Poll: Hoops Mania

Villanova's annual Hoops Mania pep rally is set for Oct. 24 at the Pavilion. If you've never experienced this Villanova basketball tradition, check out last year's coverage of Hoops Mania 2007.

This year, Let's Go Nova will be doing some live micro-blogging from the Pavilion for the rally and the intra-squad scrimmage. Until then, we just have the anticipation of the year's most boisterous Villanova love-fest.

This week's poll asks for your favorite aspect of Hoops Mania. You may vote in the Flash poll below, or in the Javascript sidebar on any Let's Go Nova page.

Villanova releases 2008-2009 schedule

Villanova basketball's full 2008-2009 schedule is finally here.

According to Villanova University, the Wildcats will play on national television 13 times this season, not counting post-season tournaments.

As expected, the Wildcats will take part in the Philly Classic, with games against Niagara, Monmouth, Towson, and either Penn State or Rhode Island.

Villanova will also head to Madison Square Garden in New York to play in the marquee Jimmy V Classic, as previously announced.

The Wildcats will play just three games in the Wachovia Center this year, since the arena is an NCAA tournament site. Playing three games (or fewer) there allows Villanova to be sent to the Wachovia Center by the selection committee, as it was in 2006 as a number-one seed.

Louisville, Georgetown, and Syracuse are slated at the Wachochia Center, while Pittsburgh will face the Wildcats at the adjacent Wachovia Spectrum.

Villanova will also open the 2008-2009 season at the Spectrum with an exhibition against Northwood.

The out-of-conference opponents look a tad weak, which could come into play if the Wildcats find themselves on the NCAA bubble as they had last year as one of the very last teams in.

Out of conference, Villanova will face Albany, Fordham, Texas and Navy. The Wildcats will also play out of conference in the Philadelphia Big 5 round-robin against St. Joseph, Temple, La Salle, and Penn, and in the aforementioned Philly Classic.

The Big East schedule expands to a grueling 18-game gauntlet this season, which should boost Villanova's strength-of-schedule ranking.

Take a look at the full schedule at Villanova.com