No. 3 Villanova Wildcats

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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.