Michigan isn’t over Championship loss to Villanova Basketball

Happy Friday Nova Nation! It’s a big recruiting weekend on campus as both commits and prospects will be on hand for Villanova’s final weekend before the season starts:

We’ll keep an eye on that, but in the meantime let’s look two weeks ahead to Villanova’s first ranked opponent in #19 Michigan. It turns out, losing a National Championship game sucks. And according to many Michigan players, they’re still not over it. It probably doesn’t help when they see Josh Hart making fun of Mo Wagner for his “runner-up” ring.

Still, the Wolverines will be Villanova’s first big test of the season. You never want your opponent to have additional reasons to want to stick it to you, but I’ll still take a blow-out National Chamipionship over Jordan Poole losing that chip on his shoulder. Should be a good game either way, and it will only cost you $1,000 if you want to see it in person.

In other “news”, more on JRE’s commitment, lots of preseason rankings, and Brian Westbrook is inducted into the Philadelphia Hall of Fame.

'I'm still not over it:' Loss in title game fuels Michigan Wolverines | The Detroit News
With seven players back from last season’s Final Four trip, one would be hard-pressed to find a more driven group heading into the 2018-19 campaign.

Five-star recruit Jeremiah Robinson-Earl said he chose Villanova for the coaches and the campus | The Inquirer
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, a 6-foot-8 forward from Overland Park, Kan., chose the Wildcats over Kansas, Arizona, North Carolina and Notre Dame.

Big East preview: Villanova no shoo-in as race to top figures to be most wide-open since reconfiguration | The Inquirer
Villanova is the preseason pick, but Marquette, Providence and St. John's are ready to contend for the regular-season championship.

2018-19 Big East Preseason Rankings | Basketball Society
Villanova is, yup, #1

College basketball’s top 25 teams in 2018-19, according to us | SBNation.com
From Duke to Indiana, these are the college basketball teams you need to pay attention to this season.

Preseason Bracketology: 1-4 Seeds | Inside the Hall
Here are the final sixteen teams in my preseason field. Once again, the ACC is well-represented with four teams, but the SEC also checks in with four schools.

NCAA basketball’s 50 best non-conference games in 2018-19 | SBNation.com
Don’t ignore college basketball until March. The early season schedule is loaded with great games.

Every color, patch, court change and more are in the Uni Watch college basketball preview | ESPN
All the schools. All the conferences. Needless to say we have all your aesthetic college hoops needs covered.

'White Shoes' dances into Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame | delcotimes.com
PHILADELPHIA — Since he calls Atlanta home these days, and has for many years, former Chichester High and Widener great Billy “White Shoes” Johnson doesn’t get back to his real