Welcome to our 2011 Villanova basketball season preview. We're going to be previewing a player per day from here on out - which will take us right up to the first exhibition game against New York Tech. Today, we preview junior Dominic Cheek.

As Villanova opens the 2011-2012 season unranked for the first time, we as fans really don't know what to expect. And on a team with many question marks, the biggest one for me is what are we going to get out of Dom Cheek this year. Rumors of a possible transfer surfaced over the summer, but lucky for us, Cheek decided to stay.

Those of you that have read this blog in the past know that I have always been a big supporter of his game, almost to a fault (Editor's Note: Cheek is commonly referred to as 'Trask's Boy'). But this is a make or break year for Cheek and he quite possibly could be the X factor that pushes this team into the second weekend of the tournament or holds the Cats back and leaves them struggling to find an identity in the half court offense.

After The Jump, I'll talk about why this is his breakout year.

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Welcome to our 2011 Villanova basketball season preview. We're going to be previewing a player per day from here on out - which will take us right up to the first exhibition game against New York Tech. Today, we preview incoming freshman Markus Kennedy.

Well traveled but homegrown Philly native Markus Kennedy comes into the 2011 season as a bit of an X-factor and an unknown. Originally scheduled to arrive last year, Kennedy, who played at 4 different schools, could be the perfect king of player for a team left in flux after the crash and burn of the 2010 season. 

A skilled 6’9 250-ish pound wide-body who from all accounts can play with his back to the basket, Markus balled last season for perennial national championship contender Brewster Academy in Maine and early word is that he looks more polished and should contribute right away

Join me after The Jump for more on the big man.

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Sadly, I think all of us saw this coming yesterday. Extremely difficult to go into a building we've never won in before in 25+ tries, play the top team in the conference who had something to really play for and shake off the program's most embarrassing loss since any of the blog's writers were students on the Main Line.

The team hung in there for a bit (or maybe it was just Wayns) but the game was played at Pitt's pace and it never really felt like we had a chance once they seized the lead in the second half. I remember talking with other alums who I watched the game with and the consensus was that a 5 point lead felt like 25. This team has struggled to score the basketball for a month against average defensive teams, it just was not in the cards last night.

More after The Jump.

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Last night, in one of the ugliest wins in recent memory, the Cats labored painfully to get by one of the weaker teams in the BEAST (as much as I hate when Lane uses this term, it feels all too appropriate this year). Without the absolutely heroic performance of a freshman that, at the beginning of the season, was not even expected to be in a uniform year, the team would no doubt have tacked on yet another late season, questionable loss and instilled even more panic into the minds of an already restless fan base.

But the point of this post is not to rip the team for its lack of assertiveness (senior Corey Fisher taking only 4 shots in a game with Stokes out), extreme carelessness with the ball (22 turnovers, 6 each by our "star" point guards) or the continued struggles of players we have been waiting for the contribute consistently all year (Houdini act from Mouphtaou Yarou in the 2nd half, another forgettable night from a supposedly healthy Dominic Cheek). It is to praise a truly phenomenal and, not to be overly dramatic, a possibly season saving performance in Newark  by a true freshman.

And after hearing this quote, how can you not LOVE the guy.

Bell said he always wanted to play for Wright because of the type of players Villanova produces, saying Dwayne Anderson and Dante Cunningham embodied "the man I wanted to be."

More after The Jump.

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Finally we have the first edition of the SB rankings that actually fall during Big East conference play. Although only one game was played, it was a big one: UConn was outclassed by what looked to be a superior Pitt team. The win cemented the Panthers atop the rankings this week and sent the Huskies down a few spots. 

Villanova jumped a spot from last time but until we see what the Cats can do against some real competition, anyone's guess is as good as mine. This week's tilt with Temple is a true test and will hopefully serve as a successful wake up call before conference play. This team has a lot of talent and a lot to prove. 

The full rankings and link to the article after the jump

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Tonight at 7:05 PM, the 8th ranked Wildcats (9-1) travel to West Long Branch, NJ to face off against the Monmouth University Hawks (4-7). After early season wins over prestigious powerhouses such as Lehigh, Eastern Michigan, North Dakota and Hartford, the Hawks come in riding a two game losing streak, after losing in blowout fashion to in-state rivals Rider and Rutgers.

Nova will be the highest ranked team to ever visit the Monmouth campus and to me the only benefit of us making the trip up there is the proximity to our NJ guys' hometowns (Stokes, Cheek, Ouano). Thankfully this will be the final game of the season against low major cupcakes and, despite us playing a late December game that isn't even televised, it is one final opportunity to get tuned up before facing a talented and ranked Temple squad next week that will be gunning to knock the Cats off.

Monmouth is led by a balanced if not potent attack with 4 players averaging between 7.7 and 9.9 points per game. They are averaging less than 60 points and less than 2,000 fans per game and lack an interior presence. This should be a walk.

More coverage after The Jump.

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A night after a tumultuous "victory" over a team with zero basketball scholarships down the road, I would love to be a fly on the wall at today's practice on campus. You can say whatever you want about the UPenn program being improved from last year's squad but this was supposed to be a walk. Without a heroically/uncharacteristically assertive effort from Corey Stokes, the Cats quite possibly would have fallen victim to the 199th best team in America last night. This was supposed to be a coming out party against a squad that we scored 55 points against last year...in the first half.

More commentary after The Jump.

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The most important member of this season's team, Corey Fisher enters his senior year on the cusp of something really special. A solid performer throughout his career, Fisher constantly (and quietly) played second fiddle to Scottie Reynolds for 3 full seasons, despite showing signs that he could take over games and individually dominate.

The consummate team player before, Fisher will now be asked to impose his will on games and lead this team both on and off the court. Is he ready for this? While this is up for debate, Fisher's season will be intriguing on many levels. If he stumbles, this team could be nothing more than a middling BIG EAST squad that fights just to get into the NCAA tournament, leaving Fisher as an unproven talent likely headed for Europe.

If he continues to develop into a dynamic scorer from the perimeter and in the paint, he will likely drive this team deep into March and possibly hear his name called by David Stern in the 1st round of next summer's NBA draft. 

More on Fish after The Jump.

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The most devastating blow to Villanova's 2010 NCAA championship hopes happened long before tournament time and well before BIG EAST conference play even began. When news out of Puerto Rico reached home that Mouphtaou Yarou, the most highly touted big man to hit the main line since Jason Fraser, would be sidelined indefinitely due to Hepatitis B diagnosis, fans were not just scared for the season but scared for his his life and career.

After fighting admirably and regaining his health and fitness, Mouph rejoined the team in January and tried to work his way back into the rotation. While contributing solidly at times (especially down the stretch when his minutes increased), Yarou struggled to find his role on the team and, for reasons almost entirely out of his control, was unable to deliver the freshmen season that many had hoped for.

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The most heralded recruit in what many say was the best haul in school history, Dominic Cheek joined a crowded veteran back court on the mainline and found ways to be a solid contributor for the Cats in his freshmen season.

A rarity in present day college basketball, the McDonald's All-American put his team and his long term development ahead of instant playing time and big statistics. This is the same kid that, on national television, shredded the 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year in a duel where he dropped 20 in the first half alone. 

That said, Cheek has the ability to take a big step and if Villanova has aspirations of playing deep into March this year, he needs to be ready for the expanded role and the responsibility that comes with being an everyday rotation player in the Big East.

More on Dom Cheek after The Jump

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Searching for some positive news, Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn has the Villanova Wildcats as an extremely early preseason national #6 and as the highest rated Big East team for the second straight post season ranking . So much for lowered expectations with the graduation of Scottie. This team will be in the national spotlight again come next fall. 

"Sophomore point guard Maalik Wayns is primed for breakout stardom in Scottie Reynolds' absence, and center Mouphtaou Yarou, who missed part of his freshman year due to hepatitis B, should make huge gains in his first full season."

Click here to read the full article

Let us know how Winn's opinion stacks up against your own.

Somewhat lost in the mire of last week's stunning upset to St. Mary's and a late season shooting slump, Scottie Reynolds produced one of the best individual seasons in Villanova basketball history in 2010 and was rewarded today with a spot on the Associated Press' All America Team. Averaging a career best 18.5 points per game and shooting over 40% from 3, Scottie displayed unparalleled efficiency at the offensive end and led the Wildcats to a school best 20-1 start.

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Today is the time to put all the talk aside and see if the Cats have a run left in them. St. Mary's will present a legitimate challenge. Will Scottie put the team on his back and carry them through to Houston? Or will the season end by watching a dude name Omar posterize (no JP reference) our weak interior defense. Get at us

After the dust settled yesterday evening, the committee had spoken and their opinion of Villanova proved much higher than public consensus. Going into the past week ranked #10 in the polls, we lost our first game and managed to come out of it with arguably the 6th most favorable seeding out of the 65 teams advancing to the big dance.

That said the Cats enter this week with plenty of question marks, in what is generally seen as the easiest path to the Final Four. While we seemingly matchup well with Duke, there are numerous teams that could give us trouble along the way.

It will be universally agreed on this week that the South is the least arduous path to Indianapolis. The perception is that this bracket contains the weakest 1-4 seeds collectively and individually and a big part of  this is because people are down on Villanova due to the late season slide. In reality the bracket has an overrated #1, a slumping #2, an up and coming, but not tournament tested #3 and a depleted #4 fresh off putting up a whopping 11 points in the first half on a Minnesota team that, as of a week ago, wasn't in position to make the field of 65. Despite all the negatives, the bracket will be challenging and has some sleepers that can make some noise as well.

More after the jump...

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The most important day of the college basketball season is here and what months ago looked like a relaxing, enjoyable afternoon of talking trash to our fellow Big East friends, today has turned into a nerve wracking countdown to see if our Wildcats will draw a matchup that allows us to advance past next Thursday. This is your Selection Sunday thread: will next week provide glorious moments like Scottie Reynodls' buzzer beater against Pittsburgh or are we doomed to get upset in the second round by a Cinderella with a 7 footer who fouls out our entire front line. Get at us in the comments.

Added by Chris:

Can't imagine us dropping lower than a 4, but the more I think about it I think we're going to get a 3. Really hoping to get Duke as our 1-seed, but that's probably not going to happen, despite my constant praying. If that doesn't happen, I'd love to end up with Purdue in the same bracket as us, as I think we'd have no problem with them, especially since Robbie Hummel is no longer in play.

Just about an hour to go now!