PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Jay Wright’s Villanova team is ranked No. 5 among 351 Division I programs. The Wildcats coach doesn’t exactly think his squad has yet earned that ranking.

“We’re not the No. 5 team in the country,” Wright said Tuesday, one day before Villanova faces Western Kentucky in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis. “They have to pick somebody.

“We’ve been good for the last few years, so they put us in there. We’ll see what we are coming out of this tournament.”

Even if Wright doesn’t think Villanova is worthy of the No. 5 next to its name, he knows the Hilltoppers certainly see it.

Wednesday’s matchup against the Wildcats (3-0) will offer WKU (2-1) a chance to pull off a massive upset early in the college basketball season. Tipoff from Imperial Arena is set for 1:30 p.m., with the game broadcast on ESPN2.

“It’s one of the things we’ve had to deal with over the last few years,” Wright said. “At this time of the year you’re ranked, it inspires your opponent, but you know you haven’t done anything to prove you’re that good yet.

“So it’s something you definitely have to address.”

Villanova won the national championship in 2016 and was a No. 1 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament, where it was knocked off in the second round by Wisconsin.

The Wildcats have won 389 games since Wright arrived in 2001 to Philadelphia. The 2016 championship highlights a tenure that’s also included a 2009 Final Four appearance and five Big East Conference regular-season titles.

Guards Jalen Brunson (17.7 points per game, 4.7 assists per game) and Mikal Bridges (18.3 ppg, 5.7 rebounds per game) and forward Eric Paschall (13.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg) are the leading scorers for the 2017 Villanova squad.

“Everybody well knows that Villanova is one of the better teams in the country,” WKU coach Rick Stansbury said Tuesday. “Jay’s done a terrific job there for a long time. They’ve got veteran players and are a terrific team – probably have one of the best point guards in America (Brunson).

“We know we’ve got our work cut out that first game.”

Wright was complimentary of the Hilltoppers’ experience. WKU features three transfers that are leading the team in scoring: forward Dwight Coleby (14.7 ppg) and guards Lamonte Bearden (14.3 ppg) and Darius Thompson (14 ppg).

Bearden, Coleby and Thompson have been to a combined seven NCAA Tournaments during previous stops in their basketball careers. Wright also referenced senior forward Justin Johnson, who’s averaging a double-double early this season (11.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg).

“A really tough, talented, experienced team,” Wright said. “… Defensively they’re very aggressive, create a lot of turnovers (24 steals through three games), and they have in Coleby a guy who’s been in college basketball as long as anybody and is tough and physical.

“Their guards are individually really creative and explosive. We have great respect for them.”

Wildcats guard Phil Booth noted the Hilltoppers’ ability to get the ball to the basket. WKU is outscoring its opponents in the paint this year by an average tally of 44-35.3, with drives to the basket accounting for many of those points.

“They’re a very athletic team that likes to push the ball and they’ve got a lot of skilled players that can really score,” Booth said. “Just try to make it difficult for them, try to stay locked in defensively, because they’ve got a lot of guys that can really get it going for them.”