Villanova basketball at a glance
Coach: Jay Wright (178-90 in 8 seasons at school, 300-175 in 15 seasons overall). Last season: 30-8 (13-5 Big East)
Coach: Jay Wright (178-90 in 8 seasons at school, 300-175 in 15 seasons overall).
Last season: 30-8 (13-5 Big East)
Postseason: Lost in national semifinals of NCAA Tournament to North Carolina, 83-69.
Last league title: 1995 (Won the regular season in 2006)
Last NCAA berth: 2009
PROJECTED STARTERS
F Antonio Pena, Jr. 5.1 pts. 4.2 reb.
F Mouphtaou Yarou, Fr. *20.0 12.0
G Scottie Reynolds, Sr. 15.2 2.9
G Corey Fisher, Jr. 10.8 2.3
G Corey Stokes, Jr. 9.3 3.4
KEY RESERVES
G Reggie Redding, Sr. *7.1 pts. 4.9 reb.
F Taylor King, So. *5.5 2.0
G Dominic Cheek, Fr. *14.2 9.0
G Maalik Wayns, Fr. *19.2 5.1
*Notes: Yarou, Cheek and Wayns statistics are high school; King's statistics are from Duke (2007-08); Redding is ineligible for the first 10 games.
It all comes down to ... Can this group survive the loss of the leadership core, while facing even more big-time expectations? There's obviously a bunch of talent to work with. Now it's up to the upperclassmen to assume ownership and incorporate the new guys into a cohesive entity. It's a process. Nobody gets that more than the coach. This is about being all you can be come March.
Shouldering the load: Scottie Reynolds doesn't do it all by himself. But most of the time, he's the first place to look. It'll be interesting to see how much better he can still be, if other guys can provide viable options at the offensive end.
Number to watch: 10. That's the number of games Reggie Redding is going to miss before he can return from his university suspension. He makes a difference, in ways both large and subtle. The Wildcats won't begin to be complete until he's at least most of the way back.
Key stretch: Nothing that really stands out, but at Georgetown followed by at West Virginia in early February isn't too shabby. ESPN obviously agrees.
Quote of note: "Our mindset has always been the same, whether we're picked eighth or fifth or first. It is hard sometimes not look at the newspapers, or this or that, but it's reality. It comes with the territory. We have to live with it. It can be a good thing, too, if we can just keep our focus and concentrate on the only thing we can control." - Scottie Reynolds
Bottom line: The Wildcats got a ton of mileage out of their three senior starters last season. Yet they still might have lost in the opening round of the NCAAs if they hadn't earned the right to play in South Philly. The line can be fine. Logic suggests they could or even should make it to at least the second week of the NCAAs for the fifth time in 6 years, which isn't easy to do. But Wright would be the first to say nothing's a given. No one doubts the potential. So it ultimately becomes a matter of exactly how high is up.
Fan info
Homecourt: The Pavilion (8,500), Wachovia Center (20,456)
Ticket info: 610-519-4000
Web site: www.Villanova.com
Radio: The Fanatic/ESPN (97.5 FM, 950-AM)
Schedule
Home Games (CAPS) at the Pavilion
Friday, Nov. 13: FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON, 7
Monday, Nov. 16: PENN, 7
Nov. 19-20-22: Puerto Rico Classic /San Juan
Thursday, Nov. 19: George Mason, 2
Friday, Nov. 20: Dayton/Georgia Tech, 1/3
Sunday, Nov. 22: TBD, 10:30 a.m./12:30/5:30/8
(Indiana, Mississippi, Boston U., Kansas St.)
Saturday, Nov. 28: LA SALLE, 3:30
Wednesday, Dec. 2: DREXEL, 7
Sunday, Dec. 6: at Maryland, 7:30 (Wash., D.C.)
Wednes., Dec. 9: at Saint Joseph's, 9 (Palestra)
Sunday, Dec. 13: at Temple, 3
Saturday, Dec. 19: at Fordham, 2
Wednesday, Dec. 23: DELAWARE, 7
Saturday, Jan. 2: at Marquette, 3:30
Wednesday, Jan. 6: DEPAUL, 8
Saturday, Jan. 9: MARQUETTE, 2
Monday, Jan. 11: at Louisville, 7
Sunday, Jan. 17: GEORGETOWN, 12 (WC)
Wednesday, Jan. 20: at Rutgers, 8
Saturday, Jan. 23: at St. John's, 12
Wednesday, Jan. 27: NOTRE DAME, 7 (WC)
Tuesday, Feb. 2: SETON HALL, 7
Saturday, Feb. 6: at Georgetown, 12
Monday, Feb. 8: at West Virginia, 7
Saturday, Feb. 13: PROVIDENCE, 2 (WC)
Monday, Feb. 15: CONNECTICUT, 7 (WC)
Sunday, Feb. 21: at Pittsburgh, 12
Wednesday, Feb. 24: SOUTH FLORIDA, 9
Saturday, Feb. 27: at Syracuse, 9
Tuesday, March 2: at Cincinnati, 7
Saturday, March 6: WEST VIRGINIA, 12 (WC)
March 9-13: Big East Tourament /New York
Tuesday, March 9: First Round
Wednesday, March 10: Second Round
Thursday, March 11: Quarterfinals
Friday, March 12: Semifinals
Saturday, March 13: Championship
Note - WC: Wachovia Center.
