This is not a typical Villanova team right now

NEW YORK - I'll admit it. At this point I have no choice.

I was wrong about Villanova.

I thought the Wildcats were going to be a sleeper in the Big East. I thought that point guard Maalik Wayns and big man Mouphtaou Yarou were going to figure it out this season, and I thought that Jay Wright's youngsters were versatile and talented enough to turn Villanova into a tough defensive team that could mimic the 2009 team that made the Final Four.

Its early in the season and a turnaround is certainly still possible. Stranger things have happened. But as of today, December 7th, 2011, Villanova is not a very good basketball team.

And they may not even be an NCAA Tournament team.


"I would like us to be on the other end of this, but we are just not there yet," Wright said after the Wildcats lost 81-71 to No. 10 Missouri on Tuesday night at the Jimmy V Classic. "I like this team. I think we have a chance to be a good team. We have a lot of work to do. A lot. We have a tough schedule coming up too. It might not show in our wins and losses right away, but I think by the end this can be a good team."

There is some potential on this roster, but there are also some potentially fatal flaws.

For as talented as Wayns is, he doesn't appear to be a leader. He can make things happen offensively -- 14 points and nina assists last night -- but he's far from a modicum for efficiency -- 4-11 shooting and five turnovers. The bigger issue is that he seems to have more Corey Fisher in him than Scottie Reynolds. He can put up numbers, but does he truly make everyone else on the floor a better player?

Yarou is a capable big man at the Big East level, but he's not a go-to low post scorer. Villanova can't dump the ball to him on the block every possession to relieve pressure. Their perimeter guys -- Dominic Cheek, Darrun Hilliard, James Bell -- are not good enough shooters to be as complacent as they are offensively. That trio is athletic and can get to the rim, but they don't take advantage of that ability.

But for all the issues that Villanova has offensively their biggest problem is on the defensive end of the floor. They cannot stop penetration. Missouri's guards got wherever they wanted to last night. Help side was slow and rotations were non-existent, which is why Ricardo Ratliffe was able to go 8-8 from the floor, seemingly all on dunks and layups setup by Phil Pressey and Mike Dixon. According to Kenpom, the Wildcats are currently 128th in the country in defensive efficiency.

Just as worrisome was Villanova's performance on the glass. They gave up 14 offensive rebounds to a team that starts a shooting guard at the four spot (Kim English) and has a center (Ratliffe) who is not known for his ability to pound the glass and rebound out of his area.

The good news is that this team is young. They have a number of freshmen and sophomores getting big minutes, and their veterans are still in the process of learning new roles within the program.

In other words, there is room for this group to grow into their potential. But right now, this is a 5-3 team with losses to St. Louis and Santa Clara, and they looked like it Tuesday. That ten point margin doesn't really give an accurate sense of how much control Missouri had over this game.

"We are getting better," Wright said. "It is a little embarrassing to say that when we lose by ten, but that is where we are right now."
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Jay Wright dancing to Katy Perry?

I'm not sure how I feel about Flash Mobs.

I think they're kind of corny, but when they pulled off well, its fun to watch. I also think its safe to say that this was pulled off well:



Did you spot Jay Wright?

Go to the 2:00 mark, and watch the tall guy in the dark blue shirt that moves to the front. Yup, that's Jay Wright. Dancing to Katy Perry.

There are no words to describe how awesome that is.

UPDATE: VUHoops.com has a better video:


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JayVaughn Pinkston's trial to begin next month

JayVaughn Pinkston's legal ordeal is almost over.

The 6'7", 245 lb freshman at Villanova University was charged with assault back in November after an incident at an off campus house party. On May 25th, Pinkston's trial for one count of simple assault and two counts of summary harassment is scheduled to begin. The folks over at VUHoops.com have the deets:

The trial will be to on one count of simple assault and two counts of summary harassment. One charge of simple assault was dropped after a preliminary hearing in January when the alleged victims stories didn’t quite match up.

The victim in the remaining assault case reportedly suffered a concussion during the altercation. Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Reifsnyder will have to prove to a jury that Pinkston attempted to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly caused bodily injury to another person, authorities alleged.
[...]
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of two years in jail, however, it would be uncommon for a defendant without a criminal record to receive a maximum sentence.

According to Pennsylvania sentencing guidelines, an offender without a prior criminal record on simple assault charges would likely qualify for the "Restorative Sanctions" program — which focuses on "restoring the victim to pre-offense status," and allows the convicted to avoid imprisonment. That option would involve a number of fees assessed by the court as well as an assigned period of unpaid community service assignments. The judge could also choose to have Pinkston confined in lieu of community service for up to a month as a first-time offender (or up to 6 months if it is a second-offense).

It will be interesting to see what comes out of this for Pinkston.

He was a college kid that got into a fight when he was drunk. We've all done it. Its not something to be proud of, but when Jungle Juice, Natty Light, and a mixture of testosterone and adrenaline are flowing through a 19 year old's veins, sometimes a fist may fly. But not all of us are as big or as strong as Pinkston. When he throws a punch, its going to do some damage, especially if a average sized, drunk, Villanova frat boy is on the receiving end.

Athletes have to know that for as much adulation as they get around campus, there are going to be folks out there that are jealous or envious of their ability.

The good news is that this kid didn't suffer any permanent damage.

And hopefully Pinkston has learned that he can't go around punching people if he wants to remain a student at Villanova.
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George Mason knocks off Villanova as Gus Johnson shines

Gus Johnson breeds excitement.

Seriously. Its unreal. It seems like every game that he calls in the NCAA Tournament comes down to the wire, so it should be no surprise that No. 8 George Mason's exciting, 61-57 comeback win over No. 9 Villanova had Mr. March Madness on the call.

Mason was down for much of the second half, and after getting to with a point on a couple of different occasions midway through the half, the Patriots found themselves down 54-48 with about two minutes left in the game. But the Patriots used a 13-3 run, capped by an emphatic put-back dunk from Mike Morrison and an ankle-breaking, step-back three from Luke Hancock.



The only thing less surprising than an exciting finish with Johnson on the call is a late-game collapse by Villanova.

For the second straight season, the Wildcats finished off a disastrous finish to their year with an early exit in the NCAA Tournament. And much like their first round loss to South Florida in the Big East Tournament, the Wildcats looked as good early in the game as they did bad down the stretch.

Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes were both on fire in the first half, but neither could buy bucket in the second half as Jay Wright's team, once again, resorted to dribbling the air out of the ball. Its almost frustrating to watch Villanova late in a game. Fisher and Maalik Wayns seemingly take turns dribbling out the shot clock and forcing up a tough shot.

One of the talking points coming into the tournament was that the Big East was overrated; that there was no way that a league sending 11 teams to the tournament would produce results living up to expectations; that the Big East had a lot of good and not much great.

And while Villanova lost this game, don't let that sway your opinion about the Big East's performance as much as, say, Louisville's loss to Morehead State.

Most folks had George Mason winning this game. I know I did. In fact, a Villanova win would have been a much more surprising result. Using this as evidence of the lack of power in the Big East would be a slap in the face of this Patriot team.

Villanova lost their last six games, eight of their final 10, and ten of their final 14. George Mason was on a 16 game winning streak -- the longest in the nation -- when VCU beat them in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament. George Mason is a very good basketball team, even if they didn't play like it for the first 38 minutes today.

The most impressive part about this victory is that George Mason was able to win despite getting poor performances out of both Cam Long and Ryan Pearson, their two leading scorer. The two combined for 15 points, 10 boards, four assists, and six turnovers on 4-17 shooting from the field. Instead, it was Luke Hancock (18 points, five assists) and Mike Morrison (10 points, 11 boards, four offensive) that carried the Patriots.

Those two are going to be very important on Sunday.

George Mason is not a very big basketball team. They don't have a lot of depth in their front court, which is not a good thing with Ohio State and Jared Sullinger on the docket for Sunday.

The Buckeyes are also a very good defensive team, and Hancock, despite being the team's small forward, is the team's best ball handler and creator.

Ohio State is the best team in the country. There are not many teams that matchup well with them, and George Mason is no different.

But if the Patriots get the kind of play they got out of Hancock and Morrison today, and Pearson and Long play up to their standards, GMU has a shot.

No one thought Jim Larrananga was going to be able to knock off UConn in 2006, either.
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Hoops Housekeeping: Tyshawn Taylor suspended, Corey Stokes returning

Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson: Kansas head coach Bill Self announced this afternoon that Taylor, the starting point guard for the Jayhawks, will be suspended indefinitely.

“Although we are disappointed in Tyshawn, he will remain a member of our team and practice with our team until he is reinstated for competition,” Self said.

There is no word yet on what Taylor did to get himself suspended or what the length of his suspension will be. In his absence, KU has plenty of options. Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed have both been playing very well of late, but neither of then are natural point guards. Obviously, there is Josh Selby, the uber-talented freshman, although he has had a bit of an up and down first year. The x-factor in this equation will be Elijah Johnson. Like Selby (and Taylor, for that matter), Johnson is a super-talented kid that just hasn't figured out how to put it all together and earn minutes.

The bigger issue, as I wrote about over at Beyond the Arc, is that this is just another example of the lack of leadership on this Kansas team.

Bill Self also commented on the status of Thomas Robinson. The sophomore has been out after tearing his meniscus, saying "My anticipation is it’s a 50-50 chance he can play a little bit."


Corey Stokes: Stokes will be in the lineup tonight as Villanova hosts Syracuse on Big Monday. He has missed the last three games with turftoe he suffered against Rutgers.

“It feels good,” Stokes said. “I’ll be able to play.”

That said, Wright announced that Stokes will be coming off of the bench and he will be wearing a protective insole.

“We can’t prepare to go in with him as a starter, then have something happen in warmups where he can’t go,” Wright said. “It’s not just running or jumping off it. You have to worry about him getting stepped on or kicked. So he won’t start, but then we’ll bring him in, give him a shot and see how he responds.”


Chandler Parsons: Parsons sat out Florida's win on Sunday over LSU as he continues to battle the deep thigh bruise he suffered 10 days ago against Tennessee. The injury was apparently bad enough that it was bleeding. As of now, Florida head coach Billy Donovan is not expecting that Parsons will be back.

"Right now, I'm not personally overly optimistic that he'll play," Donovan said on the SEC teleconference. "We've got a couple days here to see how much progress he can make."

He tried to practice on Friday in preparation of Sunday's game, but he wasn't effective.


Chris Singleton: Jeff Goodman caught up with Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton in an attempt to learn more about Chris Singleton's foot injury. The verdict? Hamilton doesn't even know (or isn't willing to share) the extent of the injury.

"Everyone heals at their own genetic rate," Hamilton said. "There's no way anyone can predict if or when. It does us no good to speculate."
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Rutgers beats Villanova on a four-point play

In what may end up being the wildest ending to a game this season, Rutgers beat Villanova 77-76 on Wednesday night thanks to a four-point play from Jonathan Mitchell with 0.8 seconds left on the clock.

After freshman James Bell buried a three to put the Wildcats up 75-70 with just 16 seconds left, James Beatty answered by banking in a deep three pointer with 11 ticks remaining. The Scarlet Knights fouled Corey Fisher, who hit 1-2 from the line, setting up this wild finish:



"I always want to take the last shot," Mitchell said after the game. "I always want the game on my shoulders. J.B. (James Beatty) did a great job kicking it back to me off the screen and I just let it fly. I got the whistle and the shot went in."

The call appears to be a bit ticky-tack, but from the reverse angle you can see that Fisher hit Mitchell on the arm as he raised up to shoot the ball.

"I don't think it was a mistake," Villanova head coach Jay Wright said. "I would say if it was. You're supposed to deny there. If he went and whacked him, I would say, but he wasn’t going to contest the shot, he was trying to deny the pass, the pass went over his hand, his hand was there, and to go through a hand and finish that play is a pretty tough play."

Wright deserves credit for not arguing the call, because Villanova has no one to blame but themselves for the loss. They were up 13 with five minutes left. They were up eight with less than two minutes left. They were up five with 16 seconds on the clock.

But a couple of turnovers in the span of 20 seconds with less than two minutes left turned a 70-62 Villanova lead into a 70-68 Villanova lead. Throw in a couple of missed foul shots down the stretch, and its not difficult to see why the Wildcats lost.


Rutgers, on the other hand, deserved this win. Mike Rice has a team that is out-talented just about every night in this league. But his kids play hard, they fight, and they've come so close to a couple of very good wins, losing by three to Pitt and then by two at St. John's.

"We kept fighting and improving, but in the Big East sometimes no one knows it because you keep getting the L's," Rutgers coach Mike Rice said. "So finally, to break through, to do this — it's special. But it's the seniors who won't let us quit. Who won't let us stop improving, it means a lot for them to have a game like that."

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Cincinnati still looks like a mediocre team

Cincinnati finally was tested this week.

On Thursday, the Bearcats hosted the Crosstown Shootout, taking on heated rival Xavier in what always seems to be one of the most physical and hard-fought games of the season. Cincy rolled, winning 66-46 as they completely shut down Tu Holloway and thus shut down Xavier's entire offensive attack.

It was an impressive win against a Xavier team that has been anything but this season. Just like Cincinnati's 34 point win over Dayton has been questioned, as well as their 10 point win at Oklahoma. Simply put, heading into Sunday's showdown against Villanova, the only thing that has been proven by the Bearcats this season is that they can dominate the middle of the Atlantic 10.

Beating the best in the Big East is a different story.


And early on, it looked like the Bearcats were going to be completely overmatched.

Corey Fisher caught fire early, scoring 20 of his 21 points in the first half, and Villanova jumped out to a lead that reached 20 points early in the second half. With Mick Cronin already saddled by a technical foul, Ibrahima Thomas picked up one of his own -- which also happened to be his fifth foul -- it looked like this game was going to get away from Cincy.

But it didn't.

The Bearcats were able to cut into the lead, getting all the way down to seven at point, as they pressured Villanova into forcing turnovers and attacked the basket to the point that each of the Wildcat starters had four fouls. All of this came from a team that is not known for their spurtability.

So what did this game tell us about the Bearcats?

Well, we now know that they aren't the kind of team that can go into Villanova and leave with a win. But there also aren't many people outside of southern Ohio that believed the Bearcats were capable of a win like that prior to Sunday.

I'm not yet convinced that Cincinnati is a potential tournament team.

When he wants to be, Yancy Gates is arguably the best big man in the Big East. But how often does he play that way? Dion Dixon, Rashad Bishop, and Sean Kilpatrick have all put up impressive numbers early in the season, but they combined for 13-40 shooting from the floor against Villanova, scoring just 33 points and finishing 1-16 from three. As a team Cincinnati shot just 36.1% from the field, 2-20 from three, and 15-25 from the line.

The Bearcat's toughness was promising on Sunday afternoon. They were down and responded, cutting a 20 point lead to seven.

But if Cincinnati was really a tournament team, would we be commending their ability to turn a blowout into a mildly interesting game?
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Friday's Shootaround: Villanova wins a Big 5 battle, Arizona State suffers a hideous loss

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

No. 8 Villanova 78, Temple 74: Nova still has a long way to go before they are the team everyone expected them to be. Mouph Yarou is still learning how to play in the post. Corey Fisher is still struggling with his shot. Maalik Wayns has a tendency to dribble the air out of the ball. Offensively, this team isn't perfect, but they were good enough last night to earn a rugged win against a good Temple team.

Wayns buoyed the team in the first half and played the role of the closer down the stretch, finishing with 21 points, 8 assists, and 4 steals. Corey Stokes added 24 points, including a number of big shots in the second half.

I've said it before, but I think Villanova's strength this season is defense. They ran a 1-2-2 press tonight that completely took Temple out of what they wanted to do offensively. Dominic Cheek and Stokes are both tough, versatile defenders in the mold of Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark, but with better offensive arsenals. Combine that with improved muscle up front, and the Wildcats are going to be just fine.

No. 10 Missouri 81, Old Dominion 58: Once again, Marcus Denmon's hot shooting carried the Tigers. He had 22 points, including 14 in the first half, and hit five threes. More importantly, Mizzou battled to essentially a draw on the glass with a bigger, more physical ODU team.

No. 16 BYU 90, Buffalo 82: Jimmer Fredette had a season-high 34 points, including 28 in the second half, as the Cougars won in their second trip to Upstate New York in as many weeks.

No. 21 UCF 68, Princeton 62: Marcus Jordan had 26 points and led the Knights back from a 37-29 halftime deficit against the Tigers.

No. 22 Memphis 88, Lipscomb 70: Memphis got 28 points and 14 rebounds from Wesley Witherspoon, who needed a good game coming off of a couple of bad outings and a knee surgery.

Oklahoma 76, Central Arkansas 73: Things that aren't good -- being unable to put away Central Arkansas at home.

Oregon State 80, Arizona State 58: Other things that aren't good -- losing at Gill Coliseum. Utah Valley State, Texas Southern, and George Washington won there. The Sun Devils lost by 22. That is not a good sign for their Pac-10 hopes. To be fair, Trent Lockett -- ASU's leading scorer and second leading rebounder -- did not play due to a sprained big toe. Regardless, this is a really, really bad loss.

Other Notable Scores:

• Virginia Tech 64, USC-Upstate 53
• Cornell 86, Wofford 80
• Miami FL 94, Pepperdine 59
• Cleveland State 73, Loyola IL 55
• VCU 78, New Hampshire 65
• Ole Miss 100, Alcorn State 62
• Tulsa 69, TCU 66
• Iowa State 60, Virginia 47
• Southern Miss 64, Savannah State 54
• Oakland 85, Oral Roberts 77
• Murray State 71, SIU-Edwardsville 46
• North Texas 81, Arkansas Little-Rock 69
• UNLV 73, Central Michigan 47
• Arizona 76, Oregon 57
  

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Conference Play Primer: The Big East

Favorite: Georgetown Hoyas

Coming into the season, Pitt and Villanova were the two teams everyone expected to be competing for the Big East title. While that hasn't exactly changed in the last two months, in this blogger's humble opinion the best team in the Big East is Georgetown. The Hoyas are an experienced team led by the best back court in the country in Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, and Jason Clark. Their front court has been better than expected, especially junior Henry Sims, who has developed into a homeless man's Greg Monroe. (The old Henry Sims was a homeless man's version of the new Henry Sims, so that last sentence should be taken as a complement.) They defend, they run a disciplined offense, and John Thompson III has allowed this team to take advantage of their guards and play at a faster pace this season. No team in the country has a better resume than the Hoyas do right now, as this team has emerged as a Final Four favorite seemingly out of nowhere. You aren't supposed to get better when you lose a lottery pick to early entry.


Player of the Year: Kemba Walker, UConn

This is obvious, isn't it? Walker has posted ridiculous numbers (26.5 ppg, 4.0 apg, 4.8 rpg, 2.1 spg, 42.1% 3PT) and carried an extremely young UConn team to a Maui Invitational title and a No. 4 ranking nationally. This team was picked 10th in the league to start the season and is now legitimately being discussed as a conference contender, and it is almost all a result of Walker's play.

All-Conference Team:

• G: Ashton Gibbs, Pitt: 16.5 ppg, 44.4% 3PT, 3.4 apg
  
• G: Austin Freeman, Georgetown: 18.9 ppg, 49.2% 3PT
  
• G: Corey Stokes, Villanova: 15.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg
  
• F: Marshon Brooks, Providence: 23.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg
  
• C: Rick Jackson, Syracuse: 13.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 2.0 bpg
  

Biggest Surprise: Cincinnati Bearcats

UConn is the biggest surprise of the season, but we've already talked about the Huskies here. And with Cincinnati on the brink of being one of just eight teams nationally to head into the new year undefeated, they deserve mention here. To be fair, Cincinnati hasn't exactly beaten anyone this season. Their 68-34 win over Dayton is nice, but it came at a time when the Flyers were playing some horrendous basketball. They also beat Oklahoma in Oklahoma, but the Sooners are no where near the same team as they were when Blake Griffin was in uniform. The Bearcats have been bolstered by better-than-expected play on their perimeter, led by Dion Dixon, Sean Kilpatrick, and Cashmere Wright. I'm reserving judgement on this team until after they are truly tested -- which will come early in Big East play -- but this start by Cinci deserves some praise. Also deserving mention here are the Louisville Cardinals and Providence Friars.


Biggest Disappointment: Villanova's back court

Corey Fisher was supposed to be the heir apparent to Scottie Fisher as Villanova's leading man. Maalik Wayns was supposed to be the next Kyle Lowry. Combined, they are shooting just 38% from the floor and 22% from three. They are still compiling some impressive assist numbers, but the stats don't tell the whole story. Villanova has struggled this season with a lack of leadership. They have struggled to beat teams they should be blowing out, and they lost to Tennessee in Madison Square Garden in a game where both players disappeared down the stretch. That said, Nova has just the one loss this season, and Fisher did appear as if he turned a corner against Monmouth in Nova's last game. I like the roster make up of this Villanova team, always have, but until there is consistently great play coming out of Wayns and Fisher, the Wildcat's don't look like a team that can challenge for a Big East regular season title.

Teams to keep an eye on:

• Notre Dame: The Irish have just one loss on the season -- which came at Kentucky -- and won the Old Spice Classic in impressive fashion, knocking off Wisconsin, Georgia, and Cal.
• Louisville: There is no star on this Louisville team, but they run a system that doesn't require a star. If the Cardinals can control tempo -- meaning they are playing fast -- and are knocking down shots from the perimeter, this will be a tough team to beat. And that no star comment? That could change if Peyton Siva continues to play the way he has of late.
• Marquette: I feel like I say it every year, but don't write off the Golden Eagles just yet. This is a scrappy team with a lot of talent on the perimeter.
• West Virginia: Bobby Huggins is still trying to get this team to play his way, but once he does, don't be surprised if this team makes a run in conference play. They have size, they defend, and Casey Mitchell has the potential to be a big time scorer.
• Providence: Seriously. There is talent on this team. Vincent Council and Bilal Dixon are above-average Big East players, and Marshon Brooks is playing as well as anyone in the country.
  

Teams to forget about:

• Seton Hall: I feel for the kids at Seton Hall. This was supposed to be their year. But between Herb Pope's near-death experience and subsequent struggles coming back and Jeremy Hazell's injuries (broken wrist, getting shot on christmas), this is not the team we expected at the start of the season.
  
• St. John's: The recent win to Northwestern aside, it seems as if experience hasn't helped this Johnnies team. They've lost to Fordham and St. Bonaventure already this year.
  

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JayVaughn Pinkston suspended for the season

The ruling has come down in the JayVaughn Pinkston case, and it is not good for the freshman.

Pinkston has been suspended from Villanova for the spring semester, meaning that he will not be allowed to play this season. To be clear, this suspension is being issued by the school, not the basketball team or the NCAA. Since Pinkston has not played in a game this season, he will be allowed to take a redshirt.

Pinkston will have to reapply to the school next summer to attain student in good standing status, which he needs to be a member of the basketball team.

Before I get into my reaction, here is the statement issued by Jay Wright:

I am in support of the University’s decision. JayVaughn understands that there are consequences to his actions, and I believe he will continue to handle this in a mature manner. We look forward to his return in June.

And JayVaughn Pinkston:

I am sorry. This situation is my responsibility and I have learned from it. I am going to work extremely hard so that I can return to the Villanova family in June.

If you don't remember, JayVaughn Pinkston was involved in an altercation, the rumor being that he got in a fight with a couple of Villanova students, which resulted in one of the students being taken to the hospital.

Obviously, this is a tough time for Pinkston, but its refreshing to see a school make a player pay a serious punishment for a serious offense. During the offseason, there were a number of assaults allegedly committed by college hoopers. Tre'Von Willis, LaceDarius Dunn, and Tony Woods were all involved in domestic disturbances that resulted in injuries, some of them serious, to women.

Woods was dismissed from Wake Forest, but Dunn and Willis missed a grand total of five games.

Pinkston will miss an entire season.

I may be in the minority here, but I feel for Pinkston. I really do. I'm sure I'm not the only one that got into a fight in college. It happens, especially when alcohol is involved and the pride of an 18 year old kid is on the line. I'm not excusing what he did, but we would all be hypocritical if we didn't admit to knowing where he came from.

That said, Pinkston has a responsibility here. He's getting his education paid for by Villanova to play basketball. He's also a 6'6", 250 lb man child. Simply put, you cannot go around punching fellow students when you are an athlete, especially an athlete that is bigger than just about everyone in the city of Philadelphia.

I've been in his shoes.

I missed my senior season in college because of a mistake I made.

And while it was a miserable experience, I grew from it. Here's to hoping JayVaughn does the same.
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Corey Fisher has to want to be the guy to replace Scottie Reynolds

NEW YORK - For the past four years, the name associated with Villanova basketball was Scottie Reynolds.

Starting with a 40 point outburst at UConn as a freshman, continuing with a coast-to-coast game winner to send the Wildcats to the Final Four as junior, and culminating with an all-american season as a senior, Reynolds will go down as one of the best guards in the history of one of a program known for producing back court players.

I don't envy the guy that has to replace a Scottie Reynolds.

For Villanova, that guy is expected to be Corey Fisher.

"He's always concerned about everybody else, wanting to keep everybody happy," Jay Wright told John Branch of the New York Times on Wednesday. "But he's got the ability to dominate. So finally this year he's starting to understand that's what he's got to do for this team."


Part of dominating, part of being a leader, is putting your team on your back when need be. If you want an example, all you have to do is look at Scotty Hopson. In both games this week -- including Tennessee's 78-68 win tonight -- Hopson started to take over down the stretch. He attacked the rim, drew fouls, and was as influential as anyone on this team in getting the Vol's the Preseason NIT title. Its why he was named the tournament's MVP.

And there is no question that is what Wright and company want out of Fisher.

"We chart in practice now, the first time we've done this, how many shots he takes in relation to his team's shots, every day," Wright said in that same New York Times article. "Whatever drills we did that day, if there were 40 shot attempts by his team in the 5-on-5 competition, we want him to have 18 or 20 of them. We want him to have close to half, in practice. I know in a game people aren't going to make it that easy on him."

After tonight, the question many will be asking is if Fisher is up for the challenge.

Because, as Wright said, teams like Tennessee are not going to make it easy for him.

Fisher struggled in the first half tonight. He shot 1-6 from the floor. He turned the ball over four times -- he had four turnovers all season coming into tonight. He was dribbling into traffic and forcing it up against Tennessee's stable of big men. Simply put, he wasn't himself. In all reality, he hasn't been himself all season. Coming into tonight, Fisher was averaging 18.4 ppg, but he was shooting just 39% from the floor and 24% from three. After tonight, those numbers fall to 15.8 ppg, 35% FG, and 21% 3PT.

Much of tonight's performance was due to the defense he faced against Tennessee.

Melvin Goins is a terrific defender. He's listed at 5'11", 180 lb but he looks closer to 210 lb. He's a brick wall with long arms, broad shoulders, and the athleticism that would have made him a D-I cornerback had be played football. Scotty Hopson is 6'6" with long arms which makes it difficult for a smaller guard to shoot over him. He's also quick enough that he can stay in front of some of the best guards in the country.

Those were the two players that defended Fisher all night.

"I just think it was one of those night," Wright told reporters after the game. "On ball screens the bigs help. [Brian] Williams can get out there and move his feet."

"They're a very good defensive team. They didn't give Fish many 1-on-1 opportunities."

Fisher wasn't alone. Maalik Wayns, Villanova's touted sophomore point guard, was just 3-11 for the game, shooting 0-4 from three and turning the ball over five times. Corey Stokes went just 3-9 from the floor. All three -- Fisher, Wayns, and Stokes -- were in foul trouble throughout the game and eventually fouled out.

But this is supposed to be Fisher's team.

When the rest of his team is struggling, he is supposed to be the guy that rises to the occasion and pulls them out of a slump. He's supposed to be the guy that carries them to a win in a game they get outplayed. He's supposed their leader.

What was more worrisome for me than Fisher's struggles was that he seemed to shy away from the ball late in the game.

Everyone has an off-night. Its part of being human. But when the best are having an off night shooting the ball, they attack the basket and get to the foul line. They draw a defender and find an open teammate. They do something else -- anything else -- to try and carry their team to a win.

Fisher disappeared in the second half.

He took just four shots from the field, missing all four. He didn't get to the foul line. He had just one assist, compared to two turnovers.

The best rise to a challenge.

Fisher seemed to shy away tonight.

There will be plenty of challenges of this caliber for Fisher come Big East play. If Villanova wants to be a team that competes for the Big East title and the Final Four, they are going to need Fisher to want to be the leader.

Because he's talented enough to do it.
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JayVaughn Pinkston and Devoe Joseph to miss game time

Villanova has released their statement on JayVaughn Pinkston, their talented freshman forward who was involved in an altercation at a party last weekend:

On Saturday night, November 6, an incident involving Villanova men’s basketball player JayVaughn Pinkston and several other students occurred at an off-campus location. The University has been informed that the Upper Merion Township Police are charging JayVaughn Pinkston with two counts of simple assault and harassment. Earlier this week, Villanova opened its own internal review to determine whether Code of Student Conduct violations had occurred in this matter. The University is moving forward with this review as quickly and diligently as possible in order to assure fairness to everyone. Until a decision is reached, JayVaughn will not play in games, but will be allowed to participate in other team activities.

So there you have it. Pinkston will be suspended pending the conclusion of the University's investigation. I don't think anyone expected any less. There is also a report that Pinkston has been charged with two counts of simple assault and harassment.

Villanova kicks off the season tonight at 8:00 pm against Bucknell.

Pinkston isn't the only player in trouble heading into the weekend.

The rest of this post can be seen at Beyond the Arc.

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Update of JayVaughn Pinkston

On Monday, we talked a bit about JayVaughn Pinkston, the Villanova freshman forward that is currently facing an investigation involving an incident off-campus that ended up with a student in the hospital. The NY Post has some more details:

A source said Pinkston was locked in the laundry room at the facility by two males. The 6-foot-7, 260-pound 18-year-old broke the door down and allegedly got involved in an altercation with the two at a nearby party, a source told The Post. Another source said Pinkston was involved in a fight at a party and that "it was bad."

From what I have heard and from message board innuendo, the cause of the fight is difficult to put together, but just about everyone agrees that Pinkston roughed a kid up pretty badly.

To his credit, Jay Wright isn't sidestepping this matter:

The rest of this post can be read over at Beyond the Arc.

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Jayvaughn Pinkston being investigated for an 'incident'

Villanova is reviewing an off-campus incident involving freshman and former McDonalds all-american Jayvaughn Pinkston from Saturday night.

From the guys over at VUHoops:

On Saturday night, November 6th, JayVaughn Pinkston was allegedly involved in an altercation in Upper Merion Township that lead to the other party in the hospital. A police report was allegedly filed. Rumors suggest that there may have been another teammate present at the time of the altercation. No media reports have named other members of the team at this time. At VUhoops we have been shown some evidence suggesting that some altercation did occur.

Yuck.

This is not good for Pinkston or Villanova. If this is correct, and Pinkston got into a fight and sent the other person to the hospital, he could very well be facing a suspension, if not expulsion. Particularly if the other person in the fight was a Villanova student.

The school and the cops are still investigating the incident. We will give you more information as it comes available.

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No. 3 Villanova Wildcats

To browse through the rest of our Top 50 Countdown, click here.

Last Season: 25-8, 13-5 (t-2nd Big East), lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to St. Mary's

Head Coach: Jay Wright

Key Losses: Scottie Reynolds, Taylor King, Reggie Redding

Newcomers: James Bell, Jayvaughn Pinkston

Projected Lineup:

• G: Corey Fisher, Sr.
  
• G: Maalik Wayns, So.
  
• F: Corey Stokes, Sr.
  
• F: Antonio Pena, Sr.
  
• C: Mouphtaou Yarou, So.
  
• Bench: Dominic Cheek, So.; Maurice Sutton, So.; Jayvaughn Pinkston, Fr.; Isaiah Armwood, So.
  

Outlook: Villanova had a disappointing finish to the 2009-2010 season. After starting the year 22-2 and 11-1 in the Big East, the Wildcats lost four of their last six games before getting dropped in the first round of the Big East tournament and fizzling out in the second round of the Big Dance. The Wildcats also lost a couple of key pieces this offseason, as Reggie Redding and all-american Scottie Reynolds both graduated and Taylor King transferred out.

But one thing that Jay Wright has proven is that he will always have a roster that is stocked with talent and experience. This year is no different. It starts with Corey Fisher, who will take the reins of this team after spending three subservient seasons behind Scottie. Fisher has a chance to be great this season. He's a tough, aggressive penetrater that is fearless attacking the rim. Despite being on the smaller side, he's a good finisher around the rim and can get to the foul line. He is also a good enough three point shooter that you cannot give him space. I'll be looking for him to become more of a distributor this season, drawing defenders and dropping the ball off the Villanova's group big men (more on then in second). Fisher was a consistent producer last season -- he averaged 13.9 ppg last year, but only hit 20 three times while missing double figures in just four games -- and without having Reynolds on the floor to defer to, I think Fisher will turn into the best point guard in the Big East.

As we've come to expect with Jay Wright teams, Fisher is not alone in the back court, but there will be a bit of a different makeup. Maalik Wayns is the only one other small guard on the roster, and he is quite talented. Right now, Wayns is at his best when he is in attack mode, either in a half court setting or in transition. He's very quick with the ball and able to get by defenders. His jumper needs some work, but perhaps the biggest improvement he needs to make is as a distributor. Had had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio last season, which is never a good thing when you are dealing with lead guards. Wayns has a high ceiling, but he has a way to go to truly reach that potential.

Corey Stokes looks like he'll be the third starter on the perimeter. He'll play the two and the three for the Wildcats, depending on their line up. He's probably their best perimeter defender right now and is still a knock down three point shooter. He's also improved putting the ball on the floor, and is always a threat to go for 20. With freshman James Bell out with stress fractures, Dominic Cheek will round out the back court rotation for the Wildcats. Cheek is an excellent athlete, and at 6'6" has the length to be a good defender for this team. The question will be whether he takes that next step as a sophomore to become a legitimate impact player.

The perimeter isn't the only place that Villanova will have more size this season. Up front, they have a good mix of youth, experience, bulk, and athleticism. Returning for his senior season is their rock up front in Antonio Pena. He's one of those guys who seems like he has been in college for a decade. He is a capable rebounder, he can score on the block, he'll defend in the post. He's not going to be found on any NBA Draft boards, but he's a solid big man in the Big East.


The rest of the front court is young, but oozes potential. There is the 6'10" Mouph Yarou. A very highly regarded recruit, Yarou had a tough time getting back into the rotation after battling hepatitis early in the season. A lot of people are expecting a big year from this strong, athletic forward, and he will definitely help provide a presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Maurice Sutton is a lanky, 6'11" sophomore that can be a presence as a shot blocker, but he still needs to add some weight and strength.

The x-factors up front will be Isaiah Armwood and Jayvaughn Pinkston. Armwood is a very athletic, 6'7" combo-forward. He's versatile enough that he can play the three or the four, and that versatiliy could make him very effective when Villanova goes zone (again, more on that in a second). Pinkston has a very different body type and skill set from Armwood, but he will be used in a similar role. At 6'6" and 260 lb of muscle, Pinkston is a bruiser. But his best attribute may be his perimeter game. He's big enough to bang inside, but with his ability to hit a three and put the ball on the floor, he could end up being quiet a match-up nightmare down the road.

Part of the reason that I have Villanova ranked this high is that I think they will have a different makeup as a team. While I expect Wayns and Fisher to start, I think that the Wildcats are going to play quite a few minutes with Stokes or Cheek at the two. Rebounding and defense were two of their bigger issues last season, and with that added size, I think Jay Wright has addressed those problems without sacrificing the Wildcats offensive potency. He's even said that he is willing to use a 2-3 zone with this group, which could be quite effective if he puts a lineup on the floor with Stokes, Cheek, and Armwood at the 2-3-4.

If Corey Fisher blossoms into an all-american candidate and the big guys can rebound and provide a scoring presence inside, Villanova has a chance to be a very, very good basketball team.
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Rankings the Big Mondays

I'll be honest.

I love Big Monday. Maybe its because I grew up in Big East country. Maybe its because I have an awkward love for color commentary of Jay Bilas and Bill Raftery. Maybe its because I am the only person in the country that thinks Brent Musberger and Bobby Knight are entertaining as announcers. Maybe its because something needs to fill the void of Monday Night Football.

Or maybe its because I simply adore starting off my week with two big-time matchups, which just so happen to be the only games of significance each and every Monday. If you can't get excited for Big Monday, then we can't be friends anymore. Sorry. The door's over there.

I have a point to all of this (I swear).

On Thursday, the Big East released their Big Monday schedule. The Big XII announced their portion back in July, which means that I now know exactly how I will be spending each and every Monday in January and February.



Hit the jump to see our rankings of which Big Mondays we are looking forward to the most:

(Ed. Note: We aren't including the first three weeks in our rankings. If we were, they would be at the bottom. Two games are always better than one.)

1. January 17th: Villanova @ UConn; Kansas State @ Missouri; Syracuse @ Pitt; Kansas @ Baylor

I mean, isn't this obvious? The 17th is Martin Luther King, Jr., day, and what better way to celebrate your Monday off from work than eight solid hours of Big East and Big XII hoops? The day tips at 3:30pm (all times EST) with Villanova heading to UConn. Now, the Huskies are going to be down this season, but they still have Kemba Walker who will need to have a big game against Villanova's loaded back court. The good news for UConn is that the game will, in fact, be played at Gampel Pavilion, their on-campus arena, as opposed to the Hartford Civic Center. The other MLK Day Big East game will be one of the best of the season. Pitt and Syracuse, along with Villanova, are the favorites to finish atop the conference, and its by a pretty wide margin. There is a lot to like about this game, but the matchup that intrigues me the most will be Pitt's sophomore big man Dante Taylor going up against stud Syracuse freshman Fab Melo. I get the feeling NBA scouts will like that as well.

UConn beat Nova in Philly last year.
(photo credit: Stamford Advocate)

On the Big XII side, the games will be just as entertaining. The first game pits Kansas State and Mizzou, two of the more exciting teams to watch in this league. Kansas State has a ton of size and length along their front line, but their back court is relatively inexperienced after all-american Jacob Pullen. That's not ideal considering the Tiger's 40 minutes of hell defense. Mizzou is deep, especially in the back court, with a lot athletes that really can get after it defensively. It may not be the prettiest game to watch, but it will be exciting. The night ends with Kansas heading to Waco, TX, to take on Baylor. Both the Bears and the Jayhawks have potential all-americans on their roster in LaceDarius Dunn and Marcus Morris. But they also boast two of the most-hyped recruits in the country in Josh Selby and Perry Jones.


2. February 14th: West Virginia @ Syracuse; Kansas @ Kansas State

It may be Valentine's Day, but love is rarely in the air when Kansas and Kansas State get together. The atmosphere is always fantastic when the Jayhawks enter the Octagon of Doom, and this season should be no different. Marcus Morris will have his hands full with the Wildcat front line, but the matchup that everyone will want to see is freshman phenom Josh Selby going up against senior and all-american Jacob Pullen.

Jacob Pullen and the Wildcats have a great home court.
(photo credit: USA Today)

In the early game, Bob Huggins will bring his West Virginia Mountaineers to the Carrier Dome to take on Jim Boeheim's Syracuse Orange. The Orange are definitely the more talented team, with guys like Kris Joseph and Fab Melo looking like potential first round picks, but the Mountaineers are a scrappy bunch led by senior Joe Mazzulla. With Kevin Jones and Deniz Kilicli seemingly primed for big years inside, it should surprise no one if WVU gives Syracuse a game.


3. February 7th: Pitt @ West Virginia; Missouri @ Kansas

Rivalry games are what it is all about in college hoops, and these two rivalries are about as entertaining as it gets. West Virginia fans are notoriously rowdy, and the last time the Panthers came to visit, it ended with a Pitt assistant coach being hit by a coin thrown from the stands. With both teams once again loaded with physical, tough basketball players, I wouldn't be surprised if this year's installment of the Backyard Brawl ended up in an actual brawl.

Marcus Morris and Kim English will be two of the best players in the Big XII next year.
(photo credit: Statsheet)

You know a rivalry is good when it has its own nickname. Pitt-WVU is the Backyard Brawl, while Kansas-Missouri games are known as the Border War. This year, the Tigers will be traveling to the Phog to take on a very good Jayhawk team. Kansas will be playing with a freshman point guard in Josh Selby, which is never ideal when you are facing the kind of pressure that Mizzou puts on for 40 minutes.


4. February 21st: Syracuse @ Villanova; Oklahoma State @ Kansas

A late February game between two of the favorites to win a conference? Yes please! The outcome of this Syracuse and Villanova game will, in all likelihood, have a major impact on the top of the Big East standings. Villanova may not have answers for Kris Joseph or Fab Melo, but can the Orange zone contain the Wildcat's tremendous back court?

Oklahoma State travels to Kansas in the night cap. The Cowboys lost their star James Anderson to the NBA this offseason and return a young roster. Okie State does have a couple of solid post players and some young talent in their back court, but winning in the Phog is never an easy task.


5. February 28th: Villanova @ Notre Dame; Kansas State @ Texas

Texas lost quite a bit of talent, but with freshmen Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson coming in, and Jordan Hamilton returning, there's reason to believe this Texas team could make a run at a Big XII title. Kansas State is likely a top ten team this season, which means that if the Longhorns get a couple of breaks this year, this game could end up being a fantastic way to end the Big Monday season.

Notre Dame lost a bunch of talent as well, as Luke Harangody and Tory Jackson graduated. But with guys like Ben Hansbrough, Tim Abromaitis, and Carleton Scott returning, as well as a healthy Scott Martin being added to the rotation, this Irish team may sneak up on some people. But if Villanova is in the mix for a Big East title at this point in the year, will the Irish be able to compete with a determined Villanova team?


6. January 24th: Notre Dame @ Pitt; Baylor @ Kansas State

There's an argument to be made that Jacob Pullen and LaceDarius Dunn at the two best guards in the country. Would I make that argument? Not necessarily, but I would argue that watching those two go back and forth in a game with as much size, length, and athleticism as there is on both sides of the ball in this game will be immensely entertaining.

If Notre Dame continues to play the way they did down the stretch last season, then this matchup with Pitt might struggle to hit the 50's. If Notre Dame decides to try and take more advantage of some of the offensive talent they have on their roster, it may end up being a higher-scoring affair. But will Notre Dame then be able to compete with a very good Pitt team?


7. January 31st: Louisville @ Georgetown; Texas @ Texas A&M

Both of these games are quite similar. Georgetown loses Greg Monroe, but they return a talented and experienced back court that could end up being one of the best in the country. Its part of the reason they are considered one of the four best teams in the conference. Louisville, on the other hand, lost quite a bit of senior leadership and will head into this season with a younger group of kids.

As we mentioned, Texas lost some talent, but has a solid core of young guys that will lead them. The 'Horns, like Georgetown, should be considered one of the top four or five teams in their league, while the Aggies will have lost a lot of their senior leadership.
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Louisville loses Roburt Sallie and Justin Coleman; UConn and Villanova also take a hit

Louisville got some bad news on Friday.

The Cardinals announced that neither Roburt Sallie or Justin Coleman will be joining the team this season. Sallie, a 6'5", 25 year old sharpshooter that spent the last two seasons at Memphis, was trying to take advantage of a rule that allowed students to enroll in graduate school at a different university without having to sit out a year. But "due to the timing requirements of meeting the matriculation deadline for graduate school."

As far as Coleman is concerned, the 6'5" wing, who spent last season at Huntington Prep, was unable to qualify academically.


With Edgar Sosa, Jerry Smith, and Reginald Delk both graduating, there is a big hole on the Cardinals perimeter. Peyton Siva should slide comfortably into the starting point guard role, and Preston Knowles, who has been fully reinstated to the team after some offseason off-the-court trouble, will likely start at the off-guard. That means that sophomore Mike Marra and junior Kyle Kuric (he of the unforgettable 22 point performance against Syracuse) will see quite a bit more time.

The question now is how much does this loss hurt the Cardinals. Sallie was expected to start, Coleman likely would have been the first perimeter player off the bench. But Kuric and Marra both showed the potential to be above average Big East players. Also expect Jared Swopshire to now spend more time playing the three.

Louisville was a borderline NCAA Tournament team with Sallie and Coleman, and while their loss puts a damper on the depth Pitino will have in his back court, it probably doesn't kill their tournament chances.

Louisville isn't the only Big East team that took a hit.

It looks like UConn will now be playing without Ater Majok. Majok was a big time recruit, but it took him a long time to get cleared by the NCAA, finally getting cleared midway through last season. He declared for the 2009 NBA Draft, after sitting out that entire season, but withdrew and was finally declared eligible in December.

Majok, who would be a 23 year old sophomore, had little to no impact on the Huskies. It was obvious the potential was there, but it would take 6'10" Sudanese native a while to grow into that potential.

According to the Hartford Courant, it is likely that Majok will be headed back to Australia, where he played his high school ball, to begin his professional career.

Its tough to hate on this decision. If he does decide to become a professional, he will be doing it to support his family.

And then there is Villanova's James Bell. Bell, a four-star freshman, has stress fractures in both of his tibias. It is unknown how long he will be out.

With the loaded perimeter that Jay Wright has this season, it was unlikely that Bell would have started. But, when he returns, Bell will provide depth and compete for minutes with the likes of Dominic Cheek, Corey Stokes, and Corey Fisher.

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Corey Fisher breaks the century mark

Corey Fisher has always been a talented player. He dropped 40 on OJ Mayo and 35 on Brandon Jennings as a high schooler at St. Patrick's in New Jersey. He was the MVP of the '07 Jordan Classic, which is all the more impressive when you consider this was the same high school class that produced Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon (I coud keep going).

Fisher never really had a chance to showcase those skills in his first three years at Villanova, playing alongside and behind all-american Scottie Reynolds.

Well, if this summer is any indication, Fisher is primed for a big season. Its not uncommon for college, and even professional, players to head back to their hometowns for summer league basketball, and its not uncommon for impressive performances to make the rounds. Just ask Jerry Stackhouse, who got an early look at John Wall last summer. Fisher has been playing in the Watson Gleason summer league, and over the weekend, Fisher caught fire in a game.

And when I say he "caught fire", I mean it. He scored an unbelievable 105 points. He hit 23 of 28 threes. He scored 72 points in the second half alone, finishing more than 75% of his team's 138 points. Granted, he's probably not playing against Big East caliber competition (although rumor has it he was being guarded by Jose Calderon -- UPDATE: Apparently, its a different Jose Calderon, not the one from the NBA), and summer league basketball isn't exactly reknowned for the defensive intensity, but 105 points is 105 points. 23 threes in 28 attempts is impressive, even if you're simply working out alone in a gym.

Whether or not Fisher actually scored 105 points, I think we can all agree that he is primed for a big year.

UPDATE: This fantastic Corey Fisher mixtape was sent along to us, and is definitely worth the watch.


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Wednesday Where Are They Now?: Allan Ray, Villanova

Ever wonder what happened to those college stars that couldn't catch on in the NBA? The guys that put up the great numbers or the guys that left early, and were never heard from again? Every Wednesday, we at BIAH will take a look at a former college star that never made it in the NBA, and we will update you on where he is playing or what he is doing. We're guessing the results will surprise you. To request a player, hit us up on twitter @ballinisahabit or via email at contactbiah@gmail.com.

Allan Ray, Villanova

Hailing from the Bronx, Allan Ray is a product of the vaunted St. Raymond's program. He was a highly touted recruit, teaming with Julius Hodge to lead St. Ray's to a 2001 New York state title. Ray was named MVP of that game, but he missed much of his senior season due to a stress fracture in his right foot.


Despite the injury, Ray was considered a good enough prospect to become a member of Jay Wright's loaded 2002 recruiting class that also included Randy Foye, Jason Frasor, and Curtis Sumpter. Ray's contribution was felt right off the bat, as he went for 16 in a season opening loss to Marquette. Ray would go on to average 9.9 ppg, hitting double figures 15 times and finishing the season in the starting line-up.

As a sophomore, Ray turned into an all-Big East caliber player, averaging 17.3 ppg and 3.9 rpg. He was named third team all-conference as well as first team all-Big Five. While Ray was quickly becoming a star, the problem was that neither of those Villanova teams had all that much success. When Ray was a freshman, the Wildcats finished below .500, losing in the first round of the Big East Tournament as well as the first round of the NIT. During his sophomore season, Villanova wasn't much better, losing seven of eight to close out the regular season. They fared better in the postseason, making it to the semis of the Big East, but still missed the NCAA's, losing in the quarters of the NIT.

It was during Ray's junior season that the Wildcats started to show just how good that 2002 recruiting class really was. Blessed with one of the best back courts in the country, featuring Foye, Ray, Mike Nardi, and Kyle Lowry, Villanova went 21-6 during the regular season, winning their last seven regular season games to finish up 11-5 in conference play. After losing to West Virginia in the quarters of the Big East tournament, Nova got their first taste of the NCAA Tournament with this group, earning a five seed. They would knock off Danny Granger's New Mexico team in the first round before beating a Florida team that had yet to figure out how good their bench was. (Coincidentally, this would be the last time someone beat Florida in the NCAA Tournament until this season; the Gators would win the next two titles, the proceed to be NIT bound the two years after that.)

Villanova would eventually lose to UNC in the Sweet 16 on a controversial call. Despite being overmatched and playing with a four guard line-up -- star forward Curtis Sumpter had torn ligaments in his knee against Florida -- Nova was down three with under 15 seconds left when Ray, who was a miserable 2-14 from the floor in the game and went 3-32 for the tournament, drove to the basket and seemingly finished an and-one. But the ref didn't call a foul, instead whistling Ray for a travel. UNC would hang on to win by one. Regardless of his postseason struggles, Ray had a great individual season as well, earning second team all-Big East honors and leading Nova at 16.3 ppg.

While it was a disappointing end to the 2005 season for the Wildcats, Nova's performance without Sumpter -- who would miss the entire 2005-2006 season -- made them an instant favorite in 2006 utilizing that four guard line-up. Ray and Foye thrived as seniors, combining to averaged a whopping 39 ppg while leading Nova to a 24-3 regular season record and a Big East regular season title. After losing to Pitt in the Big East semis (and suffering a scary looking injury to his eye, although it kept him out less than a week), Villanova beat Monmouth, Arizona, and Boston College to advance to the Elite 8, where they once again ran into Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and the rest of the Florida Gators.

Despite being a first-team all-Big East selection and making several different second and third team all-america lists, Ray went undrafted in 2006. 6'2" guards that struggle to run the point and are volume shooters aren't exactly prime NBA prospects. Having said that, Ray signed with Boston for the 2006-2007 season, and was actually fairly successful. He averaged 6.2 ppg, started five games, and even broke 20 a handful of times.

After the season, Ray bolted for Italy, where he could stand to make a better living. During the 2007-2008 season, Ray played with Virtus Roma (there is a reason that name sounds familiar to american fans), where he averaged around 13 ppg in 20 regular season games. Ray also averaged 9.8 ppg in 15 Euroleague games.

The following season, Roma added an american guard by the name of Brandon Jennings to their roster. Ray played in 15 total games with Roma, seeing his numbers and minutes decrease, before moving onto Carife Ferrara, another team in Italy's top club league. With Ferrara, Ray played 15 games, averaging 15.5 ppg and 5.2 rpg.

After missing the entire 2009-2010 season rehabbing a knee injury, Ray recently signed with Sutor Montegranaro, his third Italian Serie A team. Montegranaro finished last season in the middle of the pack in Serie A, but as of now the only other NCAA player on the roster in Anthony Maestranzi who went to Northern Illinois.

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Taylor King leaves the Villanova team

Taylor King was once a McDonald's all-american at Mater Dei High School in Los Angeles, a 6'9" forward with unlimited range and a scholarship to play basketball at Duke.

Today, King is a regular college student at Villanova.

It began as a message board rumor this morning, and was later confirmed by both ESPN's Dana O'Neil and the Villanova athletic department. Taylor King, who transferred to Villanova in the spring of 2008 after playing as a freshman at Duke, has decided to leave the Villanova basketball team. He will remain at the university to finish up his graduation requirements, but will not play basketball. King has two years of eligibility left.

Taylor King has left the Villanova basketball team.
(photo credit: Zimbio)

You can search the Villanova message boards if you want to see the specific rumors, but what has officially been reported is that King violated team rules and, according to O'Neil's source, he has some "personal issues" to deal with.

It is debatable how much this loss will actually affect Villanova next season. King did average 7.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg last season, but his minutes decreased dramatically by season's end. Villanova head coach Jay Wright benched King for the final regular season game against West Virginia as a "teaching point", and King played sparingly in the Wildcat's three postseason games.

Villanova returns their anchor up front, senior Antonio Pena, but the Wildcats also have a lot of young talent along their front line. Mouphtaou Yarou and Isaiah Armword both showed flashes of potential as freshman and will benefit from more playing time as sophomores. Jay Wright also brings in freshman JayVaughn Pinkston, a 6'7" bruiser from Brooklyn, who should be able to contribute right away. While King's loss will hurt Villanova from a depth and experience perspective, King's preference to fire threes from 25 feet never really fit in with Wright's system.

Hopefully, King will graduate and find success in life without basketball.

While he may seem like a failure to some based on his lofty expectations coming out of high school, if all he has to show for his collegiate basketball career is a degree from Villanova, I think he made out pretty well.
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