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Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges returning to Villanova

College of Charleston v Villanova

VILLANOVA, PA - NOVEMBER 23: Jalen Brunson #1 and Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats defend against Joe Chealey #13 of the Charleston Cougars at The Pavilion on November 23, 2016 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

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Villanova will gain two key pieces back for next season as point guard Jalen Brunson will return for his junior season.

The 6-foot-2 Brunson averaged 14.7 points and 4.1 assists per game as a sophomore last season as he was one of the better floor leaders in the country. Brunson should find himself on a lot of preseason lists next season as he has a chance to return and be an All-American

“Jalen is an outstanding student who loves being at Villanova and wants to complete his degree by the end of his junior year,” Villanova head coach Jay Wright said in the release. “This was a simple decision made by Jalen’s family. Jalen wants to graduate, be a leader on this year’s team, and compete for a championship.”

With both Brunson, forward Mikal Bridges and guard Donte DiVincenzo coming back next season, Villanova should be in great position to be a big national championship contender as they still have plenty of talent in the fold. The Wildcats should also get guard Phil Booth back from injury while big man Omari Spellman should also be cleared after sitting out last season.