Getting To Know: Villanova's Darrun Hilliard
Senior Forward Leads The Sixth-Ranked Wildcats
Feb. 25, 2015
By SEAN BRENNAN - Special to BIGEAST.com
In the latest edition of "Getting to Know," we put the full court press on Villanova's stellar senior Darrun Hilliard. Darrun tells us why being as well known as say, Duke's Jahlil Okafor, is not high on his priority list, how chasing a school record he was unaware of is also not in his crosshairs, about a story he will one day tell his kids and grandkids - but not for a while - and why he may be checking on a particular item is selling in the Villanova Team Store on campus.
BIGEAST.com: Last year you shared the BIG EAST's Most Improved Player award with your teammate Daniel Ochefu. Are you a better player this year than you were last year?
HILLIARD: "Yeah for sure. I think that every player has the drive to get better year in and year out. I don't know what I look like on paper but I think that mentally and physically I feel I'm a better player than last year. That was my goal in the summertime and workouts, just try to get better than I was the day before. So yeah I think I'm a much better player than I was the year before."
BIGEAST.com: Darrun, you're the leading scorer on the No. 6 team in the nation but do you think you get the recognition you deserve because Villanova is such a balanced team?
HILLIARD: "I don't really strive to get individual recognition personally. Here everyone gets the praise and no one is singled out for being the guy who carried the team that day. We're not about that. We're about the five guys on the court who can have a balance and a chemistry that can make the team successful."
BIGEAST.com: Were you surprised when you didn't even make first team in the BIG EAST's preseason poll?
HILLIARD: "I think was caught a little bit by surprise then but it was my motivation. But I don't really think about it anymore. The guys in the locker room are all the motivation that I need and that just carries me every single day I walk on the court."
BIGEAST.com: There are 6 players on Villanova who average between 9.0 points and your 14.7 points per game. Is that balance Villanova's biggest strength?
HILLIARD: "Yeah I think so because you can't really key on one guy. We have multiple guys who can do an array of things offensively and defensively. I think that's our greatest asset. We're not just focused on one guy. We have 11 other guys who are looking to do the same thing I'm doing."
BIGEAST.com: Villanova is now 26-2 after your win over Providence Tuesday night (a victory that clinched at least a share of the BIG EAST regular-season title) and 13-2 in conference play. Is this team better than last year's team that won the BIG EAST regular-season title?
HILLIARD: "I think it can be but the season's not over yet so you can't really predict that right now. But I think this team's ceiling is much higher and I think there are a lot of things we can improve on. Our ceiling is sky high and I don't think we've reached our potential yet."
BIGEAST.com: This team could possibly set the school record for wins this year. The current record is 30 wins in 2008-09 when Villanova went to the Final Four. Do you guys talk about that, carving out your place in school history?
HILLIARD: "Wow, honestly I didn't even know that. That would be great for us to reach that but we don't talk about those things. But if we do the right things night in and night out and in practice and pay attention to details and things like that we know that everything else will take care of itself. But as far as records and things, we don't really look into that."
BIGEAST.com: Villanova appears to be on track for a second straight BIG EAST regular-season title. Was that a top goal going into the season and how important is it to grab that No. 1 seed for the BIG EAST Tournament?
HILLIARD: "We knew that we could be a great team but we knew we had to keep focus on the little things even when we are winning. But I think this team can be better than it is right now and if we can get that No. 1 seed that would be a great accomplishment."
BIGEAST.com: Talk to me about that unforgettable night you had at Butler when you had a career-high 31 points and 8 three-pointers, including the game-winning trey with 1.5 seconds to play. Is that the kind of game you've dreamed about having since you were a kid?
HILLIARD: "You know, it really still hasn't hit me yet for some reason. I really haven't put my thoughts around that game. That's kind of a tribute to (Villanova) Coach (Jay) Wright, he helps me to kind of enjoy the moment but at the same time move on to the next game whether it was good or bad. I mean, that game was a great game personally but also for the team. To pull off that win in a tough environment, it was a great pleasure to be part of that."
BIGEAST.com: Are the details of that game going to somehow grow more over the years when you tell your kids and grandkids about how you took down Butler?
HILLIARD: (Laughs) "That's a long time from now! I can't really believe I'm going to get that old! But I know that day is coming. But it will be a great story. When that day comes and I can tell that story about a bunch of guys coming together and going into Hinkle Fieldhouse and pulling off a great win, it will be an amazing story to tell my kids and grandkids."
BIGEAST.com: The only two losses Villanova has this year are to Seton Hall and Georgetown and the next time you played them you really exacted some revenge with a pair of blowout victories. Was there some added motivation in those games?
HILLIARD: I don't know if we really thought of it as revenge. In those two losses we didn't execute our game plan and we paid for it and the second time around we just wanted to make sure we executed well and we paid attention to all the little things and we knew if we did that then we'd come out with the victory."
BIGEAST.com: Ok, the BIG EAST Tournament is just two weeks away and last year Villanova didn't have a very long stay at the Garden when you guys were upset by Seton Hall in your first game. Do you feel you have some unfinished business at the Garden this year?
HILLIARD: "Honestly that is in the back of our minds, that we had an early exit last year. Things didn't go the way we wanted them to go. And we know going into the BIG EAST Tournament this time around we'll have a better focus mentally and make sure that we are ready to go physically."
BIGEAST.com: After your win over Providence Tuesday night (a game in which Darrun scored a game-high 24 points on Senior Night), the Wildcats are now 16-0 at home with one home game left, March 7 vs. St. John's at Wells Fargo Center. What is it about playing at home that makes Villanova seem invincible?
HILLIARD: "I don't know if I'd say invincible. I just think there is a strong sense of confidence coming from all the work we've put in on that court in the summertime and in the fall. Knowing that we've shared a lot of blood and sweat on that court gives us the confidence to win the way we do."
BIGEAST.com: Have you given any thought to the fact that you only have a few more games left in your final regular season?
HILLIARD: "Not until you just said it. I don't try to get into that. I don't want to get too emotional. But we have two tough road games (at Xavier Feb. 28 and at Creighton on March 3) ahead of us and those are two games I'm really looking forward to and seeing how our team handles those environments."
BIGEAST.com: So how is that No. 4 Hilliard jersey selling on campus? Is it flying off the shelves?
HILLIARD: "(Laughs) I have no idea. I know my mom has one and my dad has one and I have some family back in Bethlehem (Pa.) that have a few. But as far as how it's selling in the bookstore, I'm not sure. I'll have to check."
By SEAN BRENNAN - Special to BIGEAST.com
In the latest edition of "Getting to Know," we put the full court press on Villanova's stellar senior Darrun Hilliard. Darrun tells us why being as well known as say, Duke's Jahlil Okafor, is not high on his priority list, how chasing a school record he was unaware of is also not in his crosshairs, about a story he will one day tell his kids and grandkids - but not for a while - and why he may be checking on a particular item is selling in the Villanova Team Store on campus.
BIGEAST.com: Last year you shared the BIG EAST's Most Improved Player award with your teammate Daniel Ochefu. Are you a better player this year than you were last year?
HILLIARD: "Yeah for sure. I think that every player has the drive to get better year in and year out. I don't know what I look like on paper but I think that mentally and physically I feel I'm a better player than last year. That was my goal in the summertime and workouts, just try to get better than I was the day before. So yeah I think I'm a much better player than I was the year before."
BIGEAST.com: Darrun, you're the leading scorer on the No. 6 team in the nation but do you think you get the recognition you deserve because Villanova is such a balanced team?
HILLIARD: "I don't really strive to get individual recognition personally. Here everyone gets the praise and no one is singled out for being the guy who carried the team that day. We're not about that. We're about the five guys on the court who can have a balance and a chemistry that can make the team successful."
BIGEAST.com: Were you surprised when you didn't even make first team in the BIG EAST's preseason poll?
HILLIARD: "I think was caught a little bit by surprise then but it was my motivation. But I don't really think about it anymore. The guys in the locker room are all the motivation that I need and that just carries me every single day I walk on the court."
BIGEAST.com: There are 6 players on Villanova who average between 9.0 points and your 14.7 points per game. Is that balance Villanova's biggest strength?
HILLIARD: "Yeah I think so because you can't really key on one guy. We have multiple guys who can do an array of things offensively and defensively. I think that's our greatest asset. We're not just focused on one guy. We have 11 other guys who are looking to do the same thing I'm doing."
BIGEAST.com: Villanova is now 26-2 after your win over Providence Tuesday night (a victory that clinched at least a share of the BIG EAST regular-season title) and 13-2 in conference play. Is this team better than last year's team that won the BIG EAST regular-season title?
HILLIARD: "I think it can be but the season's not over yet so you can't really predict that right now. But I think this team's ceiling is much higher and I think there are a lot of things we can improve on. Our ceiling is sky high and I don't think we've reached our potential yet."
BIGEAST.com: This team could possibly set the school record for wins this year. The current record is 30 wins in 2008-09 when Villanova went to the Final Four. Do you guys talk about that, carving out your place in school history?
HILLIARD: "Wow, honestly I didn't even know that. That would be great for us to reach that but we don't talk about those things. But if we do the right things night in and night out and in practice and pay attention to details and things like that we know that everything else will take care of itself. But as far as records and things, we don't really look into that."
BIGEAST.com: Villanova appears to be on track for a second straight BIG EAST regular-season title. Was that a top goal going into the season and how important is it to grab that No. 1 seed for the BIG EAST Tournament?
HILLIARD: "We knew that we could be a great team but we knew we had to keep focus on the little things even when we are winning. But I think this team can be better than it is right now and if we can get that No. 1 seed that would be a great accomplishment."
BIGEAST.com: Talk to me about that unforgettable night you had at Butler when you had a career-high 31 points and 8 three-pointers, including the game-winning trey with 1.5 seconds to play. Is that the kind of game you've dreamed about having since you were a kid?
HILLIARD: "You know, it really still hasn't hit me yet for some reason. I really haven't put my thoughts around that game. That's kind of a tribute to (Villanova) Coach (Jay) Wright, he helps me to kind of enjoy the moment but at the same time move on to the next game whether it was good or bad. I mean, that game was a great game personally but also for the team. To pull off that win in a tough environment, it was a great pleasure to be part of that."
BIGEAST.com: Are the details of that game going to somehow grow more over the years when you tell your kids and grandkids about how you took down Butler?
HILLIARD: (Laughs) "That's a long time from now! I can't really believe I'm going to get that old! But I know that day is coming. But it will be a great story. When that day comes and I can tell that story about a bunch of guys coming together and going into Hinkle Fieldhouse and pulling off a great win, it will be an amazing story to tell my kids and grandkids."
BIGEAST.com: The only two losses Villanova has this year are to Seton Hall and Georgetown and the next time you played them you really exacted some revenge with a pair of blowout victories. Was there some added motivation in those games?
HILLIARD: I don't know if we really thought of it as revenge. In those two losses we didn't execute our game plan and we paid for it and the second time around we just wanted to make sure we executed well and we paid attention to all the little things and we knew if we did that then we'd come out with the victory."
BIGEAST.com: Ok, the BIG EAST Tournament is just two weeks away and last year Villanova didn't have a very long stay at the Garden when you guys were upset by Seton Hall in your first game. Do you feel you have some unfinished business at the Garden this year?
HILLIARD: "Honestly that is in the back of our minds, that we had an early exit last year. Things didn't go the way we wanted them to go. And we know going into the BIG EAST Tournament this time around we'll have a better focus mentally and make sure that we are ready to go physically."
BIGEAST.com: After your win over Providence Tuesday night (a game in which Darrun scored a game-high 24 points on Senior Night), the Wildcats are now 16-0 at home with one home game left, March 7 vs. St. John's at Wells Fargo Center. What is it about playing at home that makes Villanova seem invincible?
HILLIARD: "I don't know if I'd say invincible. I just think there is a strong sense of confidence coming from all the work we've put in on that court in the summertime and in the fall. Knowing that we've shared a lot of blood and sweat on that court gives us the confidence to win the way we do."
BIGEAST.com: Have you given any thought to the fact that you only have a few more games left in your final regular season?
HILLIARD: "Not until you just said it. I don't try to get into that. I don't want to get too emotional. But we have two tough road games (at Xavier Feb. 28 and at Creighton on March 3) ahead of us and those are two games I'm really looking forward to and seeing how our team handles those environments."
BIGEAST.com: So how is that No. 4 Hilliard jersey selling on campus? Is it flying off the shelves?
HILLIARD: "(Laughs) I have no idea. I know my mom has one and my dad has one and I have some family back in Bethlehem (Pa.) that have a few. But as far as how it's selling in the bookstore, I'm not sure. I'll have to check."
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