For those Nova fanatics looking for something to read to fill the void between now and the kickoff against Towson at 7 p.m., I recommend Brian’s game preview, "A Feline Football Fracas." If its basketball you want, I remind you that your wait is almost over. Mike’s Countdown to the First Practice shot clock (see the upper left corner of the VUHoops page) indicates that we are just over 34 days away. If you thirst for more, there also are two worthwhile articles published this week telling us what we can expect from the Cats this season.
- The HoopsReport picks ‘Nova at #36 and says, "With an exciting freshman class that will combine with some young returning talent, the 'Cats have a chance to do some damage in the Big East and return to the NCAA tournament once again. The HoopsReport writers project the 'Nova starting lineup and give some insightful reviews of each player.
- BleacherReport lists its ten most underrated teams entering 2011-12, with Villanova at #6. They write, "Opponents [that] sleep on Villanova [do so] at their peril. Point guard Maalik Wayns is one of the country’s best, and PF Mouphtaou Yarou will be a defensive force even in a loaded conference. With another year of experience for the squad's many rising juniors, the Wildcats will also get more out of their bench than they did a season ago."
Finally, if you have not yet cast your ballot to elect our 2011 VUHoops Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, time is running out. I know that there are more than 180 of you out there. We need your vote to ensure that the 2011 inductees truly reflect the collective wisdom of the VUHoops readers! Randy Foye and Jake Nevin are currently in the lead for the two inductee spots, with Wali Jones, Jack Kraft and Chris Ford within striking distance.