Villanova Basketball: Biggest Ups and Downs from 2014 Offseason so Far

With the new season rapidly approaching, it is time to recap what exactly the Villanova Wildcats have been up to throughout the offseason. 

From new commitments to current players gaining new experience, this offseason has been an eventful one for Jay Wright's team. 

Below is a look at the biggest ups and downs from Villanova's offseason.

Ups

Jalen Brunson's Commitment 

The biggest news involving the Wildcats during the offseason came a few weeks ago when Jalen Brunson committed to the program.

Here's how he chose Villanova, per The Philadelphia Inquirer's Matt Breen: 

Seen by many as a program-changing player and potential four-year starter, Brunson should make an immediate impact when he steps on campus next season. 

When he begins his freshman season, Brunson will join a backcourt that will feature Ryan Arcidiacono, Josh Hart, Phil Booth and Dylan Ennis. 

Brunson will be seen as the heir apparent to Darrun Hilliard in the lineup, with Hilliard having one more year of eligibility left. 

No matter which way you put it, Brunson's commitment means a ton for a program looking to challenge on the national level every season. 

Leaps in Development for Arcidiacono and Hilliard

The two main cogs in the backcourt machine this season will be Arcidiacono and Hilliard, who both had a chance to improve their respective games during the offseason. 

Arcidiacono was the only American-based player invited to the Italian national team camp held this summer, per VUHoops.com. 

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

While having players in national team camps is nothing new to college players, it is a big step for the junior guard, who saw his numbers drop slightly last season. 

With some international experience under his belt, Arcidiacono should come back to the Main Line with a bit more maturity to his game in a season where he is expected to become a major leader on the team. 

Hilliard participated in the LeBron James Skills Academy in July alongside some of the best talent in the nation. 

Not only did both players receive a good amount of experience, but they also earned recognition from attending these camps, which is never a bad thing for the Wildcats.

Downs

Only Earning One Commitment Throughout the Summer

Let's not get it twisted, Brunson's commitment is a major development for the Wildcats, but he was the only recruit to join up with the Wildcats this summer. 

Including Brunson, the Wildcats have three players in the class of 2015, but two open roster spots remain for the team to fill. 

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

With two key contributors in Hilliard and JayVaughn Pinkston leaving after this season, the Wildcats will have plenty of voids to fill.

Because of those two departures, the spotlight will be on the rest of the recruiting process for the class of 2015. 

If Wright can bring in one or two more quality players for next season, the Wildcats won't have to rely on a single commit to help replace the production of Hilliard and Pinkston.

Departure of Big East Stars

This may not seem like a low point in the offseason, but with the Big East losing two stars in Doug McDermott and Ethan Wragge, the quality of the league may drop. 

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Last season, the Wildcats had a true rival in the title race, as Creighton took them down on two occasions thanks to the dynamic duo of McDermott and Wragge. 

Villanova also lost a star in James Bell, but unlike Creighton, it has the manpower to survive a big personnel loss. 

Heading into the new season, there isn't a legitimate rival to challenge Villanova in its quest to repeat as the regular-season champion. 

Although a lot can change between now and March, Villanova enters the new campaign with a depleted set of conference opponents, which does nothing for its NCAA tournament resume.