When will Justin Moore return for Villanova? He seems to be getting closer.

Caleb Daniels said he can feel it a little more in practices. Justin Moore is tougher to knock off his drives. His shoulder in the chest comes with a little more force than it used to.

Moore, who is recovering from the Achilles surgery he underwent in March and still hasn’t played this season for Villanova, looks physically stronger to the eye. Daniels confirmed it more than passes the eye test.

“It feels like he’s about 15 to 20 pounds stronger trying to guard him,” Daniels said after Villanova’s practice Friday ahead of the Wildcats’ game Saturday against Marquette. “I’m super excited for what’s to come for him when he comes back.”

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The when in that sentence has been a constant question surrounding a 7-6 Villanova team that could really use Moore, the leading returning scorer from last season’s Final Four team.

There still isn’t a definitive answer to the question, but Moore appears to be getting closer to making his season debut. Coach Kyle Neptune said earlier this week that Moore was participating in less than 50% of Villanova’s practices. While Neptune spoke with reporters Friday afternoon, Moore was putting up extra shots with a group of players on the Finneran Pavilion court behind him.

So, is it more than 50% now?

“More than 50, less than 100,” Neptune said with a smile.

“It’s just a matter of him and when he’s comfortable.”

Villanova has not made Moore available to speak to the media since the team’s preseason media day in October. There is still no official timetable for Moore’s return, though it’s clearly getting closer. Neptune said it’s not as simple as Moore’s being “medically cleared” to play. When he’s participating in practice, he is playing 5-on-5 and in full-contact drills.

“He’s got to make decisions based off what the doctors say and he goes back and evaluates that every day,” Neptune said. “It’s never a medically cleared situation at this point based on the injury. There’s so many things that go into it. The mindset piece, obviously the actual ailment that he had. It’s not as simple as, ‘Oh, you’re medically cleared, let’s go.’”

Moore, who averaged 14.8 points while adding 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season, was injured in Villanova’s Elite Eight win over Houston. He underwent surgery immediately after and was at the Final Four in New Orleans, using a scooter to help him get around before beginning a long road to getting back on a basketball court.

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The Wildcats could certainly use Moore’s scoring ability, but his return to the court would be more than just an extra scoring punch. Some of his best performances last season weren’t the nights he put up 20 or more points. He also shut down Big East scorers like UConn’s Tyrese Martin and Providence’s Al Durham.

Even in the game in which he was injured, the Elite Eight win over Houston, Moore helped clamp down on Kyler Edwards. Edwards entered that night having scored 25, 15, and 19 points in three tournament wins. He shot 1-for-12 and missed all eight of his three-point attempts in Villanova’s 50-44 win.

“I think, when healthy, there’s not a guard in the country I would take over him,” Neptune said. “Last year, the gauntlet that Villanova went through to get to the Final Four, you can make a case they played the best teams in the country. In those games, watching those games, I thought Justin was the best guard, the most talented guard. … I think he’s one of the most valuable pieces, honestly the most valuable piece in the country.”

Moore tallied one steal per game last season, up from 0.6 the season before while playing nearly identical minutes. He also rebounds above his size of 6-foot-4, and Villanova has at times this season struggled to rebound.

Then there’s the veteran leadership component. The Wildcats are entering a critical stretch of conference games that will determine their NCAA Tournament fate, and Moore’s presence on the floor would obviously be a big lift.

Moore spoke before the season about how he was growing into a leadership role. He sat back in previous seasons as Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels shouldered those duties. The injury, surgery, and recovery timeline put things in perspective for him, he said then.

In the months since, Moore has been a vocal presence on Villanova’s bench. But early before games and late after practices, he can be seen with trainers and coaches, taking contact, getting up jump shots, and working on his game, showing signs that he’s gearing up to contribute more.

When that will be remains a mystery, though a light at the end of the tunnel seems to be coming into focus.