Villanova Basketball: Wildcats Who'll Take Biggest Leap Forward in 2014-15
With the 2014-15 season just around the corner, a few players are beginning to find themselves under the microscope in regard to their performance in the upcoming season.
For Villanova, two specific players are going to face the critics the most because of their roles on the team and their showing during the 2013-14 campaign.
Junior point guard Ryan Arcidiacono and junior center Daniel Ochefu will need to boost their respective numbers from last season for the Wildcats to succeed during the new season.
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Ryan Arcidiacono
Arcidiacono burst on to the scene as a freshman two years ago, and he made a strong impact on a Wildcats team that needed someone to step up.
Last season, the point guard took a backseat in the scoring department to James Bell, who emerged as the team's best scorer in his final year on the Main Line.
With Bell gone and Darrun Hilliard no longer an unknown quantity, Arcidiacono will be tasked with once again being the on-court offensive general and a major provider from beyond the arc.
After averaging 11.9 points per game as a freshman, Arcidiacono's production slipped a bit, dropping to 9.9 points per game because Bell and Hilliard became integral parts of the offense.
His shooting from beyond the arc also slacked off, as he attempted 12 less shots from three-point range last season than in the 2012-13 season.
That drop-off in shots from downtown resulted in a better three-point average for Arcidiacono, but he will need to improve on those numbers with his role growing as a junior.
He may not be the No. 1 scoring option in the offense, but he is certainly a solid second or third option whom head coach Jay Wright has to rely on.
If he is able to enhance his numbers from last season by a few points per game, and shoot over 40 percent for the first time in his career, Villanova could hit opponents from all angles of the backcourt.
Daniel Ochefu
Last season was an adjustment process for Ochefu, as he became a starter for the first time at the center position.
Ochefu started 32 of Villanova's 34 games and averaged 5.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, which are solid numbers for a sophomore.
As a junior, Ochefu will be asked to step up more in the paint, which would let JayVaughn Pinkston drift out into space more to create mismatches against some vulnerable Big East opponents.
For those numbers to improve, Ochefu needs to command the ball more on offense and play with an edge on defense.
In his 34 games last season, Ochefu attempted 128 field goals and converted 59.4 percent of them.
If he can show the same efficiency down low, he can become a more reliable scoring option, which is something the guard-heavy lineup needs to succeed.
On the other side of the court, Ochefu has a chance to average close to 10 rebounds per game if he plays physical every game, and keeps his foul total low, like he did last season. He committed 95 fouls, which equates to 2.8 per game.
A disciplined big man is a valuable commodity in the Big East, and that is what Ochefu needs to be for the Wildcats to replicate last season's success.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
All statistics obtained from Villanova.com.
