Deep breaths everyone. Big East basketball is upon us, and it isn't an easy opening game. The Villanova Wildcats travel to Morgantown for a date with the West Virginia Hill People Mountaineers. Never an easy place to play, things will be enhanced by the fact that Villanova is throwing 5 guys that didn't exactly instill confidence at Temple or St. Joe's into a similarly hostile setting.

West Virginia has a great coach and is led by a Big East Player of the Year candidate, a seasoned point guard and one of the best freshman in the league. This will not be easy, or likely, pretty to watch.

After The Jump we'll take a closer look at the 'Eers.

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If you missed part 1 of our out-of-conference schedule recap, check it out here.

Ever the eternal optimist that I am (something that is seriously being tested by this year's 'Nova team), I'm now sitting in the Big Apple Bar in the US Airways Terminal of LaGuardia Airport with a bright outlook for the rest of the season. You wanna know why?

Part of it has to do with the 2nd healthy Jameson on the rocks that the leper who's tending bar just poured me, but most of it has to do that we're now playing with house money for the rest of the season. There are literally no expectations. Hell, we could be looking at a losing record when this season is finished. I can cope with that, because I've come to terms with the fact that this team just isn't as good as we'd hoped they would be.

So I can look for the positives for the rest of the season and hopefully watch this team grow together - because more likely than not we're going to have everybody back (save maybe Maurice Sutton) for next season. Join me after The Jump for 5 things I'm excited about as we enter conference play.

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Well, that was something we haven't experienced in quite sometime. The Villanova Wildcats finished the out-of-conference portion of their schedule with a 7-5 record. 7-5! I knew this year was going to be rough, but if you predicted we'd be 7-5 at this stage of the season, I would have called you mentally ill (or a drunk) back in October.

Even better (I'm in a post-holiday coma today and acting sort of like a masochist), the Big East starts tomorrow. On the road nonetheless! Jay Wright will take his team to Morgantown, where success has never been easy to find. So, prepare yourself for some more tough nights. Jay Wright's take:

We're going to have to live through that together, but that's not the worst thing in the world. A little humility is not bad for anybody.

I'll tell you who it's bad for - me. I wanna win dammit!

In the 1st part of this 2-part recap, let's take a look at one of the worst OOC performances in recent Villanova history.

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Villanova junior guard Maalik Wayns has been named one of the 65 finalists for the 2012 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award, as announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This is the 3rd straight year that a Villanova guard is a candidate for the annual award; Scottie Reynolds made the list in 2009-2010, while Corey Fisher was selected in 2010-2011. The list will be trimmed down to 20 on Jan. 1st, 10 on Feb. 1st, and a final 5 on March 1st.

Kemba Walker of Connecticut University took home the award last year. Other Big East candidates joining Wayns on the list this year include Shabazz Napier (Connecticut), Peyton Siva (Louisville), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh), Scoop Jardine (Syracuse), and Brandon Triche (Syracuse).


More news from around the conference after the jump...

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It's tough to spit out, but the St. Joseph's (PA) Hawks have actually made a better start to their 2011-2012 season than the Villanova Wildcats. While there's definitely been a little variation in the SOS thus far, St. Joe's (PA) have taken care of business when they've needed too and they've already scored a major upset to hang their hats on, defeating then #19 Creighton last weekend.

Villanova comes in to the game fresh off a win over Boston U., but this will be a different animal. For the first time ever, this rivalry game will be played at miniscule Hagan Arena on the St. Joe's (PA) campus. While the move was originally viewed as a marketing ploy (and it still really is), there is no doubt that it will be a crazed atmosphere and will provide St. Joe's (PA) with a significant home court advantage.

After The Jump we'll take a closer look at this year's Hawks team.

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NBA training camps are officially open as the teams gear up for the start of the regular season on Christmas Day. Scottie Reynolds received an early holiday treat today as the Utah Jazz have signed the former All-American. Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

Earlier this offseason (and during the lockout), Reynolds had declined a D-League offer, a move that now appears to have paid off.

For more on Reynolds and the Jazz, check out SLC Dunk.

On Tuesday night the Villanova Wildcats will play their first regular season game at the Wells Fargo Center against the Boston U. Terriers. This game was most likely put on the schedule because former 'Nova assistant Pat Chambers was the head coach there just last year, but he's since moved on to State College (I'd also bet we see Penn State on the schedule in the near future).

Now, BU employs another ex-Jay Wright assistant in Joe Jones, who came over from Columbia in the off-season. Pat Chambers didn't leave the cupboard bare, as early indications are that BU could be in contention for the America East conference title, and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

More on Boston University after The Jump.

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Now sitting at 5-3 on the season, the Villanova Wildcats will need to look for a confidence-building win (oddly enough, following what I would consider a confidence-building loss). The foe will be their crosstown rivals, the Temple Owls.

Temple has been a program back on the rise in recent years, buoyed by the performances of Lavoy Allen, Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore under the leadership of coach Fran Dunphy. Both teams are undefeated in the Big 5 thus far, and will be looking to claim Philly bragging rights for the next year.

After The Jump we'll take a closer look at Temple.

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