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2002-03 Record: 15-16
Postseason: NIT first round

Big East Repeat Opponents: Miami; Providence; West Virginia

Non-Conference Schedule: Temple; Chaminade; Hawaii; LaSalle; Penn; Northeastern; Columbia; UNC Greensboro; Kansas; Memphis; St. Joseph’s (Pa.)

Head Coach: Jay Wright (156-114, 9 years)

Players to Watch: G, Randy Foye (10.3 ppg.); G, Allan Ray (9.9 ppg.)

Bob Gibbons Top 300 Newcomers: Mike Nardi (#40); Will Sheridan (#58)

Preseason Capsule

	Guard Allen Ray is one of seven promising sophomores on this year's Villanova roster BIG EAST photo

The last couple of years Villanova coach Jay Wright has been able to land highly rated recruiting classes. Now he is hoping that translates into success on the court this season.

Last year the Wildcats suffered through a 15-16 season marred by injuries and suspensions. By the end of the year Villanova was down to just seven scholarship players.

And although Wright must replace two stalwarts in Gary Buchanan and Ricky Wright, he is encouraged about the fact that he has a talented seven-player sophomore class to work with.

Senior Derrick Snowden will anchor a backcourt that will also feature talented sophomores Randy Foye and Allan Ray. The two combined to average more than 20 points per game between them. Freshman point guard Mike Nardi, a top 50 player from Linden, N.J., could also push for time in the backcourt.

Six-seven sophomore forward Chris Sumpter should man one of the forward spots. The Brooklyn native averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. The candidates at power forward are 6-foot-8 senior Andreas Bloch, 6-foot-9 junior Marcus Austin, and incoming 6-foot-9 freshman Will Sheridan, rated the nation’s No. 58 recruit by Bob Gibbons.

The key for Villanova will be whether or not talented 6-foot-10 sophomore Jason Fraser will be able to recover from off-season knee surgery on both knees. Fraser was one of the nation’s top players as a prep senior and averaged 7.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a freshman before being shelved.

Villanova opens with Temple on Nov. 21 before flying to Maui for three games in Hawaii. By then Villanova should have back all of the players suspended for their participation in the misuse of campus telephone access numbers.

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