VILLANOVA, DUKE HIT ROAD TO MEET IN BOSTON

March 26, 2009


For Villanova, the opening two rounds of the 2009 NCAA Tournament were enjoyed from the comforts of home. The Wildcats defeated 14th seed American, 80-67, and 3rd-seeded UCLA, 89-69, at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

In order to be eligible to play in the Wachovia Center in the NCAA Tournament, Villanova scheduled just three games in their 'second home' this season, but they were the home team on the floor 12 times in the previous two seasons, so it was definitely as much of a home court advantage as a team could have nowadays in the NCAA Tournament.

"What can I say? If you get to play and you don't have to travel, it's an advantage," said 'Nova coach Jay Wright yesterday. "But you can have your own place turn on you when you're going against the underdog and everybody gets behind the underdog, that's a little unsettling, too."

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For a brief time, Villanova might have faced a little bit of that as they found themselves trailing by 14 points early in the second half against American. However, their comeback was aided by the energy the hometown crowd brought and 26 trips to the free throw line in the second half.

"They definitely bring energy," senior Dwayne Anderson said of the home crowd. "It's great to have your fans in the background yelling and screaming and going crazy and everything. So that's something that we enjoy."

"Around the game there are advantages to being home," coach Wright added prior to their match-up with UCLA in the second round.

Now, the comfort zone of being in familiar surroundings is gone as the Wildcats meet Duke, who played their first two NCAA games in close proximity to their Durham campus in Greensboro (NC). The similarities of the two teams do not end there as they both play a similar style of game, one that has both sides respecting the other to the fullest.

"I think all of us, coaches and players, have watched Duke over the years, we have great respect for them," said Jay Wright. "We love how their team plays."

Duke has an idea of what to expect, because there are a lot of similarities between both teams.

"They have a lot of guys that can pressure the ball, they really can get a lot of steals because of their athleticism," Duke guard Jon Scheyer said of the matchup. "And the way they play, they're really aggressive."

Even that level of athleticism and aggressive play caught Ben Howland and UCLA off-guard, a team that prided itself in the same characteristics. Duke, however, believes they see that style often.

"We're used to that in practice and games," Scheyer said. "It's something both teams have faced."

Entering the game, UCLA had similar thoughts, but the aggressive nature and physical defense that Villanova likes to apply with guards Scottie Reynolds, Reggie Redding and Corey Fisher on the perimeter could be at a level the Blue Devils are not prepared for. Inside, Dante Cunningham will look to have a big game against the weakness of Duke, which is their interior.

Villanova, however, will have their hands full with the versatile skill of Kyle Singler and the athletic prowess of Gerald Henderson, who combines size and athleticism to attack the rim. Seniors Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark will be tested defensively.

According to the latest March Madness betting odds, Duke is favored by 2 1/2 points. This game has all the makings of a classic, with two teams built quite similar on the perimeter and missing some interior depth. While Villanova will try to make the game a little more physical, both teams are likely to look to push the pace and look for quick scoring options.

The 'Nova talent is strong, but giving the edge to Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson as possibly the best players on the court is not a stretch. Dante Cunningham should have a strong game inside and there is the expectation of Scottie Reynolds taking over a little more offensively.

Getting away from home and facing some adversity will be a big key for Villanova. It is quite likely that calls could go against them at times, which seems to be a consistent pattern when playing Duke, it might be a tough situation for the Wildcats to overcome.

I expect Villanova to fight to the end, but a possible early hole might be too tough to dig out of. If Villanova can stay up with Duke early and through the first half, they have a great chance, but I think playing from behind against Duke will be tough and be the downfall for Jay Wright's club.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Duke 78
Villanova 73