Villanova Basketball: Factors That Will Make or Break Wildcats in 2014-15

Just like every program across the nation, the Villanova Wildcats will come across some make-or-break moments throughout the 2014-15 season. 

Whether it be big games, numbers put up by certain players or coaching decisions, there are sure to be a few factors that will determine the Wildcats' fate. 

Below we take a look at the biggest factors that will change the landscape of Villanova's season.

Production Levels of Starting Guards

Last season, James Bell came out of nowhere to deliver big numbers for the Wildcats in the points department.

Now that Bell has graduated, the duo of Ryan Arcidiacono and Darrun Hilliard will have to replace the 14.4 points per game that the guard put up last season. 

The two top starting guards for the Wildcats combined for 24.2 points per game during the 2013-14 season, but Arcidiacono saw a slip in production, as he was down two points from the total he recorded in his freshman year. 

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For the Wildcats to succeed throughout the entire season, the two stars will have to show their experience and rise to the occasion in every game they suit up. 

Of course they will have an off night or two, but for 90 percent of the games, this pairing needs to lead the Wildcats in points for a successful run into the postseason to become a possibility. 

Nonconference Record

It may seem odd to talk about NCAA tournament resumes in October, but for Villanova to earn a favorable seed in March, it must win big nonconference games. 

The big names that stick out on the nonconference slate for Jay Wright's side are VCU, Illinois, Syracuse and either Michigan or Oregon. 

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Beating VCU, a team that always shows up during March Madness, early in the season should benefit Villanova in some way, shape or form. 

If the Wildcats can get past Shaka Smart's Rams, they will take on either Michigan or Oregon in the Legends Classic final.

No offense to Oregon, but everyone in the Villanova camp would probably prefer a chance to take down a premier Big Ten team instead of the Ducks. 

A win over the Wolverines would do wonders for Villanova's resume, and so would a win over rival Syracuse, which is always in contention for a top-tier seed in March.

As for the Illinois game, it never hurts to have a win over a power conference team just in case they catch fire during conference play.

Consistency off the Bench 

The Wildcats were extremely lucky to receive terrific contributions off the bench from Kris Jenkins and Josh Hart last season, but you can't always have players ready to shine right away. 

With Bell now out of the fold, one of those two players will jump into a starting role, while the other will become the go-to sixth man for Wright. 

Other than the sixth man, Villanova will have Dylan Ennis, Phil Booth, Mikal Bridges and Darryl Reynolds to rely on. 

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Out of that group, Ennis is the only player with a decent amount of experience, while the other three are still relatively new to the college game. 

With some uncertainty surrounding the bench situation past the seventh man, the Wildcats may have to use a short bench at times, which has the potential to backfire.