NEW YORK — Randy Foye was not going to lie.
When the Villanova guard learned about the knee injury that would eventually end the season for his friend and teammate, Curtis Sumpter, Foye went to his dorm room and stressed out.
He never showed it on the court. And if Villanova coach Jay Wright was concerned about the Wildcats' chances without Sumpter, he never let on.
Foye and Wright did not just exemplify fortitude this season, they played and coached with ferocity, which convinced Big East Conference coaches to honor them yesterday.
Foye was just the second Villanova player to be voted Big East player of the year. Kerry Kittles won the honor in 1994-95.
Wright became just the second Villanova coach to win the conference coach of the year award. Rollie Massimino won it in 1982.
The No. 2 Wildcats (24-3), who shared the regular-season conference title with No. 1 Connecticut, will begin Big East tournament play in the quarterfinals tomorrow against the winner of tonight's Seton Hall-Rutgers game at Madison Square Garden.
When Sumpter went down in a preseason practice, Villanova's chances of winning awards and a championship seemed slim.
The Wildcats had to adjust on the fly and play with four guards.
"I'm going to tell you the truth," Foye said. "I had faith in our guys. But I was like, 'Who's going to play that spot? Who's going to be able to guard these guys?' I was like, 'Oh, man.' I was kind of stressed out in my room."
The answer dawned on him: "Me."
Better than many expected, Foye played bigger and stronger this season. He said he has set a weight-room record for guards.
While Duke's J.J. Reddick and Gonzaga's Adam Morrison are mentioned as candidates for national player of the year, Foye's name does not come up.
Foye is second in the Big East in scoring, averaging 21 points per game.
That hardly tells the tale of his work this season. The 6-foot-4 senior also averages 5.4 rebounds, sometimes against players who are half a foot taller or more.
"He could have scored 30 a game if he wanted to," Wright said, "but he was interested in getting rebounds, assists, whatever it would take to win. It's nice to see a guy acknowledged for doing that."
Foye credits Wright for his stick-to-it attitude and leadership - and for holding the Wildcats together.
"Coach saw it and Curt saw it that we can do it without Curtis." Foye said. "The thing we were going to miss was not just the scoring, but all the little things like communication and someone to guard a bigger guy."
