How Far They've Come

Villanova very well may enter the NCAA tournament ranked number one in the nation, depending on what happens in the rest of the Big East tournament.

Towards the end of the 2003 season, most of their team was suspended for illegal calling card use. Depending on the amount of money used, the players were suspended various amounts. The punishments seemed far too great for the crime.

The NCAA allows a team to field a necessary amount of players so they do not have to forfeit. Thus, certain Wildcat players had their suspensions rolled back. What ended up happening was Villanova had to play their least experienced players.

Villanova had 8 players allowed to play against Pittsburgh in their upcoming game during the 2003 season. One was redshirting and thus unavailable. Two others were walk-ons. Four others were guards and one forward. Villanova had no chance to stay in the game with the mighty Panthers.

But Allen Ray, Randy Foye, and Curtis Sumpter would not be embarrased. They hung tough, despite a large deficit towards the end of the game, and nearly won. A week later they pulled off similar near-heroics in the Big East Tournament.

Now Foye and Ray are seniors (Sumpter's hurt and redshirting) and they deserve all the success that they have achieved. Rarely has an underdog's performance been so inspiring. Besides being undersized, undertalented, they were dead tired by the end of those games. They fought with all their hearts, in spite of their obstacles.

Villanova, led by Foye and Ray, are the favorites. It is not often that a favorite is worthy of their status and the people's cheers. Jay Wright's Villanova team is.