BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: CINCINNATI @ VILLANOVA

February 1, 2009


Villanova will look to follow-up Wednesday night’s emotional victory over No. 3 Pittsburgh in the Spectrum finale as they welcome surging Cincinnati to the Pavilion on Sunday afternoon. The Bearcats are also coming off a big win as the knocked off Georgetown on their home floor Wednesday.

One Wednesday night, Villanova pulled the energy from the 17,000+ fans gathered for the final college basketball game at the Spectrum and some timely foul trouble on DeJuan Blair to gain control and then their defense did the rest as the Wildcats knocked off Pitt. It was the first significant in for Jay Wright’s squad this season.

The same can be said for Cincinnati, although Georgetown has been in a freefall of late. Still, the Bearcats came through with a win that still holds some weight on their resume and have won four of their last five after starting conference play 0-3.

The Bearcats are led by junior guard Deonta Vaughn, who is averaging a team-high 15.6 points a game. The emergence of Texas transfer Mike Williams, who also missed last season to an injury, has also keyed their recent run. Williams is averaging 10.2 points a game on the season, but that number is up to 14.8 in the last seven contests. The 6-foot-7 Williams also teams with 6-foot-9 frosh Yancy Gates (10 points/game), 6-foot-8 JUCO transfer Stephen Toyloy and 6-foot-11 sophomore Anthony McClain to give Mick Cronin’s team a much deeper frontcourt than his previous UC clubs.

Villanova is led by 6-foot-8 senior Dante Cunningham, who is enjoying a breakout season. The big forward averages team highs in scoring (16.5), rebounding (7.1), blocks (1.4) and steals (1.7). Junior Scottie Reynolds also adds his normal scoring punch, averaging 14.5 points a game and a team-high 4.2 assists a game. Reynolds also shows he can still carry the club, evidenced by his 40-point outburst in an OT win over Seton Hall earlier.

The oddsmakers have Villanova as an 11 ½-point favorite. The number seems slightly generous with the Wildcats prone to a letdown as they are in the midst of a very tough stretch of games and this being a follow-up to the Pitt win. UC is prone to some offensive slumps and the Villanova defense is strong, especially on the perimeter, where they will make it tough on Vaughn, but the UC size could keep this one pretty close throughout.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 69
Cincinnati 60