Reggie Redding News

Villanova will be without freshman Mouphtaou Yarou for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off because of a viral infection, a source told ESPN.com. Yarou flew home from the tournament early Thursday, the source said.

Things stayed civil for the peaceful Quakers of UPenn for a few moments; they even managed to take a 5-4 lead over Big-Five rival Villanova.

Here's how I see the conference shaping up this year. Last year, the conference was being lauded as perhaps the best ever.

The fifth-ranked Villanova Wildcats begin their quest for a national title tonight, as they host the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights in non-conference play at The Pavilion.

Coach: Jay Wright . Last season: 30-8 Postseason: Lost in national semifinals of NCAA Tournament to North Carolina, 83-69. Last league title: 1995 Last NCAA berth: 2009 PROJECTED STARTERS F Antonio Pena, Jr.

TIME: 07:00 P.M. EST VENUE: It's the 25th anniversary of Villanova's lone national championship team.

Villanova Coach: Jay Wright AP preseason rank: Last year: 30-8, 13-5 BE, won four games in NCAAs vs.

Scottie Reynolds' game-winning shot against Pitt in the Elite Eight lifted Villanova to the Final Four last season.

Villanova's basketball team will unofficially begin its season Thursday at the Wachovia Center with a 7 o'clock scrimmage against Kutztown, which is ranked as high as 16th in several preseason Division II polls.

Guard Scottie Reynolds looks to lead Villanova to a national title. It's that time of year again to lace up the sneakers.

Coach: Jay Wright Last season's record: 30-8 Spotlight player Scottie Reynolds has been a 15-point scorer from the moment he walked onto the Villanova campus.

Scottie Reynolds passed up his chance to jump to the NBA. Jay Wright never seriously considered bolting the Wildcats for the Philadelphia 76ers head coaching vacancy.

Villanova, which a week ago was picked to finish first in the Big East, is ranked fifth in the preseason Associated Press Top 25.

The Wildcats will be without Reggie Redding for the first 10 games of the season.

NEW YORK _ Coming off an NCAA Final Four appearance, Villanova is receiving all kinds of love from the preseason prognosticators, including the coaches in the Big East Conference on Wednesday.

WILDCATS NO. 1 -- Fresh off last season's Final Four appearance and sparked by the return of senior guards Scottie Reynolds and Reggie Redding and junior Corey Stokes, the Villanova Wildcats were handed the bull's-eye as the team to beat in the 2009-10 Big East preseason poll.

After enjoying a 2008-09 season that stretched all the way to the NCAA Final Four, the Villanova basketball team hit the court yesterday for its first practice session of the preseason.

In the college ranks, the play is legendary. With a Final Four berth at stake last March and facing full-court pressure from Pittsburgh, Villanova 's Dante Cunningham leaped to snare an inbounds pass.

Villanova's basketball team, which advanced to last April's Final Four, will open the season on Nov.

Welcome back, Villanova! A lot happened on campus this summer that you might have missed.