For the third time this season, Villanova has lost a key rotation player to a broken hand.
This time it was Phil Booth, a 6-foot-3 redshirt junior that is averaging 11.6 points, 3.3 boards and 3.2 assists while shooting 42 percent from three. He fractured a bone in his right (shooting) hand.
“All of us are disappointed for Phil,” stated Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “He is one of our captains and the respect for him among his teammates is off the charts. Phil is as mentally tough a player as we have had in our program. We know he’ll come back better and stronger from this.”
Previously, Collin Gillispie and Jermaine Samuels both broke bones in their left hand. Gillispie has returned to action, and should see a bump in minutes with Booth out, but Samuels is still sidelined.
Booth missed last season with a knee injury.
Donte DiVincenzo is expected to slide into the starting lineup without Booth.
