The Villanova Wildcats basketball team starts the season ranked #6 and goes up against FDU Friday night.   They begin the season following up a 30 win campaign, embroiled in controversy.

Mouphtaou Yarou has been cleared to play in the opener despite questions about his age.  A Sporting News report listed him as a player in the 2007  African Cup which would make him 25 as opposed to 19 but coach Jay Wright said that Yarou did not actually play in that tournament and clarified his actual age was indeed 19.

Yarou is an imposing 6 foot 9 inch 240 pound freshman forward who hails from Benin and played at Montrose Christian in 2008.   He played in the Jordan Brand all star game and was MVP of the Capitol Classic.

This years Wildcat team also features freshmen Maalik Wayns, Dominick Cheek, and Maurice Sutton along with returning starters Cunningham, Reynolds, Fisher, and Redding.

Reynolds toyed with the idea of entering the NBA draft in the off season, but returned to hopefully lead the Wildcats back to a second consecutive NCAA final four.  Expectations are high for this college team after last years strong finish.

Wright plans to play four guards occasionally with either Pena or Yarou and expects them to stick their bodies into tough situations defensively and under the boards.  Wayns and Cheek will have opportunities for playing time if they can show Wright some ability on defense. The same goes for freshman forward Isaiah Armwood, a high school teammate of Yarou’s.

Villanova is expected to follow up last years strong showing with the class of freshmen recruited by coach Wright and should be the team to beat  in the Big East this year.  Thier closest competition comes in West Virginia which starts the preseason with a #8 ranking.  Here is to an exciting year in Philadelphia college basketball.