We're still working on compiling a full list of Hoops Mania attendees, so it's possible we add to this list over the next few days, but here's who we know attended so far.

Cameron Gillus (2023, Sidwell Friends, DC), Caleb Williams (2024, Sidwell Friends), Jaden Colzie (2024, Plymouth-Whitemarsh), Robert Wright III (2024, Neumann-Goretti) and Jacob Theodosiou (2024, Western Reserve Academy, Canada).

Gillus is a 5-11 points guard, Williams is a 6-6 guard, Colzie is a 6-0 guard, Wright III is a 6-1 guard and Theodosiou is a 6-3 point guard.

We'll update the list with any more names that are confirmed.

I'm seeing a lot of misinformation floating around about how the scrimmage against Duke went today so I wanted to clear up as much as possible. First, they've done a good job protecting the secrecy of the game so 1. I'm not going to pretend to have a full report for you all or anything like that and 2. take much of what you hear about the scrimmage with a grain of salt.

That being said, much of the chatter I've been seeing/hearing has been of "Duke dominance" and similar sentiments. I've heard claims that Duke won by 20 and that Duke led throughout and other similar statements. Thanks to some video released by Duke, those claims can easily be refuted.

First, we need to clarify the structure of the scrimmage. Duke also released a press release that stated that the teams played a 20 minute period and a 10 minute period before spending time working on late-game situations, followed by a six minute period played by the reserves/walk-ons. Courtesy of the video posted by Duke, there were some times where we got a clear look at the scoreboard, and what we saw paints a much different picture than what has been circulating on social media, at least that I've seen.

Generally, the score is close throughout based on the times we can read the scoreboard. Some particular moments of interest were one where the scoreboard read Villanova 54, Duke 50 with 11 seconds to go. There was a sequence where Duke appeared to be on a nice run as we saw Duke 24, Nova 20 7:44, Duke 33, Nova 22 3:19 and Duke 36, Nova 24 2:02. The last clear look of the scoreboard in the video showed Duke 90, Nova 86 1:27. Now, it's hard to know exactly how the video was edited and which sessions we were seeing while the scoreboard was visible. Still, it's clear that both games ended up being competitive, and I would think it is safe to assume Nova won one game something like 54-50 and lost one game something like 90-86. Again, really hard to know for sure, but probably safe assumptions and at the very least it gives us some idea of how the games went.

One thing is for certain, rumors of Duke dominance clearly seem to be false/some kind of whisper down the lane exaggerations.

I considered linking to the video, but it was released by Duke and is basically a Duke highlight edit, so not much value or interest on our end other than the glimpses of the scoreboard. A quick search on YouTube will bring up the video if you're interested, but if you don't want to watch four minutes of Duke made shots, dunks, and blocks I've shared the relevant info here.

The Cats will start the season as a top 5 team.

In addition to scrimmaging Duke on Oct. 23, Villanova will have another "secret" scrimmage on Sunday against Rutgers.

The Scarlet Knights are in a somewhat interesting position heading into 2021-22. They are looking to build on last season's success, which saw the program earn its first NCAA Tournament berth and first NCAA Tournament win in over 30 years. The team lost three key contributors to the transfer portal, but return five other contributors. Last year's team finished in the top 20 in KenPom's defensive efficiency rankings.

Rutgers enters the season widely considered a top 50 team, expected to earn a middle-of-the-pack finish in a strong Big Ten. That would have them in the mix for another NCAA Tournament trip.

It should be a good first taste of inter-squad competition for the Wildcats, and combined with the scrimmage against Duke should help to prepare the Cats for a tough non-conference slate that starts with a trip to UCLA on Nov. 12 in the second game of the season.

On Thursday night, fans got a chance to see the Wildcats on the court in person for the first time since the pandemic began. While it's still early in the preseason and we wouldn't put too much stock in a team scrimmage, it was exciting nonetheless and it's worth noting some points of interest.

1. Collin Gillespie looks fine. Gillespie showed no issues playing on his rehabbed knee, looking the the Gillespie we've come to expect. He tied for the team lead in scoring across the four sessions and nearly put up a triple double, pulling down 13 rebounds and dishing out nine assists. Gillespie being Gillespie is a great sign for the Cats heading into the season.

2. Caleb Daniels has strong showing. Daniels seemed to draw much of the fans' ire during an up-and-down campaign in 2020-21. On Thursday, Daniels looked much like the player Villanova hoped to get when he transferred into the program. He matched Gillespie with 22 points, shooting a stellar 6-10 from beyond the arc. Daniels added some contributions on the glass, handing out assists and with some steals on the defensive end, but the shooting is what stands out. If he can connect from 3 on somewhere around 40% and consistently contribute double-figure scoring it would go a long way towards helping the Cats reach their ceiling.

3. Brandon Slater shows scoring touch. Slater dropped in 16 points on an efficient 6-12 shooting. He has already proven his value on the defensive end, and if he can complement those skills with some consistent scoring it could really push Nova to another level.

Overall, the shooting wasn't great but there's no reason to think that will be a season-long issue. Gillespie's health was the most important question and the early returns were very good.

The Wildcats hit the court in front of fans for the first time this 2021-22 season on Thursday night during the annual Blue & White scrimmage and there were a couple notable absences.

A pair of freshmen missed the event as Jordan Longino is dealing with a bone bruise and Nnanna Njoku is continuing to progress through concussion protocol. Neither is expected to be a long-term issue.

Longino has been doing individual work and Jay Wright expects him to return to practice around the middle of next week. Meanwhile, Njoku is close but Wright wanted to give him another day rather than risk a potential setback by having him participate in the event.

Another big get for Jay Wright and the Cats as the No. 22 ranked player in the class of 2022, Cam Whitmore, picks Villanova. 2022 class is coming together beautifully for Wright as Whitmore joins Mark Armstrong and Brendan Hausen.

Per Joseph Tipton, key Nova target and top 25 2022 player Cam Whitmore will announce his college decision on Thursday at 3 PM. Whitmore is choosing between Villanova, North Carolina and Illinois.

The consensus around Whitmore has been leaning towards Nova for over a month now, and I heard from another source today that believes Nova will be the choice. Recruiting can always produce some surprises, but Nova has to feel good about its position right now. Could be a big day tomorrow, and we will have the decision up as soon as it's announced.

DCR will not play in 2021-22, though he will remain on scholarship and remain with the team in an off-court role.

We have the complete picture of the 2021-22 schedule. Couple oddities: the season opener is on a Tuesday and is slated for a 4:30 PM tip. The Howard game on Nov. 16 is on FS2, the Jan. 19 Marquette game and February 15 game at Providence are on CBSSN and the December 1 game at Penn appears to be set to be behind a TV paywall as it's slated for ESPN+ so prepare accordingly. You can see the full information at the link below.