Villanova’s basketball team will unofficially begin its season Thursday at the Wachovia Center with a 7 o’clock scrimmage against Kutztown, which is ranked as high as 16th in several preseason Division II polls.

The Wildcats, of course, are No. 5 in Division I, coming off their first Final Four appearance in nearly a quarter-century. Picked to finish first in the Big East, they have to replace three starters.

But five players from their rotation are back, led by senior guard Scottie Reynolds. Coach Jay Wright has also added four highly regarded freshmen, and Duke transfer Taylor King is eligible. They’ll be without senior swingman Reggie Redding for the first semester (10 games); he was suspended by the university for violating its student code of conduct following an on-campus incident last summer.

Kutztown has two starters back from a team that went 28-5. One of them is 6-6 senior Stephen Davis, from West Chester, who averaged 21.7 points per game (he has 1,529 for his career) and is a Player of the Year candidate. The Golden Bears reached the D-II Sweet 16 last season, and are picked to win the PSAC East.

Villanova’s first game is Nov. 13 at the Pavilion against Fairleigh Dickinson.

Villanova, which a week ago was picked to finish first in the Big East, is ranked fifth in the preseason Associated Press (media) Top 25.

The Wildcats are No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Today (coaches) vote.

Kansas, which plays at Temple on Jan. 2, was first in both polls.

The last time the Wildcats were ranked this high to begin a season was 2005, when they were also fifth. Five months later they lost in the Final Eight to eventual national champion Florida.

The highest 'Nova has ever been ranked in the preseason was 1995, when it started at No. 3. That team would lose in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 

Drexel men’s basketball team has been picked to finish seventh in the Colonial Athletic Association’s preseason poll it was announced today at the league’s media day in Washington.

The Drexel women’s team has been picked to finish first and 2009 league player of the year Gabriela Marginean was picked as preseason player of the year.

The polls are voted on by league’s coaches, sports information directors and media.

Old Dominion is the pick to win the men’s title. ODU was 25-10 last year and returns all five starters.

Northeastern was picked second and defending champion Virginia Commonwealth third. They are followed by:

 4. George Mason

 5. James Madison

6.  Hofstra

7. Drexel

8. Georgia State

9. Towson

10. William and Mary

11. Delaware

12. UNC Wilmington

ODU center Gerald Lee and Hofstra guard Charles Jenkins were picked co-preseason players of the year.

Drexel’s women won their CAA title last year and are the favorite again. Drexel returns eight letterwinners from last year’s 24-9 team. Marginean averaged 23.3 points and 7.4 rebounds last season for the Dragons.

Here is the women's predicted order of finish:

1. Drexel

2. James Madison

3. ODU

4. Delaware

5. VCU

6. Towson

7. Hofstra

8. UNC Wilmington

9. Willian & Mary

10. Northeastern

11. Georgia State

12. George Mason.

Delaware will welcome former Connecticut recruit Elena Delle Donne, who was highly recruited as a high school player at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington.

Temple is returning to McGonigle Hall for one night only.

The school announced a "Turn Back the Clock" game against Bowling Green on Dec. 28. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Owls have not played a regular-season game at McGonigle since Feb. 24, 1997.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our fans to come out and celebrate a great college basketball arena that holds a lot of memories,” coach Fran Dunphy said. “It will be a good game against a quality opponent from the Mid-American Conference. We hope to pack McGonigle Hall on this special night.”


 

Anthony Lee, a 6-9 forward from Florida, has given a verbal committment to Temple during his recruiting visit this weekened, a source confirmed to the Daily News.

The commitment was originally reported by OwlScoop.com.

The 6-9 Lee is the first commitment for coach Fran Dunphy for the Class of 2010. Temple has one other scholarship to give.

He averaged 14.8 points and 13.8 rebounds at Eustis High School last season before transferring to West Oaks Academy in Orlando.

Lee committed on the first day of his visit and is expected to take in the Owls' football game against Buffalo today at the Linc.

Jerome Allen is coming home.

The former Episcopal Academy and Penn basketball star has joined the Quakers' coaching staff as an assistant, Penn coach Glen Miller announced today.

“I am thrilled that Jerome has accepted my offer to join our coaching staff,” Miller said in a statement. “I consider his hiring a home run for our basketball program. Jerome is person of very high character and a proven winner. The very same attributes that enabled him to enjoy a highly successful playing career will allow him to have a positive influence on our players’ development on and off the court.

“Jerome will be involved in every aspect of coaching including recruiting, player development and scouting. I know he is extremely excited and anxious to get started, and I am just as anxious to begin working with him.”

Allen, a Big 5 Hall of Famer, is one of the most recognized names in Penn men’s basketball history. A four-year starter, he led the Quakers to Ivy League titles in each of his last three seasons (1993-95), all of them coming via a perfect 14-0 conference mark.

Allen was the Ivy League Player of the Year as a sophomore in 1992-93 -- sharing the honor with Columbia’s Buck Jenkins -- and again as a junior in 1993-94, making him one of three Penn players to earn the honor twice. Allen also earned first-team All-Ivy and All-Philadelphia Big 5 three times during his career.

When his Penn basketball career ended, Allen was the school's career leader in assists (504) and steals (166). He also scored 1,518 career points, which is currently sixth on Penn’s career scoring list, and grabbed 482 career rebounds from his guard position.

Following his Penn career, Allen was a second-round draft pick of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and spent two seasons in the NBA with Minnesota, Indiana and Denver. He then headed to Europe, where he enjoyed a stellar professional career before retiring at the end of the 2008-09 season. 

Former Saint Joseph’s center Ahmad Nivins, who was drafted in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks, has signed a contract to play professionally in Spain.

Nivins, who was Player of the Year in the Big 5 and Atlantic 10 last season, will play for Manresa in the ACB League. He will be the first rookie in 4 years to play in the ACB League.

The Mavericks picked Nivins 56th overall. Dallas will retain Nivins’ NBA rights.

Nivins, of Jersey City, N.J., led the Hawks with 19.2 points and 11.7 rebounds last season.

La Salle sent this over today. The Explorers have drawn South Carolina in the opener of the Charleston Classic.

Here is the release:

La Salle will take on South Carolina in a nationally-televised contest on ESPNU on Thursday, November 19 in the opening round of the Charleston Classic, ESPN Regional Television, Inc. announced today. The two teams will meet at 9:30 PM at Carolina First Arena.

The Gamecocks were 21-10 last season under second-year head coach Darrin Horn, falling to Davidson in the first round of the NIT. South Carolina returns senior point guard Devan Downey, who earned first team all-SEC and honorable mention All-American honors.

The winner of the La Salle-South Carolina game will meet the winner of USF/Davidson on Friday at 9:30 PM.

The eight-team field also includes Miami (Fla.), UNC Wilmington, Penn State and Tulane. Four of the teams in the field played in the 2009 National Invitation Tournament, which includes NIT champion Penn State, Davidson, Miami and South Carolina.

In the first round of action Thursday, Nov. 19, Tulane will take on Miami at 1:30 p.m. ET; UNC Wilmington will face Penn State, live at 4 p.m. ET on ESPNU; USF will meet Davidson at 7 p.m. ET; and La Salle and South Carolina will square off live at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

The Atlantic 10 has announced the league opponents for the 16-game conference basketball season.
Each team will face every school once and three schools twice.

Saint Joseph’s will face Temple, Massachusetts and St. Bonaventure home and away. The Hawks also host Dayton, Fordham, La Salle, Richmond and Saint Louis and visit Charlotte, Duquesne, George Washington, Rhode Island and Xavier.

Temple faces St. Joe’s, La Salle and Rhode Island home and away. The Owls also host Dayton, Duquesne, George Washington, UMass and Xavier and visit Charlotte, Fordham, Richmond, St. Bonaventure and Saint Louis.

La Salle meets Temple, George Washington and UMass home and away. The Explorers host Charlotte, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, Saint Louis and Xavier and visit Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, Richmond and St. Joe’s.

Dates and times will be announced at a later date.

The top 12 teams will advance to the conference tournament, with the top four seeds receiving byes and the the next four seed hosting games at campus sites.