CHEEK WILL PICK VILLANOVA

College recruiting guru Adam Zagoria is reporting that super-hyper-mega recruit Dominic Cheek will announce his choice to attend Villanova at his press conference Friday:

Dominic Cheek is expected to announce at a Friday press conference in Jersey City that he will play for Villanova and not Kansas, according to multiple sources close to the situation.

Update: Sports Illustrated is now also reporting that Cheek will choose Villanova.

Cheek, a 6-5 shooting guard, is one of the top overall players in his class, and is the capstone to what now can safely be called the Greatest Villanova Recruiting Class ever.

Cheek joins top-5 point guard Maalik Wayns, top-5 power forward Mouph Yarou, and top-15 forward Isiah Armwood in what will likely be the consensus best recruiting class in the nation.

Add in Duke transfer Taylor King -- himself an All-American and a redshirt sophomore -- and a likely redshirt freshman, the 6-10 Maurice Sutton, and six new players could all see significant playing time for Villanova next year.

As of right now, high school All-American guards Scottie Reynolds and Corey Stokes are set to return, as is star-recruit Corey Fisher. Antonio Pena is due back in Nova's front court. Villanova will lose seniors Frank Tchuisi, Shane Clark, Dante Cunningham, and Dwayne Anderson next season. Guard Reggie Redding is also set to return.

The arrival of Cheek and next year's class transforms 'Nova from a bubble team to an instant national title contender. College basketball has been increasingly dominated by young 5-star-recruits, and Villanova will have plenty of them. Barring any transfers (which are, admittedly, a possibility given Jay Wright's recent track record), Villanova will not only have firepower but will also possess excellent depth, which is another mark of a team primed to make a serious tournament run.

Cheek will hold his press conference on Friday afternoon, at about 6 p.m. (Eastern).

Villanova opens Big 5 at Penn

#17 Villanova (6-0) at Pennsylvania (1-4)
8 p.m., Tuesday, 2 December, at the Palestra
TV: CN8 or online
Line: Penn +13.5

Just one day after losing junior center Casiem Drummond to transfer, Villanova travels back to the Palestra to face UPenn in the Wildcats' Philadelphia Big 5 opener.

Penn's record is a deceptive 1-4. True, the Quakers have lost four of five games, but they did put in a respectable performance at #1 North Carolina, and dropped an away game to Drexel by just two points.

Villanova is the solid favorite, but Penn at the Palestra is never a cupcake, and this year will not be an exception.

The Wildcats come into the Palestra undefeated after winning a pair of games there to take the Philly Hoop Group Classic title last week.

Villanova looks to have just seven players available for its main rotation. Senior swingman Dwayne Anderson (foot) will dress but will likely not see the court tonight.

Many Villanova fans, this Web site included, have been calling for Jay Wright to take the red shirt off 6' 11'' freshman center Maurice Sutton, given the Wildcats' instantaneous lack of depth in the front court.

Though consensus top big man Mouph Yarou is coming in next year, Villanova can't afford to wait for the cavalry when the 'Cats have a perfectly good, albeit unpolished, 6' 11'' body on the bench right now.

With frontcourt anchor Dante Cunningham graduating this year, why wouldn't it make sense to get a year of experience for Sutton now, before three of the four Wildcat big men are freshmen next year?

Look for Sutton to possibly make an appearance tonight if Jay Wright agrees with the peanut gallery on this one.

Villanova by the Numbers runs its usually thorough preview, as does I Bleed Blue and White.

Nova News warns of the importance of stopping Quaker guard Tyler Bernardini.

Take your shot at predicting tonight's final score in the comment section below. The closest guess will win a mention in tomorrow's recap.

DRUMMOND TO TRANSFER

Casiem Drummond, a junior and Villanova's only true center, has decided to pursue transfer opportunities, according to a press release from campus today.

Drummond had been suspended for at least one game this season for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. Though Drummond had a history of injury, his development under the basket looked like it had been progressing nicely.

Drummond's departure leaves Villanova with an even thinner rotation, and may affect the planned redshirt of freshman forward Maurice Sutton.

Losing Drummond is a major blow to Villanova's frontcourt, which now consists solely of Dante Cunningham and Antonio Pena. The Wildcats literally have no one off the bench to bring into the paint outside of Frank Tchuisi, who's been hopeless his entire career, and Shane Clark, who is more suited to wing play.

Villanova fans excited about the Wildcats' top-20 ranking may have to adjust expectations drastically for this season considering the complete and total lack of frontcourt depth a full month before Big East play.

"Casiem is interested in finding a place where he can earn significantly more playing time than he has received here," said Jay Wright. "Our staff is doing all it can to help him locate that opportunity. Cas' has made strides in his time with us and we appreciate all his efforts on behalf of our basketball family."

One has to take Wright's statement with a grain of salt, because it is unlikely that Drummond could not have earned significant playing time on the Main Line under ideal conditions. Indeed, Drummond started much of last season at center and the natural place for him this year would have been starting at the 5, moving Cunningham to his preferred spot at the 4.

Rumors have been swirling all over Villanova's campus that Drummond was asked to leave the team by Wright, and not the other way around, as claimed in the official story.

Casiem Drummond adds his name to a growing list of recent Villanova transfers, which includes guards Malcolm Grant and Bilal Benn, and forwards Andrew Ott and (pseudo-transfer) Kraidon Woods.

One has to wonder if something is wrong in the state of Villanova basketball, with four transfers and one broken committment in just over two years. Jay Wright likes to talk about how Villanova basketball is a family first and foremost, but it sure is a family that loses a lot of members.

It's possible that leaving was truly the best option for all five of these players, but losing nearly half of your scholarship players to transfer in a three-year period is not the sign of a stable program.

Villanova's recent success in the NCAA tournament and the top-25 rankings may obscure some of this ugliness, but it is there, under the surface, that Jay Wright loses a significant percentage of the student-athletes he pledged were to become lifelong members of his Villanova basketball family.

Drummond's transfer drops the current regular rotation for Villanova down to seven: Reynolds, Fisher, Pena, Cunningham, Stokes, Clark, and Redding. Dwayne Anderson will be eight when he returns from injury.

Villanova cannot afford to lose any more depth, especially with the brutal Big East schedule looming.

'Nova annihilates Fordham

Fordham 68
Villanova 107
(box score)

#23 Villanova: 2-0 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)
Fordham: 0-2 (0-0 A10)

[Highlight reel at end of post]

Next game: vs. Niagara, 19 Nov. at the Pavilion.

The Wildcats cruised to an easy victory tonight against the winless Fordham Rams, putting up 107 points on Fordham's porous defenses.

Fordham had no answer to the inside prowess of Dante Cunningham, who notched a career-high 31 points. Villanova used its superior size and speed to find easy shots, converting 35 field goals on 60 attempts. Over 65 percent of Villanova's baskets resulted from assists, which is an excellent ratio. The Wildcats also took care of the ball and committed just 9 turnovers.

Villanova's defense seemed to improve in the second half, when the Wildcats held Fordham to 11-29 shooting and 30 points.

On the sour side, Villanova allowed Fordham an unacceptable 65 shots, and forced just 11 turnovers from the overmatched Rams. The Wildcats also revealed a potentially fatal flaw in their team depth -- with Fisher and Reynolds both off the floor, the team has no truly competent ballhandlers to break a press or even run an offense.

Reggie Redding is the emergency third point guard, but he looked awkward against the juvenile Fordham press. One does not have to wonder how the Wildcats will stand up to a full-blast press from Louisville or Marquette this year if Fisher or Reynolds become unavailable -- it would be a disaster.

And thus the folly of losing Bilal Benn and Malcolm Grant -- both good ballhandlers -- to transfer in consecutive years. Absent Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds, the Wildcats simply have no point guards left. Might Villanova be the only top-25 team with just two ballhandlers on the entire roster? I think so. And if one of those two guards gets hurt, the Wildcats won't be ranked for long.

On an injury note, forward Shane Clark was cleared to play and ran 16 minutes tonight, just 11 days after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Center Casiem Drummond was out with foot pain, but Jay Wright said in his postgame remarks that Drummond would be ready for Wednesday's game.

Congratulations to reader "Bosshoghazzard" for most closely predicting the game's final score.

Next up for Villanova is the return of former Wildcat Bilal Benn and his Niagara Purple Eagles in the Philly Hoop Group Classic opener, Wednesday night at the Pavilion.

On to the player grades. "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis, plus a special embedded highlight reel from Youtube!

• Corey Stokes (S, 31 min)

  Stokes could barely miss tonight. The Rams were allowing him open looks, and he made the most of them. Stokes was 3-3 from behind the arc, 4-6 from the field, and 6-6 from the line to score 17 points. He grabbed 8 rebounds and added 2 assists, a steal, and 1 turnover. The only downside for Stokes tonight is it still looks like he is having trouble putting the ball on the floor. Stokes's shooting, however, finally appears to be living up to its billing, and he may well lead the Wildcats in scoring on the season.
  Grade: A-




• Corey Fisher (S, 30 min)

  Fisher's speed, handle, and passing have become essential to the Wildcats' attack. Splitting the point with Reynolds, Fisher tonight made good decisions with the ball and was effective on both ends of the court. He dished out 4 assists, and, more important, committed just 1 turnover. He shot better tonight from long range, draining 2-4 threes, and shot 4-10 from the field. Fisher was a good 7-8 from the foul line, impressive there in both his accuracy and his frequency getting to the stripe. Fisher added 2 steals to a solid defensive effort.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 29 min)

  Cunningham exploded for a career-high 31 points on 11-17 shooting from the field. Cunningham also reached the free-throw line 12 times, converting 9. Fordham could do nothing to stop Cunningham inside. Though he won't find conference play nearly as easy, Cunningham's performance tonight was an important step in establishing the Wildcats' inside game. Cunningham and Pena played well together on the blocks, forging an inside chemistry that has been lacking at Villanova for years. Cunningham also led the team in rebounds, with 11.
  Grade: A




• Antonio Pena (S, 24 min)

  Pena is quickly becoming one of my favorite players. He put in an efficient performance tonight, scoring 10 points on 4-5 shooting. He looked great moving up and down the post, and connected with Cunningham several times for easy looks. He grabbed 6 rebounds and passed for 3 assists. Pena also ran the floor well; it's become clear that fast breaks are a key component of his game. Pena's inside-out style suits the Wildcats' free-flowing system well. Though he has the tendency to disappear for stretches, Pena's development is a real bright spot for the 'Cats.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Reggie Redding (23 min)

  Redding was pressed into point-guard duties tonight after Reynolds sat with early foul trouble. I suspect Jay Wright also sat Fisher during that stretch to see what the team could do without either of its point guards. Redding's handling of the point was passable but not pretty. But if it was passable against Fordham, it probably would be a nightmare against Rick Pitino. Still, you can't blame Redding for the Wildcats' lack of ballhandling depth. Redding played well overall tonight, shining as the undisputed leader late in the game with the Wildcat starters out. He shot 4-5 from the field and 1-2 from the three to score 9 points. He passed for 4 assists and committed just 1 turnover. He added 4 rebounds but did not get a steal. Pressure defense is something for Redding to work on as the season progresses. All in all it is a good thing the Wildcats have Redding to bail them out with ballhandling, but let's hope it doesn't come to that.
  Grade: B
  
  

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 22 min)

  Reynolds picked up a pair of questionable fouls early, and those fouls combined with the blowout limited him to an uncharacteristically low 22 minutes. Reynolds struggled a bit scoring-wise, shooting just 3-9 from the field and 1-4 from the three. I'm not particularly worried, however, as Reynolds has proven beyond all doubt he is an excellent scorer and shooter. Where Scottie really shined tonight was in distribution. Reynolds racked up 7 assists in basically half a game, while committing just 1 turnover. Perhaps his ratio will go down a bit against serious competition, but after two games it is clear that Scottie is taking great care of the ball and finding perfect spots to dish it off. Reynolds also added 2 steals in a fine defensive effort, ticky-tack fouls notwithstanding.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Shane Clark (16 min)

  It was good to see Clark out there and injury-free just 11 days after knee surgery. Clark played well, shooting 3-5 from the field and 2-2 from the line to score 8. Clark has missed a lot of practice, so it was good for him to get extended playing time in the blowout. We'll see how his knee holds up during the rest of Villanova's brutal November schedule.
  Grade: C+
  
  

• Frank Tchuisi (14 min)

  Tchuisi played better tonight, converting on his two uncontested shots. His free-throw form looked awful, however, which is something to work on at practice. Tchuisi only managed to collect one rebound despite playing 14 minutes at center against an undersized Fordham team. He committed 2 fouls but did not turn the ball over.
  Grade: D
  
  

• Jason Colenda (6 min)

  Colenda, the walk-on guard, has to deal with deafening applause every time he touches the ball, as the student section apparently wishes for him to put it up any time he is across halfcourt. I watched Colenda closely tonight during his 6 minutes while he split the point with Redding, because it is plausible that due to a combination of fouls or injury, the Wildcats at some point this season may have to rely on Colenda to bring the ball up the court. My conclusion is that Colenda can indeed dribble and make passes, but he panics way too much in the face of defensive pressure. Though Colenda may be quicker and smaller than Redding, and thus less prone to having his pocket picked, it is a stark contrast to watch Redding coolly step back from an overzealous defender, while Colenda suddenly treats the ball as a hot potato in the same situation. The good news is that it's a problem that is easy to correct if Colenda simply keeps his dribble going and takes a deep breath.
  Grade: C-
  
  

• Russell Wooten (5 min)

  We didn't get to see much out of Wooten in his 5 minutes tonight. He did not attempt a shot, and looked very uncomfortable with the ball on the offensive side of the court. Like Colenda, he seems to have a tendency to panic with the ball when defended. Wooten runs the floor well enough and did not make too many major mistakes on defense.
  Grade: C-




• Did not play: Dwayne Anderson (foot), Casiem Drummond (foot), Maurice Sutton (CD - RS?)

Highlights from Youtube:

Malcolm Grant: the Let's Go Nova interview

Malcolm Grant remains a popular player in Nova Nation even after his decision to transfer to Miami this spring.

After Grant's heroics on the basketball court last winter, questions about his benching and transfer have lingered to this day in the Villanova fan community.

Grant agreed to answer a series of questions for Let's Go Nova about his decision to attend Villanova, his season on the basketball court, his playing-time issues, and his transfer to Miami.

Grant's answers in this interview are overwhelmingly positive. There are clearly no hard feelings, and he remains a part of the Villanova basketball family. It's great to see Grant remain positive as he switches gears in his basketball career.

One of the biggest revelations below is Grant's confirmation that his benching had nothing to do with injuries, academics, or disciplinary reasons. Instead, says Grant, it was purely a basketball decision by Jay Wright.

Based on this offensive efficiency analysis by GreyCat showing Grant was by far the best offensive player of the four freshmen, I can only conclude that Wright's decision was flat-out wrong.

But that's water under the bridge. Villanova eventually found success, and Malcolm has found a welcoming new home at Miami and the ACC.

"Read more" below for the full interview. Thanks to Malcolm taking the time to participate and for his thoughtful answers

LGN: You prepped for a year to attend Villanova. What was it about the program and school that led you to wait a year to enroll rather than to play somewhere else immediately?

MG: I went to prep school because I was excited about the year 'Nova just had with Randy and those guys, so when I saw what I was becoming a part of, it was worth the wait.

LGN: Your performance in the 21-point comeback against LSU cemented your status as a Villanova fan favorite. When you checked into the game before the 8-minute timeout, what was on your mind? Trailing by 15 with under three minutes to play, did you still believe the team could come back? And was that last-second shot really a pass to Dante Cunningham to win the game, as others have speculated?

MG: Actually, when I checked in I said to myself we have nothing to lose, I'm going all out, and thanks to God I was able to have a spectacular performance. And no, the last shot wasn't a pass to Dante, actually I was fouled (smiling) but all joking aside, it was a great followup by Dante.

LGN: Did your mid-season benching have anything to do with injuries, academics, disciplinary reasons, or was it just a decision made by Jay Wright?

MG: My mid-season benching had nothing to do with injuries, academics. Nothing of that nature. It was a decision that Coach Wright made and he felt it was best for the team.

LGN: What was the catalyst that turned the team around, from its mid-winter struggles to its place on the NCAA bubble in March?

MG: I think it was when we had a meeting and everybody admitted their frustrations, and we were asked to sacrifice for the better of the team until the end of the season.

LGN: On Selection Sunday, how sure were you and your teammates that Villanova would make the field of 65? Was it a shock to be selected, or were you confident?

MG: I was confident, as well as others. I think some of the older guys were nervous that we weren't going to make it, but we proved we belonged once we started playing.

LGN: How did it feel to go to the Sweet Sixteen as a freshman? Were you thrilled just to be there, or were you a little disappointed you were not allowed to contribute more on the court, especially considering that without your performance in the LSU game, Villanova would have been in the NIT?

MG: It was a great experience to advance to the Sweet Sixteen as a freshman. I will never forget it. Just seeing that crowd and that arena and the media was crazy. [laughs].

LGN: After the season, you decided to transfer to Miami. Was playing time the only reason you left, or were there other disagreements? Did the coaching staff try to convince you to stay, or was it mutually agreed?

MG: The only reason I transferred was because of playing time, nothing else. I still love Villanova and the team and the coaching staff.

LGN: How do you like Miami so far? Do you think the ACC will be more suited to your run-and-gun style? How do you plan to keep focused as you wait another year to gain eligibility?

MG: I love Miami. It's beautiful down here -- really, really hot, and I have to get used to it, but other than that it's beautiful. I love it. I think the ACC will be a great fit for me. I can't wait to play again and show the world that I'm more than just a scorer. I'm going to work extremely hard, as I'm doing right now, so I'm really excited to get back out there.

LGN: Are you still in touch with any of the players or staff at Villanova? Will you follow the Wildcats' season?

MG: Yes, I still talk to almost everyone, except for a few. But I speak with Antonio a lot. Dwayne a.k.a. Weezy F [laughs], Reggie a.k.a. Double R, Shane, and some others. I still speak with the staff. Congrats to my man BG! [Ed. note: Villanova assistant coach Brett Gunning took a job with the Rockets.] Coach West e-mails me to check on me, and I saw Coach Chambers at an AAU tournament. So yeah, I stay in touch.

LGN: What are you goals for your career at Miami and beyond?

MG: My goals for Miami is to transform this school into a consistent elite team. I want to hopefully win a national championship and God willing, play in the NBA one day.

I just want to say thanks for the interview. I still love 'Nova to death. I will be rooting for you guys. All my friends, I love you guys. All the alumni and my teachers, I love y'all too. Peace!

LGN: Thank you, Malcolm.

Grant will transfer to Miami

Malcolm Grant has decided to transfer to the University of Miami, according to a post on Fox's college hoops blog.

Grant completed his freshman campaign at Villanova this season after prepping for a year to play for the Wildcats. He will have to sit out one full season before taking the court for the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC.

Taylor King commits to Villanova

According to an article on ESPN.com, Taylor King will transfer to Villanova.

King, a 6'7" forward from Duke, will sit out one year before joining the Wildcats for the 2009-2010 season. King had been previously recruited by the Wildcats in high school, where he was a McDonald's All American.

King played in all 34 games for Duke this year before deciding to explore transfer options. King had scheduled visits to USC and Gonzaga, but canceled those appointments after accepting a scholarship offer from Jay Wright this weekend.

The sharpshooting King will add a perimeter threat to Villanova's attack.

Taylor King to visit 'Nova

Taylor King, the 6'7" transferring forward from Duke University, will reportedly visit with Villanova and coach Jay Wright this weekend.

King played in every game in his freshman year, and was a McDonald's All-American at Mater Dei Highschool in Southern California. King was originally offered a scholarship from Villanova before committing to Duke. The other schools he is considering transferring to include USC, UCLA, and Gonzaga.

King saw time in every game last season for the Blue Devils, averaging 5 points and 2 rebounds. One of his strongest abilities is his ability to make shots from the perimeter. King shot an impressive 40 percent from three last season.

If King did choose to come to Villanova, he would have to sit out a year. However, we do have a scholarship for him (Malcolm Grant), and I think he would be an excellent fit for this program. Taylor King could very well be a nice gift that falls in Jay Wright's lap, if things go well this weekend.

Full Villanova-LSU game available to download

A Villanova fan by the handle of "Ray Foye Combo" has uploaded the entire Villanova-LSU game as an 800 MB Xvid file.

The quality on the video is decent. I would describe it as a few notches below VHS, but it is certainly watchable. If you are having trouble opening the video, download and install the VLC media player.

The December 6 game was one of the greatest comebacks in the history of college basketball, with Villanova overcoming a 21-point deficit with 8 minutes to play to win by one points. Villanova trailed by as many as 15 points with under 3 minutes on the clock in this incredible game.

The game is best remembered, however, for Malcolm Grant's unbelievable effort to bring the Wildcats back. Grant singlehandedly took over the game and willed Villanova to the win.

Unfortunately for Villanova fans, the university announced last week that it would release Grant to explore a transfer. Despite his heroics in the LSU, Rutgers, and Pittsburgh games, Grant found himself glued to the bench for the rest of the season by coach Jay Wright.

Grant's effort in the LSU game prevented Villanova from what would have been a horrendous semi-home loss, which would have certainly kept the 'Cats out of the NCAA tournament and the Sweet 16.

I was at the Wachovia Center for the game, and it was one of most memorable sports experiences of my life.

Grant released for transfer

Well, it's official. Villanova has given the freshman guard Malcolm Grant a release to pursue a transfer off the Main Line.

Grant is a talented scoring guard whose heroics in December's LSU game saved the Wildcats' season and allowed Villanova to gain one of the last at-large bids in the NCAA tournament. Villanova eventually reached the Sweet 16, but Grant only saw two minutes of floor time in Villanova's three games.

Grant also poured in 17 points in just over 2 minutes in Villanova's disastrous loss to Rutgers, leading several fans to wonder why he did not see the court earlier.

Grant's inexplicable lack of playing time has been a subject of consternation on this Web site the entire season.

While the future of Villanova's program looks bright, with megarecruit Tyreke Evans leaning towards the Main Line, I consider it nothing short of a failure on Jay Wright's part to have not utilized a player of Grant's tremendous talent and heart.

Wright's failure is further compounded by the fact that Grant chose to prep for a full year while waiting for a scholarship to become available at Villanova. Grant will have to sit out at least one more year before he can take the floor for a new team.

For his part, Jay Wright issued this statement on Grant's transfer release:

Malcolm is an integral part of our basketball family and a great young man. He has been exemplary as a student and a teammate at Villanova. However, he deserves starters' minutes. We are grateful for all that Malcolm has given to Villanova and support him in this decision.

If Grant deserves starters' minutes, why could he not see the floor at all during the Wildcats' hopeless loss to Kansas, when Villanova went long stretches without scoring?

Grant proved himself worthy of minutes all season, and yet Wright kept him glued to the bench. Something does not add up here, but we may never know the real story.

Grant's transfer will be a gigantic loss for Villanova and a black eye for Jay Wright's legacy here.

Expect Malcolm to do very well in his remaining three years of eligibility, no matter where he ends up.

Ott to transfer

Andrew Ott will transfer out of Villanova, the university announced today.

Ott, a 6-10 redshirt freshman forward, saw action in four games, most recently last Saturday in Villanova's 81-71 win at Syracuse. He averaged 0.8 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in a total of 16 minutes of action.

Ott's transfer opens up another scholarship for Jay Wright's recruiting efforts.

Villanova confirms Benn transfer

It's official: Bilal Benn is transferring to Niagara, and a precious scholarship will be opened for the Wildcats.

Villanova released a short statement last night confirming Benn's transfer.

Villanova coach Jay Wright thanked Benn for his contribution to the program:

We are sad to have Bilal leave our team but we are happy for him that he will be joining Joe Mihalich at Niagara University. He will always be a part of our Villanova family.

We are proud of Bilal and appreciate his efforts these last two years. He remains in good academic standing and has always made a positive impact on the Villanova community. This is a basketball decision on his part that we all support.

Benn must sit out a year before he can play for the Niagara Purple Eagles.

As mentioned in a story this weekend, Benn's transfer frees up a desperately needed scholarship that will likely be first offered to 2008 superstar Tyreke Evans.

Philly Daily News: Benn to Niagara

Dana Pennett O'Neill of the Philadelphia Daily News pens a short piece today also predicting that Villanova reserve guard Bilal Benn will transfer to Niagara.

Though transfer rumors about Benn have been flying about all year, the first published news of his planned transfer appeared earlier this weekend in the Hartford Courant.

Benn's transfer will free up a much-needed scholarship spot for the Wildcats, who were facing the prospect of bringing in zero freshman players next year.

Benn's transfer to Niagara seems to be a win-win situation: Benn gets a much bigger role on the court, and Villanova will have the chance to finally offer a scholarship to Tyreke Evans, the best high-school player in the country. Villanova remains on Evans's short list.

This may not be the last of the transfers for the Wildcats. Expect at least one more before the summer is over.

Husky: Benn plans transfer to Niagara

According to an article in the Hartford Courant, Bilal Benn plans to transfer this summer to Niagara University in New York.

Benn, now a rising junior, has been a reserve guard for the past two years at Villanova. With three highly-talented freshman guards joining Scottie Reynolds and Reggie Redding in next year's rotation, there will be few minutes for any other guard on the Villanova court.

The Courant reports that current UConn player Rob Garrison, a rising junior guard for the Huskies, said Benn would transfer to Niagara. According to Garrison, Benn has been asking him to also come play for the Purple Eagles.

While Benn's transfer has not yet been confirmed by Villanova, the report in the Courant is consistent with the transfer rumors that have been ongoing for some time.

Benn's likely transfer would open a scholarship spot for the Wildcats, which would probably be immediately offered to Tyreke Evans, the superstar guard whom many consider the top player in the country for his 2008 class.

If Benn does wind up at Niagara, it seems probable he would start or at least earn major minutes there.

Slow news week

Sorry for the lack of updates this week, but there just isn't much going on in the world of Villanova basketball since the Jay-Wright-to-X rumors went away.

Though late April is traditionally a slow news time for any program that isn't flipping coaches, Villanova fans should not fret. There will be plenty to talk about this summer, starting with the ongoing recruitment of superstar Tyreke Evans.

Expect one or two transfers to be announced, as well, by the end of the second semester.

Villanova will be in the preseason top 25 before next season, so get ready for an amazing ride with the extremely young team.