Oct. 6, 2009

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Six months after reaching the NCAA Final Four, the Villanova Wildcats are set to kick off the 2009-10 campaign with a pair of events centered around the university's homecoming weekend on Oct. 23-24.

On Friday, Oct. 23, 2009 "Hoops Mania presented by Advanced Staging Productions" will take place at the Pavilion. This marks the fifth consecutive year the `Cats primary home court will host the event and packed crowds have been the norm. The 2009-10 men's and women's basketball teams will be on hand to help kick start the new year.

Tickets for "Hoops Mania presented by Advance Staging Productions" are to be distributed through a student lottery to which only full-time undergraduate Villanova students are eligible. Details on the lottery will be forthcoming to students via email in the coming weeks. Any tickets left unclaimed in the student lottery will be made available for purchase to Villanova season ticketholders who register online beginning Oct. 19 through villanova.com.

Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. for "Hoops Mania presented by Advance Staging Productions" with the event scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.

One night later, the Wildcats will be on the Pavilion court again, this time to partake in the annual Blue/White scrimmage. In recent years this contest has been a focal point of "Hoops Mania" but the contest has been shifted to Saturday to recreate a game night inside the Pavilion. It will be the first look at the 2009-10 Wildcats under simulated game conditions. Admission is free.

The Blue/White scrimmage is set to begin 15 minutes after the conclusion of the Villanova homecoming football game against Rhode Island that gets underway at 3:30 p.m. in Villanova Stadium.