The loss snapped Villanova’s 32-game home winning streak, and it marked one of the few defeats Jay Wright’s club has suffered in the last calendar year.
Much has changed since last January. Villanova went from answering endless questions about their inability to reach the Sweet 16, to National Champions behind perhaps the most clutch shot in NCAA Tournament history, when Kris Jenkins knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the title game against Carolina.
The national championship changed the perception of both Villanova and the Big East. Jenkins’ shot gave Wright his first national title, while the Big East was legitimized with a national championship in just its third season following realignment.