Big East Tournament

Big East Tournament: Villanova senior guard Corey Stokes, who missed the Wildcats’ regular-season last versus Pitt Saturday with a hamstring wound, is in danger of missing Villanova’s opening-round game Tuesday in the Big East tourney, coach Jay Wright said. Stokes is Villanova’s second-leading scorer at 14.9 points per game and ranks 3rd in the Big East Conference at 44 percent from three-point range. Villanova has lost its final four games and faces South Florida at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a play-in game in the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York. The success will face No. 7 seed Cincinnati at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Teams seeded outside the top 8 must succeed 4 games to reach Saturday’s championship game. Stokes, who originally hurt his hamstring on Jan. 9 in a game against Cincinnati at the Pavilion, aggravated the wound at practice on Thursday, Wright said. Stokes accompanied the team to Pittsburgh but was scratched later pregame warmups. He also missed 3 games in February with turf toe. I am beautiful concerned, man,” Wright said. “He had this also when he had the toe, and we thought we’d give it a shot [Saturday], but he was still hobbling. We’ll play on Tuesday, I do not know. I’m a little worried. Not long-term, but worried about Tuesday. Stokes, the No. 4 three-point shooter in Villanova history at 39 percent, has 1,285 career points in 132 games. The Wildcats this year have averaged 75 points per game when he plays and Stokes has scored 1,285 career points in 132 games. Villanova has averaged 75 points per game this year with Stokes on the court and 60 without him. Villanova, once ranked No. 7 nationally, has lost 9 of its last 14 games into the Big East tournament. They are the No. 10 seed and will face No. 7 Cincinnati if they beat South Florida. Big East Tournament