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As the Villanova coach heads out to Las Vegas this week to resume recruiting, he knows his team is already projected as a top-five team nationally for the upcoming season. The Wildcats are coming off a Final Four appearance, have one of the nation's top recruiting classes and will be the favorite to capture the Big East regular-season crown.

"A lot of times I go to Phillies games and I hear people say, 'Great year, great year. We're going to win it all this year,'" Wright said with smile at the recent Reebok All-American Camp. "I like the excitement that everybody has for our team. I like the confidence they have in our team. I like the buzz."

Wright feels the Villanova buzz so much that he turned down an offer to coach the Philadelphia 76ers, his town's NBA franchise.

"I love Villanova, and it is where I want to be," Wright said.

Yet with success comes expectations. When Wright is out at night at Pat's King of Steaks, he knows that there is a hunger for more than just cheesesteaks.

"I also realize if you don't produce, it goes the other way," he said.

Villanova lost three seniors from last year's team that fell to North Carolina in the national semifinals: Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark. Point guard Scottie Reynolds, meanwhile, tested the NBA waters but didn't hire an agent and will return to serve once again as the team's emotional leader. It was Reynolds who hit perhaps the most exciting shot of last year's NCAA Tournament, a last-second coast-to-coast floater that gave the 'Cats a victory over Big East rival Pittsburgh in the Elite Eight in Boston.

Villanova will be loaded in the backcourt with Reynolds, Reggie Redding, Corey Fisher -- a Bronx native -- and Corey Stokes, who starred at St. Benedict's Prep in Newark.

"Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Reggie Redding, Antonio Pena, they also have to learn how to be go-to guys," Wright said. "They had the luxury of Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark and Dante Cunningham who were seniors. Those three were our rocks. Those guys now have to be the rocks. That's going to take a little transition."

Villanova brings in two big men who could have an impact immediately in 6-foot-7 forward Isaiah Armwood and 6-9 center Mouphtaou Yarou, who played together last year at Montrose (Md.) Christian. Yarou, a native of Benin, a country in Western Africa, should add a legitimate shot-blocking presence that Villanova has sorely lacked in recent years.

"Those guys have the chance to really help us," Wright said. "Isaiah's length and Mouph's ability to block shots. He's not just a good athlete; he's got good timing going to get shots. So that could really help us defensively. It could also cover for some weaknesses defensively. We've never been able to do that."

The recruiting class also includes two McDonald's All-American guards in Maalik Wayns, a point guard out of Philly Roman Catholic, and Dominic Cheek, a 6-6 wing who starred at St. Anthony in Jersey City.

Duke transfer Taylor King brings an ability to hit the 3-point shot, and redshirt big man Maurice Sutton is another active shot-blocker.

"Maurice can block shots, he gives us length," Wright said. "Taylor King, he's played big-time games with Duke, so he's been there. He's gotta step up and be a more consistent upperclassmen."

Yet all this talent must be melded together into a unit that can compete night in and night out in the brutal Big East. Although the conference likely won't get three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament like it did last year, Wright believes teams like Cincinnati (with Brooklyn star Lance Stephenson), Seton Hall, Rutgers and St. John's should be vastly improved.

"There are teams that are stepping up that people aren't counting on, and they're good enough to beat anybody, but people aren't talking about them," Wright said.

They will be talking about Villanova -- especially in Philly. Wright just has to manage the expectations.