March Madness 2019: 10 teams with the toughest path to the Final Four

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 15: Head coach Steve Wojciechowski of the Marquette Golden Eagles discusses a call with a referee in the first half against the Seton Hall Pirates during the semifinal round of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 16: Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright during the first half of the Big East Conference Championship college basketball game between the Villanova Wildcats and the Seton Hall Pirates on March 16, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

5. Villanova

The defending national champions are only a 6-seed despite winning both the Big East regular season title and tournament, but Villanova’s resume warranted a lower seed. The Wildcats had a tough year, struggling down the stretch, making their path towards a title defense very difficult.

Villanova will have to start off with a date with Saint Mary’s, which just knocked off Gonzaga to earn its ticket to the dance. Assuming they survive their date with the Gaels, Villanova is staring at a date with Purdue, which shared the Big Ten’s regular season title with Michigan State.

Next up would be a shot at the Tennessee Volunteers, who had a 19-game winning streak during the regular season and were ranked at the top of the polls for several weeks. The Volunteers are a deep squad that could create matchup problems for the Wildcats.

Last but not least would be a showdown with one of the best teams in the country, Virginia, for a trip to the Final Four. The Cavaliers’ Pack Line defense could give Villanova fits, but there’s a great chance they won’t even get that far.

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