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1. How much does Luigi Suigo raise Villanova’s ceiling?

One of the biggest dominoes of the offseason finally fell over the weekend with Villanova landing 7-3 Italian center Luigi Suigo.

Suigo was in the NBA Draft process and was a projected first round pick by multiple outlets, but he pulled his name out ahead of the June 13 deadline. He was long predicted to land at Villanova if he were to withdraw, and that has now come to fruition.

But how big is this commitment? Per EvanMiya.com, it takes the Wildcats from a roster ranking of 17-24 to 12-18. That’s a big change, and the 19-year-old has also filled a big gap at the five spot. Suigo averaged 8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks for Mega Superbet in the Adriatic League in 25-26 and projects to be one of the best rim protectors in America.

The big man could easily play his way into an All-Big East, and ultimately lottery selection in what’s perceived to be a weaker 2027 draft class.

“Luigi is a player with exceptional skill, length and feel for the game,” head coach Kevin Willard said via X. “This is a great fit for our team.”

Here’s what the Wildcats lineup might look like with Suigo:

• PG: Elijah Crawford

• SG: Tyler Perkins

• SF: Devin Royal

• PF: Kwame Evans

• C: Luigi Suigo

• Bench: Buddy Simmons (PG), Jake Fiegan (SG), Matt Hodge (PF), Adam Oumiddoch (G/W), Nico Onyekwere (C)

Villanova will be one of the biggest teams in the country 3-5. It has several scoring options at the guard spot in Crawford (14.1 ppg at UIC), Perkins (13.7 ppg at Villanova) and Simmons (16.4 ppg at St. Bonaventure). It has a potential breakout candidate in Hodge and one of the Big East's most intriguing freshmen in Oumiddoch.

With Suigo now in the fold, this is a roster that should have the Wildcats firmly in NCAA Tournament contention and potentially playing for a Big East title next season.

2. Iowa State lands another top-ranked Wisconsinite

The state of Wisconsin? That’s currently owned by Iowa State head coach TJ Otzelberger on the recruiting trail.

On Saturday, the Cyclones received a commitment from class of 2027 4-star wing Jack Kohnen, one of the best shooters in high school hoops. His decision marks the fifth commitment from a 4-star out of Wisconsin since Otzelberger became head coach in 2021.

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