On the day they were officially picked to win the Big East, Villanova’s future also seemed to get brighter. The Wildcats received a verbal Wednesday evening from Achraf Yacoubou, a 6-4 shooting guard from Long Island who’s currently a junior and who was also considering Kentucky and UConn. Yacoubou averaged 21 ppg. as a sophomore last year for a Lutheran (N.Y.) High team that had won a state title, according to this report in today’s Daily News. According to the gang at VUhoops, Yacoubou is ranked No. 76 in his class by Rivals and No. 69 by Scout, though “with his recent performances, analysts only expect him to climb into the Top 20.”

Links: ‘Nova the coaches’ choice in Big East [BIG FIVE POST]
Guard from Class of 2011 commits to ‘Cats [Daily News]
The word on Yacoubou [VUhoops.com]