Part of making the transition from high school standout to Division I centers on a need to bolster skills that may not have been previously required. Some athletes need to add muscle. Others must adapt to the speed at which their sport is played at the collegiate level.
 
                For Justin Moore, the challenge was more subtle.
 
                After starring at DeMatha High School and earning a spot among the nation's elite recruits, Moore arrived with an advanced game. As a combination guard, Moore could score from beyond the 3-point arc or in the lane. He understood passing and brought with him a preternatural calm demeanor that seemed a perfect antidote to some of the intimidating road environments in the BIG EAST.
 
                That unflappable on-court demeanor fit well at Villanova. Yet Moore's natural reserve could also work against him at times. Top shelf defense demands constant communication and, well, Moore was too often a silent partner as the Wildcats began practicing in earnest for the 2019-20 campaign.
 
                "The coaches wanted me to be more vocal out there," he says by telephone from his home in Maryland. "It didn't matter whether I was a freshman or a senior."
 
                That was especially so since Moore was destined to be a part of the rotation at point guard, a spot that was mostly uncharted territory for him before beginning practice with the Wildcats. Junior Collin Gillespie was the only other guard on the roster who had come to Nova with extensive experience at the point. That meant Moore had to learn on the fly.
 
                And it was quickly pointed out to him that when he was inside the 94 by 50 feet of the court, he could no longer be so reserved.
 
                A pair of injuries that kept Gillespie sidelined for much of the preseason – plantar fasciitis and a broken nose – offered Moore an opportunity. More than a few eyebrows were raised in mid-October in the aftermath of a closed scrimmage at North Carolina during which Moore dropped in 39 points (in 50 minutes of timed action).
 
                "The big thing the coaches wanted was for me to be aggressive and confident," states Moore. "That's how I tried to play. I was able to get a lot of reps during that time when Collin was out."
 
                When the season opened on Nov. 6 against Army, Moore was one of two freshmen in the Wildcats' starting lineup (joining Jeremiah Robinson-Earl). He would remain there for six games, before sliding into the role as the squad's sixth man ahead of a Dec. 1 Philadelphia Big Five home game against La Salle. Sophomore Cole Swider took his place in the starting lineup as the coaching staff sought "just more experience with what we're doing right now" in the words of head coach Jay Wright.
 
                Moore embraced his new role, scoring a season-high 25 points to help the Wildcats hold off the Explorers, 83-72. The
 
                Noted Wright after the game: "It's all new to Justin. But he did a great job. I thought he gave us great energy. That's the kind of team we're going to be. We're going to need everybody."
 
                "In our minds, Justin's a starter even if he isn't introduced that way. He's playing starter minutes. Cole just has a little bit more experience as a sophomore with what we're doing right now."
 
Villanova reeled off wins over Penn, Saint Joseph's and Delaware, before earning a signature 56-55 win over No. 1 Kanas at a sold-out Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 22. Moore thrived as the sixth man, averaging 15.5 points per game through December to help the Wildcats improve to 9-2 after a 68-62 victory to open BIG EAST regular season action on Dec. 30 at Finneran Pavilion.
 
                "Being so young, I think it just took us some time to learn to play together," Moore says. "By the time we started the Big East season, it felt like we had gotten better."
 
                And Moore was no longer reticent about raising his voice during game action.
 
                "I felt pretty comfortable communicating with my teammates when we got into the Big East schedule," he says.
 
                A 71-60 loss at Marquette on Jan. 4 was followed by seven consecutive Wildcats' wins. On Feb. 5, Moore returned to the starting lineup for a game at Butler. Over Villanova's final six games of the regular season, he averaged 14.6 points per contest. On March 4, his 19 points – including five 3-pointers – help secure a vital 79-77 win at No. 8 Seton Hall. A few days later, the 'Cats held off Georgetown 70-69 to finish the regular season with a 24-8 record and 13-5 mark in BIG EAST play.
 
                A few hours later, as the team bus traveled north on I-95 through Delaware, Creighton wrapped up a win over Seton Hall. That created a three-way tie for the league crown. Wright walked down the center aisle towards the back of the bus, where the players were seated. He shared some thoughts with a roster that leaned heavily on freshmen and sophomores.
 
                "It was very special," Moore says. "To have him come back to talk with us, you could see how proud he was. We were a group of young guys who had to fight through some things and learn from our experiences."
 
                A few days later, Moore was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman team as a unanimous selection. Over the course of 31 games, he averaged 29.6 minutes, 11.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest. He connected on 61-of-154 from beyond the 3-point arc (.396). On five separate occasions, he was tabbed BIG EAST Freshman of the Week.
 
                When Wright delivered the news to the team shortly after it returned to campus on March 12 that the NCAA Tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Moore retreated to his dormitory.
 
                "I just went to my room and tried to process it," he recalls. "It was tough. We felt like we had become a very good team. But we understand the situation with this virus. I've just tried to have a good attitude and stay positive."
 
                These days Moore is doing what he can to stay active. There have been distance runs and weightlifting, though he hasn't been able to get any shots up with all of the gym closures. He's adapted to an online academic course load too. Yet he is eager to reconvene with his teammates at Villanova, whenever that may be.
 
                "I'm used to being on campus," Moore states, "and I can't wait to get back on the court with my teammates and coaches."
 
                When he does, rest assured he won't be reluctant to speak up.