During Rollie Massimino 's tenure , the Villanova Wildcats abandoned their traditional independent status by joining the newly formed Eastern Eight Conference in 1975 . In 1980 , the ' Cats moved into the new Big East Conference , along with Georgetown , St. John 's , and Syracuse . The 1980s were the golden age of the Big East , highlighted by the 1985 NCAA Tournament , when Villanova , Georgetown , and St. John 's reached the Final Four
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball