Sept. 7, 2006

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Eleven games against teams that reached the 2006 NCAA Tournament highlight the 2006-07 Villanova Men's Basketball schedule released today. The Wildcats, who advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season, will be featured a minimum of 15 times on national television during the upcoming campaign.

In November, the Wildcats will play three games at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands before hosting the United States Naval Academy, coached by Billy Lange, who spent three seasons on head coach Jay Wright's staff from 2001-04, in the regular season home opener at the Pavilion on Nov. 25. An intersectional match with Oklahoma (Dec. 6) and three dates against Philadelphia Big Five rivals Penn (Dec. 2), La Salle (Dec. 23) and Temple (Dec. 30) are key components of the December slate. Drexel also makes a visit to the Pavilion (Dec. 9).

Villanova opens the BIG EAST portion of its schedule with its first visit to West Virginia since the 2003-04 season on Jan. 3. The month also includes nationally televised visits to Georgetown (ESPN, Jan. 8), Syracuse (CBS, Jan. 13) and Notre Dame (ESPN, Jan. 27) along with home dates with Texas (CBS, Jan. 20) and Pittsburgh (ESPN, Jan. 29). The site for the contest with the Panthers is the only one which remains to be determined - it will take place at the Wachovia Center or the Pavilion.

The Wildcats will make six national television appearances in the month of February, including a Pavilion encounter with Saint Joseph's (ESPN2, Feb. 6) and duels with Louisville (ESPN, Feb. 3) and Georgetown (ESPN, Feb. 17) at the Wachovia Center. Villanova meets Connecticut, with whom it shared the 2006 BIG EAST regular season crown, on Feb. 28 in Storrs and wraps up the regular season at the Wachovia Center on Mar. 3 against Syracuse (ESPN).

The Wildcats will also host a series of attractive match-ups on campus at the Pavilion. Among those encounters are games with Philadelphia Big Five rival Temple (Dec. 30) along with Big East foes DePaul (Jan. 6); Notre Dame (Jan. 17); Cincinnati (Feb. 14) and Rutgers (Feb. 24).

Regional and local television information will be announced at a later date along with those game times not yet available.

2006-07 VILLANOVA MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Fri. Oct. 20: Hoops Mania/Blue vs. White scrimmage/ 7:00 p.m.

Tues, Nov. 7: HOLY FAMILY (exh.)

Sat., Nov. 11: at Northwood University

Friday, Nov. 17: vs. College of Charleston 1/8:30 p.m.

Sat./Sun., Nov. 18/19: vs. VCU or Xavier 1

Mon., Nov. 20: Paradise Jam

Sat., Nov. 25: NAVY

Thurs., Nov. 30: at Stony Brook

Sat., Dec. 2: at Penn

Weds., Dec. 6: at Oklahoma/ESPN/7:00 p.m.

Sat., Dec 9: DREXEL

Weds., Dec. 20: RIDER/ESPNU/7:30 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 23: at La Salle

Sat., Dec. 30: TEMPLE/ESPNU/7:30 p.m.

Weds., Jan. 3: at West Virginia

Sat., Jan. 6: DEPAUL

Mon., Jan. 8: at Georgetown/ESPN/8:00 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 13: at Syracuse/CBS/1:00 p.m.

Weds., Jan. 17: NOTRE DAME

Sat., Jan. 20: TEXAS (WC)/CBS/ 1:30 p.m.

Tues., Jan. 23: at Providence

Sat., Jan. 27: at Notre Dame/ESPN/4:00 p.m.

Mon. Jan. 29: PITTSBURGH 2/ESPN/7:00 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 3: LOUISVILLE (WC)/ESPN/noon

Tues., Feb. 6: SAINT JOSEPH'S/ESPN2/7:00 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 10: at Seton Hall

Weds., Feb. 14: CINCINNATI

Sat., Feb. 17: GEORGETOWN (WC)/ESPN/noon

Mon., Feb. 19: at Marquette/ESPN/7:00 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 24: RUTGERS/ESPN/4:00 p.m.

Weds., Feb. 28: at Connecticut/ESPN/7:00 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 3: SYRACUSE (WC)/ESPN/2:00 p.m.

Mar. 7-10: Big East Tournament, New York City

*denotes Big East Conference game

+denotes Philadelphia Big Five game

Home games in CAPS played at the Pavilion, unless otherwise noted

WC - Game played at Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, Pa.

1 - Paradise Jam, U.S. Virgin Islands

2 - Home Site to Be Determined/ Wachovia Center or Pavilion