Run It Back

After taking the 2016 NCAA Championship game in thrilling fashion, coach Jay Wright and the Villanova Wildcats are trying to repeat as champs by putting last year’s success in the rearview.

- David Cassilo

A buzzer-beater to win a National Championship. That’s something you don’t easily forget. It’s hard to erase from your memory moments like Kris Jenkins sinking a three-pointer to give Villanova its first NCAA title since 1985. But it’s even harder to forget about it when you’re part of the moment. Like Villanova coach Jay Wright, who after not even flinching when Jenkins’ shot fell, shared emotional hugs with his coaches, his family and Rollie Massimino, the 1985 Villanova coach and Wright’s former boss. Or his players, who joined him for celebrations that included a parade in Philadelphia, a trip to the ESPYs in Los Angeles and a visit to the White House to meet the president.

But as difficult as it may seem, forgetting about all of that is exactly what Villanova is trying to do. It’s the only way, the Wildcats believe, they can do it again.

“In order to win a second one, you can’t really think about the first one,” Jenkins says. “We’re pretty much starting from ground zero, and we have to build it back up.”

THOSE WHO don’t know Jay Wright well might mistake him for George Clooney. His finely tailored game day suits, salt-and-pepper hair and tan skin have earned him the nickname GQ Jay. “You walk into his office and he’s dressed nice and has his legs crossed,” says Villanova senior Josh Hart. “He looks smooth.” Wright swears he’s most comfortable in track pants and a polo shirt, but his “respect for the game” forces him to wear a suit.