Penn Post Game -- Closing Out

They Were on Fire, and Then...
There were times in the first half when it appeared, Big 5 game/rivalry or not, Villanova was going to sweep Penn right out of the Pavilion. The 'Cats opened with a 12-4 run in the game's first five minutes on their way to a 73-65 win over their Big 5 rival. The score understated the Wildcats' domination...

	Score	Poss	PPP	eFG%	TO%
Penn	4	8	0.50	33.3	25.0
Villanova	12	8	1.50	75.0	0.0

The teams were on track for a 32 possession half and a 64 possession game...with a score of 96-32 Villanova. Numbers too good to be sustained...and the skeptics were not disappointed. Not before Villanova doubled the score on Penn, 32-16 near the 3:00 mark of the first half. The Wildcats took a solid 18 point lead, 38-20, into the intermission.

"I thought it was important (with Maalik Wayns out with two first half fouls) that we did not let him (Penn point guard Zack Rosen) get started..." Coach Wright asserted in the post game press conference, "...because once he gets going, it's really tough to stop him..." This served as the explanation for Penn's point guard Zack Rosen's second half explosion. Going into the half with six points on 2-4 (0-1, 2-3) from the floor and 2-2 from the line, Penn's preseason favorite to take Player of the Year honors in the Big 5 used the time to gather himself, and returned to the floor to record 17 more points as he engineered the Quakers' second half rush to close the gap. Though they fell short, Penn whittled a deficit that bulged to 18 early in the half down to four with 0:15 left to play. Rosen's three pointer (one of seven they managed to convert after shooting 0-7 in the first half) brought the Quakers to 65-69, but they could get no closer as the young Wildcats hit their free throws to push the margin back out to eight.

With Maalik Wayns on the bench
Zack Rosen schools Achraf Yacoubou (24) in first half action

The bloggers over at VUHoops.com focus on Villanova's nine game winning streak over Penn and how the squad converted at the line to bring home the win in their piece, "9 Straight for Cats Over Quakers". The Nova Blog noted Penn's second half rally in "Villanova Holds Off Penn's..." and how the Wildcats preserved the win. The University site posted the AP wire story and the official boxscore. The breakdown by halves

Opponent	Penn
	1st	2nd	Game
Pace	33.1	33.4	66.5
	Offense				Defense
	1st	2nd	Game		1st	2nd	Game
Rating	114.8	104.8	109.8		60.4	134.8	97.8
eFG%	62.1	28.8	46.4		29.2	66.1	50.0
TORate	21.2	12.0	16.5		24.2	12.0	18.1
OR%	33.3	35.0	34.3		16.7	33.3	24.2
FTA/FGA	17.2	92.3	52.7		33.3	16.1	23.6
FTM/FGA	6.9	76.9	40.0		25.0	12.9	18.2
ARate	60.0	71.4	63.6		14.3	58.8	45.8
Blk%	10.3	3.8	7.3		4.2	6.5	5.5
Stl%	9.0	8.7	8.9		9.1	3.1	6.1
PPWS	1.21	0.94	1.06		0.72	1.35	1.06
2FG%	47.4	46.2	46.9		46.7	55.6	51.5
3FG%	60.0	7.7	30.4		0.0	53.8	31.8
FT%	40.0	83.3	75.9		75.0	80.0	76.9
%2FG	47.4	34.3	41.1		70.0	44.4	52.3
%3FG	47.4	8.6	28.8		0.0	46.7	32.3
%FT	5.3	57.1	30.1		30.0	8.9	15.4

Half Time Adjustments
The pace was dictated by Villanova and remained consistent through both halves. Penn's marked, half-over-half improvement on offense (or Villanova's defensive lapse if you wish) was graphic and led by the turnaround on their outside shooting. The Wildcats kept their points per possession rate north of one (1.048 PPP) on the strength of their offensive rebounding, dramatic drop in turnovers and the large number of times they got to the line. From Zack Rosen's post game comments, "...I don't know where our confidence was...we want to go out and play with anybody, no matter who it is...and do what we do. I think in the second half we did what we did..." Indeed, the Quakers hit 7-13 from beyond the arc, One of the minor surprises is how Penn, which racked up a staggering 27 personal fouls managed to keep their entire rotation eligible for play. Three Quakers, Rosen, forward Henry Brooks and forward/center Cameron Gunter picked up four fouls apiece while four others had three fouls apiece. Five of Penn's 18 rostered players are 6-8 and taller. They struggled to block out Mouphtao Yarou, sending the junior forward to the line for 12 free throw attempts.

Notes & Observations
1. About Villanova's defense -- "We gotta learn we have to play 40 minutes...it's hard (to maintain defensive intensity), but good teams do that...when you're young...when you get a lead...the place you rest is on defense. When you're a veteran...and you're going to rest, you do it on offense" -- Coach Jay Wright

2. Maalik Wayns picked up his second foul with nine minutes left in the first half and sat for the balance of the period. He took no shots in the first half, dished two dimes, racked up a steal and committed two turnovers before retiring to the bench. Urged at the half to shoot more, the junior's line at the finish was 11 points on 2-4 (1-2 from beyond the arc, 1-2 inside) shooting from the field and 6-6 at the line.

Maalik Wayns' three pointer in the second half
helped staunch a Quaker comeback

3. With Wayns on the bench and Rosen on the loose, the staff with limited options turned to freshmen Ty Johnson and Achraf Yacoubou to pick up Wayns' minutes and they did not disappoint. Johnson logged 15 minutes as he manned the point, recording six points while providing three assists to two turnovers. The freshman grabbed a rebound and was credited with a steal. Yacoubou was a bit less productive offensively, but he did dish two dimes while committing one turnover in an 18 minute stint.

4. Yarou racked up a double-double, 21 points and 11 rebounds in 33 minutes of action. The Quakers did not have a player, or combination of players who could contain Yarou.

Ty Johnson directs the Wildcats late in the first half

5. With the win, the latest in a streak of nine (as reported by VUHoops.com), Villanova now holds a 39-14 edge over Penn in their Big 5 series. This is the least competitive of the head-to-head series within the Big 5.

Penn's Coach Jerome Allen directs the Quakers
from the sidelines

Roster Moves
The staff used an eight man rotation against Penn, the shallowest this season, as junior forward/center Maurice Sutton dislocated his right thumb in practice this week. He is expected to miss between two and three weeks. Do not look for him before the Big East season. Freshman forward Markus Kennedy collided with JayVaughn Pinkston in practice and sustained a shoulder injury. Coach Wright hopes he will be ready Tuesday for the Missouri game in Madison Square Garden.

UC Riverside Post Game: Opening Strong

The Burn Offense is Alive and Well...in Riverside, California
While it might seem far fetched that a basketball team can create a 25 point winning margin on just 58 (plus or minus 1?) possessions, that is precisely what Villanova did in their first round game with University of California Riverside of the 76 Classic in Anaheim, California. Looking at last season's kenpom ratings this would make some sense, the Wildcats obtained the highest rating among the eight schools invited to participate; UC Riverside had the lowest. Two things happened on the way to the first round...first, the balance of the field was not seeded in the anticipated 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 fashion that one might have expected, and second, the kenpom ratings changed to reflect games played this season, and Villanova fell to #3 according to the kenpom system. The field was seeded to insure an "East-West" game for the finals. The only team in Villanova's bracket not from the Mississippi or east was UC Riverside, the team most likely to lose their first round game. All of the teams in the other bracket come from west of the Mississippi River Valley, Oklahoma, clearly a "southwestern" team is the most easterly team in the bracket. Villanova dismantled UC Riverside 71-46 in the most decisive game so far in the Wildcats' the 2011-12 schedule. The final will feature an East-West match.

The Highlanders held onto the lead for over 10 minutes in the first half. The shot clock, not a hot shooting hand or control of the offensive boards was the key. The Highlanders typically took 20-30 seconds off the clock before they took a field goal attempt. The Wildcats would more often than not gather the defensive rebound and respond with a shot (often a miss) anywhere from four to twenty seconds into the shot clock. That tactic, to "shorten" the game by burning the clock, is an often employed strategy by an overmatched underdog. It makes sense too; by limiting the scoring opportunities the underdog can, in theory, keep the score close, maximizing the impact of high reward offensive tactics like the three point attempt. By the 11 minute mark however, the Highlanders, overmatched on height, had no more fouls to give, and the Wildcats' offense began to grind them down. Freshman off guard Darrun Hilliard hit a three at the 9:30 mark putting Villanova up by one 15-14, and the Wildcats were not headed again. Once on top, the 'Cats took a 17-2 run to close out the half...and the game.

The bloggers over at Nova Blog and VUHoops.com attributed UC Riverside's 11 minute lead to hot shooting (the Highlanders) and sloppy play (the Wildcats), both of which were true. Sort of. UC Riverside did score in their first three possessions (which consumed over two minutes on the game clock), but those seven points were half of their entire point production through the first 11 minutes of the half. It took the Highlanders another nine minutes to scored their next seven points. And seven more minutes to score their next two (and last of the half) points. Villanova did go an appalling 2-9 from the field while they were down on the Highlanders, but stayed within contact by shooting 6-6 from the line. While the Highlanders committed seven fouls (putting the 'Cats in the bonus) with a single turnover over that time period, the 'Cats committed four fouls and one turnover by contrast. The University site posted their AP wire story. The official boxscore is also posted. The breakdown by halves

Opponent	UC Riverside
	1st	2nd	Game
Pace	30.0	28.3	58.3
	Offense				Defense
	1st	2nd	Game		1st	2nd	Game
Rating	106.7	137.6	121.7		53.4	105.8	78.9
eFG%	41.7	53.0	48.2		25.0	45.8	35.0
TORate	13.3	14.1	13.7		23.3	24.7	24.0
OR%	27.8	64.7	45.7		28.6	42.9	34.3
FTA/FGA	58.3	12.1	31.6		26.9	33.3	30.0
FTM/FGA	50.0	12.1	28.1		11.5	33.3	22.0
ARate	62.5	31.3	41.7		33.3	10.0	18.8
Blk%	0.0	6.1	3.5		3.8	4.2	4.0
Stl%	0.0	7.2	3.5		9.9	6.9	8.5
PPWS	1.04	1.12	1.08		0.55	1.08	0.81
2FG%	30.8	48.1	42.5		31.3	47.1	39.4
3FG%	36.4	50.0	41.2		10.0	28.6	17.6
FT%	85.7	100.0	88.9		42.9	100.0	73.3
%2FG	25.0	66.7	47.9		62.5	53.3	56.5
%3FG	37.5	23.1	29.6		18.8	20.0	19.6
%FT	37.5	10.3	22.5		18.8	26.7	23.9

Half Time Adjustments
Villanova broke on top in the first because, though their eFG% was poor enough to be down at the half, was better than the Highlanders...shot defense. The Wildcats took care of the ball (see turnover rate) while forcing turnovers by UC Riverside. Second half stats show improved (reflected in the score margins, which ranged as high as 30 late in the second period, ultimately settling in at 25) shot efficiency (eFG%) coupled with much better offensive rebounding rates, even as the Wildcats continued to care for the ball (see turnover rate). The half-over-half steep drop in free throw rate (FTA/FGA) is most likely a reflection of the Highlanders' foul difficulties -- their bigs had to be careful, which may also account for the dramatic increase in Villanova's offensive rebounding rate (24.8 to 64.7).

Notes & Observations
1. The staff appears to have fixed on the starting five, using Maalik Wayns at the point with Darrun Hilliard and Dom Cheek rounding out the back court/wing sports, with James Bell playing the "#4" and Mouphtaou Yarou at the #5. The staff called the numbers for a total of 10 players who were alloted playing time ranging from eight minutes (freshman Ty Johnson again) up to 35 minutes (Wayns). Freshman Achraf Yacoubou drew a modestly surprising 20 minutes, due most likely to Bell's foul problems. Freshman JayVaughn Pinkston played for 17 minutes while fellow freshman Markus Kennedy drew 12 minutes.
2. Yarou and Wayns asserted themselves as hoped for. Yarou scored a double-double on 11 points and 10 rebounds. Wayns chipped in a game-high 23 points while the 'Cats had two others, Hilliard (12 points) and Bell (12 points) who also notched double digit minutes. Bell's 12 points were scored in 13 minutes of play, all that could be safely allocated given his foul problems.

3. A crucial and welcomed stat is the point distribution, highlighted in green above. Though Villanova shooters were hitting their three point attempts at a 50% clip, but the guards did not drop out to the arc and start jacking threes. Note points from two point attempts in the second half was 66%, and overall threes accounted for under 30% of the point production. Given the point margin was +20 through much of the second half the back court showed discipline and good judgement by not stepping back taking threes. They also insured that a cold streak would not let the Highlanders back into the game.

4. Wayns took about 40% of the possessions and 38% of the shots when he was on the court. This time he combined high usage with high efficiency, for the kind of production that will earn him some national attention. I have just about accepted the idea that he will be a volumn shooter, not a role I would like to see. Against programs like UC Riverside however, it works. He draws (defensive) attention, which should benefit second and third scoring options like Hilliard, Yarou and Yacoubou, both of whom took between 11% and 21% of the shots. Bell took a surprising 31% of the shots, but consider how little time he actually logged.

5. UC Riverside was paced by Daymond Cowlah, who scored 10 points on 4-7 (2-4 from threes, 2-3 from inside the arc). Team-high rebounding was shared by T.J. Burke and Elliot Berry.

6. Coach Jay Wright, as noted by VUSports.com, logged win #350 for his career.

Europe 2011 -- Through a Looking Glass

A Review of Team Efficiencies
This season will be unusual in the Jay Wright Era because for the first time since 2005 the team will be led by juniors, albeit not as heralded, nor assertive, as the Class of 2006. Unlike the quartet of Foye/Ray/Fraser/Sumpter, this quartet (Wayns/Cheek/Armwood/Yarou) was not thrown into the fire as freshmen and sophomores. The Class of 2012 has played behind two talented classes that featured Scottie Reynolds and the Two Coreys. As sophomores the staff drew up last possession plays for Randy Foye, Alan Ray, Scottie Reynolds & the two Coreys, not so for Maalik, Dom or Mouph. This European Tour, especially the Euro Jam 2011 Tournament in Almere, Netherlands provides the rising junior the opportunity and responsibility to run the team and represent the Villanova program. Three games is an extremely small sample, but that is all we have to review...

						FTA
	Pace	Eff	eFG%	TOv%	OR%	FGA	PPWS
Offense	81.1	0.87	46.9	23.9	26.0	42.3	1.00
Defense		1.04	53.7	20.2	30.1	26.0	1.11

The Wildcats had a solid offensive outing versus the Israelis, scoring at about 1.15 points per possession (ppp), but sputtered against the Dutch (0.76 ppp) and, with two starters benched early with foul trouble, stalled (0.69 ppp) versus the Georgian National Team. Villanova had a single solid defensive outing, limiting the Netherlands National Team to 0.91 ppp. Not good enough to win however, because the offense could muster no better than a 0.76 ppp (see above). Defensive problems could be penned nearly entirely on shot defense, shown above as 53.7% (eFG%) -- forcing turnovers was good (not great), the 'Cats limited put-back opportunities and kept their opponents off the free throw line. They could not, however shut down their opponent's ability to convert field goals. Historically Villanova has been vulnerable for three point conversions, but in Almere the squad did a good job of defending the three point line (27-94, 28.7%) -- the problem was defending the lane and interior (69-110, 62.7%). Offensively there were problems not only with converting field goal attempts, but also with turnovers (nearly one-in-four possessions were lost not on a missed shot) and especially offensive rebounding (the 'Cats must second chance opportunities if they do not convert shots efficiently).

The Offensive Nucleus
Who/what combination of players will fuel the Wildcat offense in 2012? The staff started Maalik Wayns, Dominic Cheek, James Bell, Isaiah Armwood and Mouphtaou Yarou in all three of the Euro Jam games (the senior National Teams from Israel, the Netherlands and Georgia), but used the entire 10 man rotation. The starters averaged 57.9% of the available playing time, though they were used more in the closer Israel game and less in the blowout Georgia game. A look at a few of the efficiency numbers posted by the players might provide some clues on where the offense will come from in 2012...

					FTA
Player	Min%	Shot%	eFG	PPWS	FGA	In/Out
Yarou	70.1	25.3	45.2	1.08	77.4	74.19
Cheek	68.5	29.2	67.1	1.34	14.3	-8.57
Wayns	64.4	30.2	41.2	1.00	44.1	14.71
Hilliard	61.9	13.9	50.0	0.97	20.0	-33.33
Pinkston	58.6	7.8	75.0	1.24	150.0	150.00
Bell	47.0	21.9	30.6	0.60	22.2	-22.22
Kennedy	40.4	15.5	45.5	0.91	0.0	0.00
Armwood	39.6	14.4	20.0	0.55	20.0	10.00
Yacoubou	38.8	14.7	35.0	0.73	20.0	0.00
Sutton	10.7	16.0	33.3	0.79	233.3	233.33

Maallik Wayns' 30% shot rate (the percentage of available shots Wayns took when he was on the court) is very high given his relatively inefficient confersion rate (eFG% -- 41.2%). Nor did the point guard compensate with trips to the line (see his PPWS). Wayns' effectiveness on offense was further undermined by turnovers. The guard committed a total of 12 over the three games, besting the freshman Darrun Hilliard by 1 (Hilliard had 11). Between them, the two guards committed 45.1% of the team's turnovers. The Netherlands and Georgia both employed a variety of presses which forced turnovers from both guards. Note that Mouphtaou Yarou's eFG% is not significantly better than Wayns' (a problem going forward...), but by getting to the line relatively (see his FTA/FGA -- 77.4%) often, Yarou was still able to post points (his PPWS is 1.08, better than Wayns' 1.00). Dom Cheek was the second option on offense, and came through with some very productive games, posting a three game eFG% of 67.1% with a PPWS of 1.34, both very strong. Though it is tempting to dub Pinkston and Hilliard the next wave of offensive shakers, note that with only 13.7% and 7.8% of the shots respectively, most likely both were overlooked by defenses, who chose to focus their attention on stopping Wayns, Yarou, Cheek and Bell. And with respect to Wayns and Bell, those defenses were relatively successful. Pinkston and Hilliard may well develop into prolific and efficient offensive options, but the stats only hint at the possibility, they do not confirm. More efficient scoring from the role players (the players whose Shot% ranges from 14%-19%) would help to keep defenses honest. It might also motivate Wayns to distribute the ball more, rather than attempt to take so much of the offense on himself.

Observations
1. Bell and Hilliard are the Wildcats' principal outside threats. Note the In/Out stat. The larger the negative number, the higher proportion of three point shots taken by the player. Markus Kennedy scored a 0.0 In/Out, not because he is "neutral", but because he did not get to the line, logically anticipated when players score from the interior.
2. Not billed as impact players, seeing relatively low Shot% numbers from Kennedy and Yacoubou is not surprising. They will most likely develop larger offensive roles as the season progresses.
3. Given the additional practices, Bell's lack of efficient offensive production is troubling. For the Wildcats to succeed this season, Bell is one of the players who will have to be more effective offensively.

Europe 2011-02 -- Villanova Drops Second Game to Senegal, 79-65

Be Careful What You Wish For
On the short end of a 69-64 score versus a more mature and physical national team, many in the 'Nova Nation savored the possibilities of a rematch with the Senegal National Team on Wednesday in Cergy, France. Apparently the rematch is something the Senegalese wanted too, as Team Senegal improved on their first game result and defeated the Villanova Wildcats by an even more decisive 79-65. The teams played to a 25-22 score (advantage Senegal) in the first period, reason for hope to the Nova Nation, because the gap (three points) was closer than the first game (five points). Foul trouble may have blunted Villanova's scoring and defense in the second period as rising juniors Dominic Cheek and Mouphtaou Yarou were forced to sit as Team Senegal torched Villanova 19-11 in the second period to open an 11 point gap, 44-33, going into the intermission. Maalik Wayns paced the Wildcats with 15 points complements of a volume-shooting 6-19 effort that featured three three-point conversions. The Villanova squad did manage a bit better from beyond the arc, hitting eight three pointers. Another partial box score for Villanova...

	Pts	Reb
Maalik Wayns	15	9
Dominic Cheek	7	?
Mouphtaou Yarou	9	11
Darrun Hilliard	9	?
Achraf Yacoubou	5	4
Markus Kennedy	?	7
Isaiah Armwood	5	7
Jayvaughn Pinkston	7	?
Total	57	38

Eight points and 14 rebounds remained uncredited. Also missing is rising sophomore James Bell's line. Other tidbits...
1. Villanova outrebounded Senegal 52 to 48. 38 Villanova rebounds (see above) are accounted for, the others most likely belong to some combination of Hilliard, Bell, Pinkston and Cheek (and anyone else who logged minutes).
2. The 'Cats converted eight of their attempts from beyond the arc. Wayns and Hilliard accounted for three apiece, while Cheek and Armwood (one apiece) completed the count.
3. Coach Wright alluded to another physical, foul-filled contest..."That was as unique as an experience as you can have in this game. It was like being in a street fight in someone else's neighborhood..."
4. Down 33-44 at the half, the 'Cats conceded another three points to the Senegalese, 35-32, over the course of the second half (periods three and four), accounting for the final margin of 14 points.

Next
The Wildcats move on to Almere, Netherlands where they will open in the Euro Jam 2011 against #26 (FIBA-ranked) Israel on Wednesday.

Further Reading
So far I have only found two sources (message boards aside)...
The official recap can be found at the Villanova website.
Joe Juliani from the Inky penned recap at philly.com...
......and a post for his blog.

Europe 2011 -- Villanova Loses to Senegal 69-64

The Villanova Wildcats opened their summer playing tour in Europe with a loss to the #36 ranked (FIBA) Senegal National Team, 69-64 in a game played in suburban Paris tonight. Leading by one to open the fourth period (the Wildcats are playing by FIBA rules during their tour) 50-49, the 'Cats could not hold on through the last 10 minutes. The Senegalese staged a 20-14 comeback (they led by five, 23-18 at the end of the 1st period, and by one, 35-34 at the end of the 1st half) in the 4th period to seal the Wildcats' fate. Rising junior Dominic Cheek paced the 'Cats with 17 points on 7-12 (3-6, 4-6) shooting from the field. Classmates Mouphtaou Yarou logged a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds and Maalik Wayns scored 16 points. A very incomplete box score for Villanova...

	Pts	Reb
Maalik Waynes	16	6
Dominic Cheek	17
Mouphtaou Yarou	15	16
Darrun Hilliard	3	?
James Bell	6	5
Achraf Yacoubou	4+	?
Markus Kennedy	?	5
Isaiah Armwood	?	8
Jayvaughn Pinkston	?	4

With the two teams combining for 66 total free throw attempts (Senegal was 26-40, the 'Cats 14-26), Coach Wright's assessment, "It was very physical. It felt like we were in a Big East game." was on the mark. Other tidbits...
1. Villanova out rebounded Senegal 51 to 44. 44 rebounds (see above) are accounted for, the others most likely belong to some combination of Hilliard, Yacoubou and Cheek (and anyone else who logged minutes).
2. The 'Cats shot 3-16 from beyond the arc. Cheek was the only Villanovan to connect.
3. Scoring by period...

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Gm
Villanova	18	16	16	14	64
Senegal	23	12	14	20	69

Next
Senegal again. The team will take a rematch with he Senegalese. Hopefully a rested and refocused Wildcat squad can register a better result.

Further Reading
So far I have only found two sources (message boards aside)...
The official recap can be found at the Villanova website.
Joe Juliani from the Inky penned recap at philly.com

Europe '11 -- Villanova to Participate in Eruo Jam 2011

As part of the Villanova Men's team tour of Europe in August, the team will participate in a six team (four men, two women) sortof round robin tournament from August 12 to August 14 in Almere, Netherlands. The tournament, billed as Elite Europe vs USA Basketball will offer eight games in three days, pitting teams from Isreal, Netherlands and Georgia (the Republic of...) against the Wildcats in round robin play. The Boston College women's team will play two games versus the Netherlands Women's team, on August 13 and 14. Villanova's schedule:

Date	Game Time (local)	Villanova vs...
August 12	6:00pm	Isreal
August 13	8:00pm	Netherlands
August 14	3:00pm	Georgia

All games to be played in the Topsportcentrum in Almere. Rosters for Isreal and Georgia are posted. Link by clicking on the name in the "Villanova vs..." column. Game times posted are local time GMT -1.

Villanova's posted roster, from the Euro Jam 2011 site, includes a few surprises (I assume they are not accurate):

Player	Position	Comment
I. Armwood	Forward	Named team captain for 2012
James Bell	Guard/Wing	U19 Men's Team starter
Dom Cheek	Guard/Wing	Junior, time?
Corey Fisher	Point Guard	Graduated
T. Johnson	Guard	Freshman
M. Kennedy	Forward/Center	Freshman
Dallas Ouano	Guard	Backup
J. Pinkston	Forward	Suspended 2011
M. Sutton	Forward/Center	a junior in 2012
Maalik Wayns	Point Guard	a Junior
R.Wooten	Forward	Graduated
A. Yacoubou	Guard/Wing	Freshman
M. Yarou	Center	a junior

Corey Fisher and Russell Wooten stand out because they have already graduated (Wooten in 2010, he took graduate course this past year). I suspect that neither will be in the Netherlands playing with the team come August 12. The Wildcats list four freshmen, Tyrone Johnson, Marcus Kennedy, Jayvaughn Pinkston and Achraf Yacoubou are freshmen. NCAA rules indicate that Villanova much have classes running (ie class meetings) for the four to be eligible to play.

This linked page contains videos of several Villanova players.