, few measure up. The way they blended individual excellence with collective purpose created something truly special that season. Their championship wasn't just about winning six games in March - it was about the daily commitment to excellence that started with that season opener and never wavered. That's why, when people ask me about the greatest college basketball teams I've ever seen, the 2018 Villanova Wildcats are always near the top of my list.