The well-oiled machine that is Villanova basketball has continued rolling as efficiently as ever, despite having to replace two of its top three scorers – Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins – from last season. The No. 1-ranked Wildcats are on pace to contend for another 30-win season after averaging just over 32 wins in the last four seasons.
Redshirt freshman forward Omari Spellman's production this season has helped Villanova jump out to a 14-1 start and he projects to be a foundational player for the program in future seasons. The 6-9, 245-pound forward from Cleveland, Ohio, is averaging 10.4 points, a team-best 7.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, while also shooting 46.5 percent from 3-point range.
OMARI SPELLMAN #NOVAvsPenn pic.twitter.com/xma3UtPMXY
— Villanova MBB (@NovaMBB) November 30, 2017
Spellman has five double-doubles this season, including one in a win over then-No. 12 Gonzaga earlier this season. Perhaps his best performance came against Temple in early December, when he scored 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-7 from 3.
The freshman plays an important role for the Wildcats, providing a big body inside while also being able to stretch the floor as a shooting threat from behind the arc.
