College basketball countdown: No. 9 Villanova

Ray Fittipaldo, Sporting News Yearbooks Leading into the college basketball season openers, Sporting News will preview each of the top 25, counting backward from our preseason power poll. For more great college basketball content, order your copy of our College Basketball 09-10 yearbook, or pick one up at a newsstand today.As a youngster growing up in Herndon, Va., Villanova senior Scottie Reynolds rooted for the Maryland Terrapins, so naturally his favorite buzzer-beater was Drew Nicholas' fadeaway 3-pointer that beat UNC Wilmington in an NCAA first-round game in 2003.Now Reynolds has a new No. 1 buzzer-beater: his own shining moment in the NCAA Tournament. Reynolds' thrilling length-of-the-court-drive through the Pitt defense last season sent the Wildcats to the Final Four for the first time since 1985. "It's a lot different around here now," said Reynolds of life on the Villanova campus. "Everyone has embraced us like we won the national championship. The buzz is still that strong." Villanova is among the favorites to make a return trip to the Final Four this season, and Reynolds is a big reason why. The 6-2 guard decided to come back for a senior season after withdrawing his name from the NBA draft in June. There were a lot of reasons Reynolds wanted to return to school, and one of them was the chance to make another Final Four and have a chance to win the national championship that eluded him last season when the Wildcats were knocked off by North Carolina in a national semifinal. "I love this group of guys," Reynolds said. "(Last season's seniors) Dante Cunningham and Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark motivated me to lead the team and wanting that challenge. We want to keep this thing at a high level. We want this team to reach its potential."And Villanova has plenty of potential. Coach Jay Wright returns four players with starting experience and has added three of the top 30 freshmen in the country.Reynolds (15.2 ppg) is the undisputed leader. He scored 20 points or more in nine games last year and led the team with 3.4 assists per game. He's a three-year starter and on pace to score 2,000 points for his career. Junior guard Corey Fisher (10.8 ppg) earned the Big East's Sixth Man of the Year after assuming a reserve role midway through the season. He was the team's third-leading scorer and reached double figures 23 times in 38 games.Related LinksQuick facts: VillanovaSN's countdown: Find your teamSenior guard Reggie Redding (7.1 ppg) made 22 starts and is Wright's most versatile player. He also averaged 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game and was the team's best defender. Junior guard Corey Stokes started 12 games and was the team's fourth-leading scorer with 9.3 points per game. Stokes, who shot 41.8 percent from 3-point range last season, is the top returning outside shooter for the Wildcats. The final player back with starting experience is junior forward Antonio Pena (5.1 ppg), who made 19 starts last season. Along with the returnees, Wright has a group of newcomers that can make an immediate impact.Mouphtaou Yarou, a 6-10 center from West Africa, is the likely replacement for Cunningham, the team's leading scorer and rebounder last season. While Cunningham could play inside and outside, Yarou is more of a true post player. "He's very strong, very powerful," Reynolds said. "He can block shots. He gives us a different dynamic on defense than what we've had. I think he's going to be a great addition."— For much more, purchase a copy of Sporting News College Basketball '09-10 by calling 1-800-380-7404. Or order online at sportingnews.com or streetandsmiths.com.