Villanova point guard Angelo Brizzi enters the transfer portal

Villanova guard Angelo Brizzi has entered the transfer portal and is no longer with the team.

Coach Kyle Neptune said Friday that Brizzi, a redshirt freshman point guard, had informed the staff “within the last 24 hours” that he was leaving the program. Neptune, who said he was surprised by Brizzi’s decision, said the school would support him in the portal process.

“I really liked him as a kid,” Neptune said. “He was a fiery competitor and I really wish the best for him.

“In today’s age, guys have the right to make their own decision, what they feel like is best for them, and we have to support those decisions.”

The news was first reported Friday morning by reporter Jake Lieberman. Brizzi, a three-star prospect out of high school, chose Villanova over Arizona, Michigan, California, Northwestern, Dartmouth, and Davidson.

The point guard, who redshirted last year, played double-digit minutes in Villanova’s first six games this season but fell out of the rotation in the seven games that followed. He averaged 2.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.7 minutes for the Wildcats this season.

Brizzi committed to Villanova in 2020 out of Highland School in Warrenton, Va.

He didn’t play against St. Joseph’s and wasn’t on the bench for Villanova’s win over St. John’s last week because of a non-COVID illness, but he was on the bench during Wednesday night’s loss to UConn in Hartford and got in the game for a late defensive stand.

Less than 48 hours later, he left the program.

Brizzi was behind multiple guards in Villanova’s rotation, and if Justin Moore (Achilles) is indeed nearing a return, finding minutes would become even more difficult the rest of the year.

“That’s like my little brother,” graduate senior guard Caleb Daniels said. “I love him to death. Always will. He can call me whenever he needs anything, and it’s the same thing for the other guys in the locker room.

“He’s still a part of this family regardless.”