VILLANOVA MEETS NORTH CAROLINA IN NATIONAL SEMIFINAL

April 3, 2009


The 2009 NCAA Final Four is finally here. After 60 games of March Madness excitement, we are down to the final three games as we crown the national champion for the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

Saturday's nightcap at Ford Field in Detroit will feature the Villanova Wildcats, coached by Jay Wright, of the Big East against Roy Williams' North Carolina Tar Heels squad of the ACC. North Carolina was the overwhelming preseason favorite and here they are in the Final Four. Expectations that can make some teams wilt, have been welcomed by coach Williams this year.

"Well, first of all, I love that because that means we've been winning a lot," Williams told gathered media on Friday about how he feels of the overwhelming pressure as the season-long favorite. "So I like that part of it. I like that idea
of people expecting you to be pretty good because you are good."

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While this is a return trip for the Tar Heels, who fell in the semifinals a year ago against eventual champion Kansas, this is a new experience for coach Wright and his Wildcats. Villanova last made it to the Final Four in 1985 when an 8th seeded Rollie Massimino coached team upset Georgetown in the classic championship finale.

While the Wildcats are not quite the monumental underdog as they were in '85, they are still a 7-point underdog according to the latest college basketball betting odds posted. Coach Wright does not believe the underdog mentality will work so well with this particular Villanova team.

"Coach Mass was great at creating that atmosphere," said Wright. "He loved being the underdog. I'm not as good at that. Our players believe they can win. We use a term, we don't have to play perfect, we just have to play together."

In '85, it was near a perfect performance that Villanova used to slay mighty Georgetown in the finale, shooting 78% from the field. Wright compares this current UNC squad favorably to that Hoya team.

"That year, Georgetown was just incredible, intimidating," Wright said. "Carolina is probably just as good as that Georgetown team."

However, he also feels his current team, led by junior guard Scottie Reynolds and senior forwards Dante Cunningham and Dwayne Anderson are pretty good as well and will not need the underdog speech about knocking off the mighty Tar Heels.

"You know, they were an 8-seed," Wright said of the '85 Wildcats. "With this group...they just have a confidence about them. They have a belief in what we do."

The Villanova path to the Final Four has been impressive. After rallying from a 14-point deficit early in the second half at the Wachovia Center against American, they hit their stride by punishing both UCLA and Duke. Their Elite 8 win over Pittsburgh was one of the tournament's all-time classics as the Wildcats averted a near collapse down the stretch when Reynolds scored with .5 second left in a 78-76 win over their conference rival.

The Tar Heels have been dominant in the NCAA Tournament, winning their four contests by an average margin of 22.5 points. They did find themselves down in the second half in Round 2 against LSU, but a closing run helped UNC win going away, 84-70.

North Carolina really enjoys a game where they can get out and run in an attempt to outscore their opponent. Villanova will try and be physical, but smart, and play both ends of the court, hoping that a balanced effort will key an upset.

Guards Corey Fisher, Reggie Redding and Reynolds will have to do their best to force the Carolina offense out of their rhythm, similar to the dominating defense effort they employed against Duke in the Sweet 16. If they can disrupt passing lanes and limit the touches of Tyler Hansbrough and Deon Thompson, that will help neutralize UNC's interior edge. Against Pitt, 'Nova was able to limit DeJuan Blair to nine shot attempts, although he made all nine, it was the quantity that was the key.

North Carolina will likely handle the pressure better with Ty Lawson as the point guard compared to Duke and Pitt. The Panthers were hurt by Levance Fields never being fully healthy, a worry with UNC as Lawson has a bad toe, but he has looked his super-quick self throughout the tournament.

With Lawson able to break down the defense, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green will get some open looks. Their ability to make these shots in a pressure situation will open more of the interior. The UNC experience in this situation, having been in the Final Four a year ago, should be their key to victory.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

North Carolina 79
Villanova 71

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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

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VILLANOVA RIGHT AT HOME IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

March 19, 2009


Villanova makes their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, a streak that only trails the eight in a row by Pittsburgh in the Big East, on Thursday night when they take on 14th-seeded American. A 13-5 Big East record and 26-7 overall mark earned Jay Wright's squad a third seed in this year's tournament and the honor of playing in the city of Philadelphia at the Wachovia Center, which doubles as a home court for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats are a veteran squad, led by seniors Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark and Frank Tchuisi, who are looking to finish their college careers on ann ultimate high.

"We're very grateful to be in this position four years in a row," Anderson said of appearing in the Big Dance each year he has been at 'Nova. "We know what it takes."

Classmate Dante Cunningham agreed and takes pride in the legacy his class is leaving on the program. The Wildcats leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 16 points and 7.2 rebounds on the season, told reporters this week that "We definitely understand what it takes to get here. Our seniors, previous years, taught us well. Hopefully we're teaching our younger guys, you know, how to continue this tradition that we've set."

The tradition includes a trip to the Elite 8 in their freshman season, on a team led by Randy Foye, Kyle Lowry, Allan Ray, etc. and a surprising run to the Sweet 16 last year. Will this season yield even better results?

"Last year we were the No. 12 seed," said Anderson. "We had the underdog mindset. So we're going to have the same mindset for this year."

The journey begins Thursday at home, or very close to it, the Wachovia Center, against American, the champions of the Patriot League. Riding a 13-game winning streak and winners of 19 of their last 20, American is not just happy to be 'dancing' this season. They feature four senior starters that were also starters on last year's NCAA team that played Tennessee relatively tough in the opening round before falling 72-57. Leading scorer Garrison Carr, who is averaging nearly 18 points a game this season, scored 26 in last year's loss to the Vols.

"I think it's pretty much true," senior forward Brian Gilmore said of last year's initial experience of the NCAA Tournament. "There were some of our teammates who were just kind of caught by that big atmosphere that we hadn't been in."

Gilmore, who averages 12.4 points and a team high 5.4 rebounds, believes this year's team is better equipped to handle the bright lights of March.

"This time around I think we're prepared for that [atmosphere]," said Gilmore. "We know this is another big stage. Obviously it's our last go round as seniors. We
can't afford to be taken aback and on our heels like we were last year."

American has played some big conference foes this year, but with little success. Jeff Jones' Eagles have lost by an average of 23 points to Oklahoma, Georgetown and Maryland, all played on the road. Villanova is right there with any of those foes, and like those games, this will also be played in enemy territory.

What might be even tougher to handle for American is the challenge posed by the 'Nova guard crew, one that a Patriot League team is not going to get to see very often.

"I think it's going to be a challenge for both
Garrison and I," said senior point guard Derrick Mercer, who played his high school ball for the legendary Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's High School in Jersey City (NJ). "We usually don't go in and play against players with that type of caliber, like Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds."

It has been since December 22nd, a 67-51 loss at Maryland, since American has faced a quality opponent. Although they have experience with an excellent group of seniors with a team that has been in the NCAA Tournament before, they face a Villanova squad that has been battle tested night in and night out in the Big East. The college basketball odds show Villanova as a 16 1/2-point favorite to end the Eagles' season and squash their dream of a first round upset. While the American strength is in their backcourt, a need for March success, the 'Nova backcourt will be up to the challenge and Dante Cunningham should be too strong underneath.

It is fully expected that "nova cruises past American on Thursday night to set up a highly anticapted second round match-up between the winner of the 6/11 game between UCLA and VCU.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 82
American 59

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VILLANOVA LOOKS TO EARN BE FINAL BERTH

March 13, 2009


After seeing conference co-favorites fall last night, Louisville is left standing in Friday's semifinal round of the 2009 Big East Tournament after getting past Providence, 73-55, in Thursday afternoon quarterfinal action. The Cards' defense was strong again, forcing 26 Friar turnovers and converting points inside with Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels leading the way.

Villanova looked like they were cruising into the semifinal match-up with the Cards by taking a 16-point halftime lead over Marquette. However, there was no easy way into the semi's as Marquette stormed back and took a late lead on the Wildcats. Villanova beat the buzzer with a Dwayne Anderson lay-up and broke the hearts of the Golden Eagles.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's match-up:

It's Villanova at the Buzzer (Philadelphia Inquirer)
After Surviving, Villanova Gets Louisville (Hartford Courant)
Cardinals Ward off Curse of the Garden (Louisville Courier-Journal)

Villanova and Louisville met once in the regular season with the Cards surviving a one-point win as the Wildcats missed several point-blank opportunities in the closing seconds to win. It is expected that tonight's clash could come down to a similar nail-biting finish.

Louisville's strength this season is forcing turnovers with their constant pressure. The wildcats might be one of the few teams they can rattle with the press as Villanova has an experienced guard corps that represent their strength of the team.

Junior Scottie Reynolds and sophomore Corey Fisher make an exciting backcourt pair that can play both ends of the court. Junior Reggie Redding is a defensive specialist that is quickly becoming one of the best 'glue' guys in the NCAA with his timely scoring and terrific passing. His dribble-drive and dish to senior Dwayne Anderson was the game winner on Thursday afternoon. Anderson, like on Thursday, is always in the right place at the right time and his classmates Shane Clark and Dante Cunningham, the league's most improved player, should hold their own against the Cards front line.

With guard play so key in the postseason, Villanova has the pieces to make things VERY interesting.

Louisville will rely on their tremendous front line trio of Terrence Williams, Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels, all of whom could be 1st round NBA draft picks as early as this June. Williams and Clark are versatile stars that create tough match-ups on both ends of the court.

Where Louisville will need a strong performance is from their backcourt. Villanova will apply their own type of pressure, extending their defense in the halfcourt out into the perimeter to try and make passing into the post difficult in an order to negate the UL size advantage.

This game should be another tight one down to the wire. Going out on the limb, with Villanova a 4 1/2-point underdog according to the early college basketball odds, it could be another Big East upset.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 68
Louisville 66

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VILLANOVA LOOKS TO PREVAIL OVER JAME-LESS MARQUETTE

March 12, 2009


Marquette got a temporary tonic for what ails the Golden Eagles in their opening game of the 2009 Big East Tournament against a totally inept St. John's. Marquette led the Redstorm 38-10 at the half and cruised home to a 74-45 victory at Madison Square garden.

This was the first win for the Golden Eagles since losing Dominic James to a broken foot for the season. Losses to UConn, Louisville, Pitt and Syracuse followed after James went down, but this had to feel good for Marquette. The good feelings may not last long as Villanova is next up.

MU and the Wildcats split their two meetings this past season, each winning on their own floors. However, Villanova won the last meeting, 102-84, a month ago with a healthy Dominic James.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on the contest:

Dwayne Anderson is Villanova's Motor (Philadelphia Daily News)
Parents Showed Cunningham How to Lead (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Villanova to Meet Marquette in Big East Quarterfinal (Philly Daily News)
Battered Marquette Believes it's on Right Course After Slaughterning St. John's (Chicago Tribune)
Smother Lode: Defense Ignites Rout (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

Villanova earned a double-bye into the Big East quarterfinals, thanks to in large part to the Marquette free fall following the James injury. While the schedule toughened significantly, and even a healthy James might not have helped, the concern heading into the 2009 NCAA Tournament is how will Marquette fare against a NCAA Tournament caliber team? Well, we will have an answer this afternoon.

Both teams are extremely strong on the perimeter both offensively and defensively. marquette reminded onlookers of their perimeter strength as the Johnnies were Throttled on their Home Floor by the swarming Golden Eagles. Wesley Mathews and Jerel McNeal anre still all-league players and lazar Hayward has learned to mix in his outside strengths with a developing post game that is a tough match-up for any forward in the league.

Villanova looks to match MU with Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher in the backcourt and Dante Cunningham in the paint. Where the Wildcats have a significant edge is in their depth. They can mix and match players like Shane Clark, Antonio Pena, Reggie Redding, Corey Stokes and Dwayne Anderson into the line-up and expect production from each one. Unfortunately for Marquette, they do not have that luxury as they depend almost solely on the aforementioned trio for their production. Playing two games in two days will likely take its toll and Villanova simply has more answers when they need them because of the depth.

Today's NCAA Basketball Odds list the Wildcats as a 2 1/2-point favorite in this afternoon's contest. Look for Villanova to assume control after the half a post a solid win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 79
Marquette 70

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ VILLANOVA

March 5, 2009


The stakes are always high in college basketball in March. The regular season finales in the Big East begin tonight and there is a lot riding on the match-up in Philadelphia between Villanova and Providence.

The Wildcats enter the contest with a 12-5 Big East record and 24-6 overall mark. While selection Sunday will not be a sweat for 'Nova, a win tonight in the regular season finale would clinch a top four finish in the Big East, meaning a double bye in the 2009 Big East Tournament which begins next week in Madison Square Garden.

The stakes for Providence are much higer. With a 10-7 Big East conference record, PC has put themselves in good position to be invited to the Big Dance. However, their overall mark of 18-11 keeps them squarely on the bubble and very vulnerable to falling on the wrong side. A road win over the Wildcats, couples with resume building wins over Syracuse and Pitt at home should be plenty for the Friars to take their place in the Field of 65.

Here are some game previews and stories on tonight's game:

Villanova Needs Win Tonight Against Providence to Improve Big EastTournament Seeding (Philadelphia Daily News)
Capsule Preview: PC at Villanova (Providence Journal)
PC Can Help Itself Off NCAA Tournament Bubble with Win at Villanova (Providence Journal)

The Friars and Wildcats met in Rhode Island back on February 4th and 'Nova held off a furious late came rally by PC to hold on for a 94-91 win. Scottie Reynolds led Jay Wright's squad with 31 points in that contest.

Villanova led 49-34 at the half and built there lead to as much as 20 points in the earlier meeting before a slwe of three's and driving buckets by Sharaud Curry and Wyinmi Efejuku ignited the comeback. A three by Efejuku with four seconds remaining closed the gap to 92-91, but it was too little too late.

According to the latest college basketball lines, Villanova is a 10 1/2-point favorite tonight in a game at their on-campus home, the Pavillion, where 'Nova has won 27-straight. Their home loss last weekend occurred at the Wachovia Center. The rebounded from the 56-54 setback against Georgetown to blow past Notre Dame on the road after halftime Monday night.

It is also senior night for the Wildcats and a chance for their fans to send-off leading scorer and rebounder Dante Cunningham as well as Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark and Frank Tchiusi.

The keys for 'Nova will be their perimeter defense, something that is usually a great strength of their club, led by Corey Fisher, Reynolds and Reggie Redding. They will be matched up against Currey, Efejuku and Jeff Xaiver predominately on the PC side. Villanova is certainly aware they can put up points in a hurry, but so can they, especially on their comfy and cozy home floor.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 88
Providence 75

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VILLANOVA LOOKS TO DASH IRISH NCAA HOPES

March 2, 2009



Barring a deep run in the 2009 Big East Tournament next weekend, this might be the last hurrah for Notre Dame and their NCAA Tournament chances. The Irish are 7-9 in the Big East, but they have won four of their last six games and finish with two at home this week, beginning with tonight's Big Monday match-up against Villanova. This past Saturday, the Irish lost a golden shot at improving their resume significantly when they fell just short in a 72-65 loss at UConn in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.

The Wildcats are safely in the NCAA Tournament as Jay Wright's squad is 11-5 in the Big East and 23-6 overall. However, they look to get back on track after a Saturday afternoon home loss to Georgetown, which followed a two-point come-from-behind win on the road over lowly DePaul.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the web:

Notre Dame (16-12, 7-9) vs. Villanova (Gary Post-Tribune)
Villanova at Notre Dame (Chicago Tribune)
Notre Dame Faces Another Must-Win vs. Villanova (Chicago Tribune)
Anxious Irish to Tangle with 'cats (Journal Gazette)
ND in Must-Win Mode (South Bend Tribune)


This is it for the Irish. Backs are against the wall, we will see how they respond.

Following a seven-game losing streak where everyone left ND for dead, they responded to win four of five, including a rousing 90-57 win over Louisville to put an end to the losing streak. They nearly made it five of six, but went down at the wire against UConn in Storrs over the weekend.

A win at West Virginia or a win at Connecticut would have done wonders for the Irish resume, which currently is not good enough for the NCAA Tournament. A win on their home floor tonight against Villanova is another step in the right direction and they close the regular season at home on Friday against St. John's, so they still have a chance to reach .500 in Big East play at 9-9 with two more wins.

The Irish have reigning Big East Player of the Year in Luke Harangody inside to lead the way and he should be able to put up big numbers against the Wildcats. Villanova will hope to put pressure on Harangody with the improved offensive threat that is ante Cunningham, forcing harangody to play both ends of the court and hope the long season and lots of minutes can wear the 6-foot-8 big man down.

In their cozy confines of the Joyce Center, the Irish shooters led by seniors Kyle McAlarney and Ryan Ayers, tend to find the range much better than on the road. The tough perimeter defense of the Wildcats will look to lock down the perimeter, but if you give McAlarney a sliver of room he can make you pay. Opening up the game with some three's will open room inside for Harangody and Irish point guard Tory Jackson will be under a lot of pressure to manage the offense effecitvely and eficiently.

Villanova had been putting up points at a high rate, using a balanced attack led by Cunningham and junior Scottie Reynolds. Sophomore Corey Fisher has also been a more consistent source of offense and, along with Reggie Redding, a stout defender on the perimeter. What has made 'Nova so tough in their recent run of good play has been the offensive contributions from Shane Clark and Dwayne Anderson, a pair of seniors, as well as Corey Stokes, which seem to come at the right time when needed.

As always, a Jay Wright team will come out and play hard. They will be looking to shake off the cold shooting of Saturday, and the Irish defense is one that is more than likely to allow an opponent to get well offensively.

However, this is simply a must-win for the Irish and playing at home, you can expect them to be playing confident and with a sense of comfort at the Joyce Center. Look for some early three's and then Luke Harangody to take over in the paint. Once that happens, it will be tough for Villanova to overcome the energy that will take over the building.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 83
Villanova 75

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VILLANOVA LOOKS TO STAY HOT VS. HOYAS

February 28, 2009


An old school Big East battle is rekindled at the Wachovia Center at high noon on Saturday as the Villanova Wildcats will host the Georgetown Hoyas. This game was expected to carry much more meaning in the Big East standings, but the struggles of the Hoyas have left them down and out of the Big East race.

Villanova is still in the mix for a top-four seed for the 2009 Big East Tournament as they enter Saturday’s contest 11-4 and with a 23-5 overall mark. The Wildcats have been one of the hottest teams in the nation, winning nine of their last 10 games. They will look to keep the pressure on UConn, Louisville, Pitt and Marquette by claiming an early afternoon win on Saturday.

Georgetown, on the other hand, has been mired in a head-scratching slump, losing nine of their last 11, with wins coming against South Florida and Rutgers. Last weekend’s Saturday/Monday dual losses at home to Marquette and Louisville have dropped the Hoyas to 5-10 in the Big East and 14-12 overall, not very impressive for a team that boasts former McDonald’s All-American recruits such as Greg Monroe, Chris Wright and Austin Freeman in their starting line-up along with DaJuan Summers, who was also a very highly regarded recruit when he signed with the Hoyas.

Georgetown certainly has high-end talent, the problem has been that that talent sees a significant drop-off in level and experience following the starting five. As the losses began to mount, the team’s confidence and chemistry seemed to erode rapidly. Guards Wright and Jesse Sapp had a much-publicized halftime confrontation in a loss to Duke and Sapp has also been benched for his attitude toward the coaching staff in another game.

Georgetown showed some signs of snapping out of the funk, nearly stealing a win at Syracuse and then blowing out USF, but last weekend’s pair of losses seemed to take the final wind out of their sails.

Villanova had a classic letdown performance on Wednesday as the DePaul game followed their frantic win over Syracuse in the Dome last weekend, a game where SU missed four game-tying attempts in the last seconds and the Wildcats escaped with a win over a big rival.

The Wildcats will need a better performance on Saturday to beat Georgetown. Look for Jay Wright’s crew to extend defensive pressure and force Chris Wright to make proper decisions in pushing the ball or pulling it back out to run the Hoya offense. This defensive philosophy will also make it difficult for Georgetown to go inside to freshman Greg Monroe, an under-used weapon in their arsenal. Coach John Thompson III acknowledged the Hoyas problems this week during the Big East coaches conference call with their decision-making within their intricate offensive system.

“We always have given guys a lot of freedom to play,” JTIII told reporters. “You have to make the right decisions, you have to share the ball.”

It has been a long season for Georgetown since the calendar has flipped from 2008 to 2009. Playing a hot Villanova team on the road is unlikely to make things any better after the crushing defeats of last weekend. This could be a very tough game for the Hoyas to big themselves back up for.

NBE Blogger Preview:

Villanova 78
Georgetown 66

Georgetown Could Learn from Nova (Washington Times)

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VILLANOVA LOOKS TO KEEP DEPAUL WINLESS IN BIG EAST

February 25, 2009


Jerry Wainwright and his DePaul Blue Demons are running out of chances to avoid an 0-18 record in Big East play. Currently sitting at 0-14, the Blue Demons have a home game tonight against red-hot Villanova and wrap-up their home schedule this weekend with St. John's before finishing on the road against West Virginia and Georgetown.

Villanova continues to play for NCAA seeding and are coming off a very impressive road win at Syracuse on Sunday afternoon. Their athletic and deep backcourt looks to be a nightmare for the Blue Demons and the experienced front court led by Dante Cunningham also matches up well with DePaul. At 10-4 in the Big East and 22-5 overall, getting a top-four Big East seed for the Big East tournament is a real possibility for the Wildcats and should keep them focused in what could be a classic sandwich game.

With Georgetown up next and coming off the thrilling 89-86 win at Syracuse, a letdown may be very natural for Jay Wright's squad. Making the cold trip to the midwest in the middle of the week is never a fun prospect, even for college kids, so getting their intensity level up in a near-empty Allstate Arena might be a challenge.

Led by junior Scottie Reynolds and senior Dante Cunningham, and also getting increased productioin from sophomore corey Fisher and senior Dwayne Anderson, the Wildcats seem to be coming together quite well as February rolls ahead towards March. Their penchant for extending defensive pressure deep into the backcourt will test the very weakness of DePaul that has been the biggest cause of their 0-fer Big East record: ball-handling. With Jabari Currie lost for the season, freshmen Jeremiah Kelly and Mike Bizoukas handle most of the duties at the point. Scoring wings Will Walker and Dar Tucker will also have pressure to produce against the 'Nova defensive specialists.

At some point you have to beleive something goes right for DePaul. Players like Mac Koshwal and Dar Tucker can be productive players in the Big East and Will Walker has shown he could score in the Big East. The problem is the rest of the roster will have to play over their heads to give a Big East-level performance, something that can very much happen, but has yet to do so. Nobody wants to be that first victim, and although I think they put up a fight, I do not see 'Nova being the first to fall either.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 79
DePaul 67

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA @ SYRACUSE

February 22, 2009


Syracuse looks to get revenge for an earlier loss to Villanova when the two teams tangle Sunday afternoon in the Carrier Dome. Just two weeks ago, Syracuse went to Philly and were smoked by the Wildcats from the get-go in a 102-85 loss. The Orange had lost five of six and six of eight prior to a win last Saturday against Georgetown, pushing them back above .500 in Big East play at 7-6. Their 10-game gauntlet of top Big East teams comes to a close on Sunday. In this current stretch, SU has shown to be a notch or two below the top teams in the Big East, a win against Villanova should close the gap.

Villanova had been one of the hottest teams in the country, let alone the Big East, until a Friday night in Morgantown slowed some of their momentum. VU bounced back on Thursday with a 10-point home win over lowly Rutgers and currently sit at 9-4 in the Big East, two games ahead of SU, but two games behind the conference leaders.

Orange Scouting Report: Syracuse vs. Villanova (Post-Standard)
End of the Gauntlet (Post-Standard)
Orange Try for No. 20 (Syracuse.com)

Syracuse has picked up their game at the Dome on a few ‘must-win’ occasions and the expectation they will do so again in this situation. Having eight days off to get Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku healthier and allow nagging injuries to Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf heal should give the Orange a huge lift against ‘Nova.

The Wildcats have been playing very well and that is likely to continue on Sunday. It should be an outstanding game, but a healthier Onuaku will make things a little more difficult for Dante Cunningham inside. Cunningham torched SU for 30+ points in the first meeting. The SU zone will put the pressure on the Villanova perimeter shooters, but look for some man-to-man as well and a Dome crowd feeding the ‘Cuse energy level.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 79
Villanova 72

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: RUTGERS @ VILLANOVA

February 19, 2009



Villanova's hot streak was interrupted on Friday night when they were thumped by West Virginia in Morgantown. The Wildcats had won six games in a row entering that game, including hanging 102 points on Syracuse and Marquette in back to back wins before the 93-72 loss at WVU.

Jay Wright's squad is now 8-4 in the Big East and 20-5 overall. They returned everyone of signficance from a club that last season went to the Sweet 16 as a 12-seed and this year they should certainly be looking at a seed anywhere between a 3 or a 6 in the NCAA Tournament.

On the other side of tonight's ledger is Rutgers. It is another disappointment for Fred Hill's squad, although this season was supposed to be different. Expectations were rising for Hill's program as he entered his third season with some solid returning players and some highly regarded recruits. Unfortunately, results on the court have not come very quickly and RU is in real danger of having their worst season yet under Hill.

Rutgers is currently 1-11 in the Big East and suffered out of conference losses, at home, to St. Bonaventure, Lehigh and Binghampton. In three season as Rutgers' head coach, Hill is 6-42 in Big East conference games. OUCH!


Here are some pregame stories and previews from the web:

Villanova's Wright Hopes Big Loss Woke Team Up (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Villanova's Reynolds Gives Team Whatever it Needs (Philadelphia Daily News)
Colonia's Donnely Now Helping 'Nova (mycentraljersey.com)

Not so long ago, Fred Hill recruited New Jersey to the benefit of Jay Wright. Hill was a key part of Wright's staff and was the lead recruiter fr players such as Randy Foye, helping Villanova reach the Elite 8. Now Hill is recruiting Jersey for the benefit of his own program and had some impressive success the last couple years with players such as Corey Chandler, Greg Echenique and Mike Rosario. However, recruiting success has not brough success on the court as of yet and the Scarlet Knights are scuffling through another losing season. The continued losing has also slowed down the recruiting momentum as well.

Last season, Rutgers surprised a nationally ranked Villanova squad in the RAC. With everyone back for the Wildcats, they will certainly remember that result as they prepare to meet the Knights this season. This time the game is at the cozy Pavilion on the VU campus.

Villanova is likely to attack the ballhandling and decision-making defeciencies of Rutgers directly. Guards Corey Fisher, Scottie Reynolds and Reggie Redding are all strong defensively and they will extend pressure to take RU out of their offense. In the paint, Dante Cunningham will use his shooting touch to move inside and out to score points.

Rutgers will need a hot-shooting performance from Mike Rosario as well as other players to step up offensively. The interior players such as Echenique, Hamady N'Diaye and JR Inman should be able to find some success in the paint against a smaller Villanova line-up, but the trick is to get them the ball, something the RU guards have been unable to do with any consistency this season.

Villanova is an 18 1/2-point favorite tonight on their home floor. Their combination of hot shooting and pressure defense will be a very tough combination for RU to handle away from home.

NBE Blogger Preview:

Villanova 90
Rutgers 68

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VILLANOVA LOOKS TO CONTINUE ROLL, VISITS WVU

February 13, 2009


Last night we saw how a desperate team could react on their home floor in a must-win situation. West Virginia has much of the same necessity for a win tonight when they host Villanova for a Friday night Big East conference special.

Friday the 13th in Morgantown for a 9 PM contest, that is a scary proposition for an opponent. The red-hot Villanova Wildcats, winners of six in a row, look to continue their winning ways against a WVU squad that has lost three of their last four games and fallen below .500 in the Big East at 5-6.


Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's contest:

Nova-WVU Not Lacking Intrigue (Times West Virginian)
Rare Friday Night Gem Kicks Off Full Weekend of Hoops (ESPN)
WVU Faces Elite Villanova (Daily Mail)
WVU Looks to Cage Wildcat Offense (Journal-News)
Streaking Villanova Visits (Charleston Gazette)
WVU to Host No. 13 West Virginia at its Hottest (Times West Virginian)
Difficult Stretch Continues for WVU (Metro News)
Wildcats Hopes to Open Tourney Close to Home (Philadelphia Inquirer)

During the 'Nova six-game winning streak, they have gotten big games from Scottie Reynolds (31 at PC, 27 vs. Marquette) and Dante Cunningham (31 vs. SU), but the consistent play of Corey Fisher, averaging 13 points, shooting over 56% and stepping up his defensive efforts, might be the biggest lift the team has had.

Fisher came to Villanova amidst much hype, but he struggled in his freshman season. He battled injuries as well as finding his place in the backcourt alongside Scottie Reynolds as both seemed to be scoring point guards. Fisher finished the Big East schedule last season shooting under 25% (15-61) from the field over the last eight games and averaging 5.6 points a game and in the Big East Tournament, he scored just two points in two games.

His play of late seems to indicate he finally is getting 'it' in Jay Wright's system and finding his place. His 21-points in this week's win over Marquette was another display of a more efficient Fisher on offense while still helping with the little things at the other end of the court when needed.

With Reynolds and Cunningham consistently leading the offense, Fisher finding a role to excel at in a complimentary position has helped take VU to new heights.

The schedule has been pretty brutal for WVU and they begin a crucial two-game homestand with Villanova on Friday and then Notre Dame coming in on Wednesday. For a team fighting to stay on the right side of the NCAA Bubble, they must pick up wins that will serarate them from other NCAA hopefuls. Following the pair of home games, they hit the road for Rutgers, the anticipated return of Bob Huggins to Cincinnati and a game at South Florida before finishing at home with DePaul and Louisville to close the regular season.

Offensively, WVU has shown they can struggle mightily in Big East play. Villanova will look to concentrate on Alex Ruoff and Da'Sean Butler, the two most responsible for making the WVU offense go. The experienced guard corps of VU will also target freshman point guard Darryl Bryant and try to disrupt the flow of the Mountaineer offense by making everything tough on him. This might be the key development. WVU has not dealt well with the pressure and physical defense of Louisville, UConn, Pitt and Marquette, and the Wildcats will look to unleash their attack as well.

For WVU to win, the x-factor will likely have to be Devin Ebanks. The much-hyped, 6-foot-9, multi-talented freshman forward needs to be a consistent source of offense in support of Ruoff and Butler. Ebanks has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, including a career-high 16 in Monday's loss at Pitt.

West Virginia, unranked, is a 4 1/2-point favorite tonight against the 13th ranked team in the country. While the WVU computer numbers remain very strong, led by a tough defense, their play in the Big East does not give one a lot of confidence in this match-up, mostly because of their youth at key spots, especially at point guard.

Villanova is averaging 99 points a game in their last three outings as they have been able to play in a free-flowing environment, averaging over 81 possessions a game, an astounding number. WVU plays at an average pace nearly identical to the national average of 66.7 possessions a game. With a freshman point guard, controlling that tempo will decide the game. However, in the ebb and flow of college hoops over the long season, 'Nova is due for an off game and with a raucous crowd and a desperate team coached by Bob Huggins, WVU should squeek one out.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 68
Villanova 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: MARQUETTE @ VILLANOVA

February 10, 2009



The big game in the Big East for Tuesday night takes place in Philadelphia with a top-15 match-up between Villanova and Marquette. This is a rematch from a New Year’s Day match-up in Milwaukee that saw the Golden Eagles win 79-72 and start their nine-game Big East win streak. That streak game to a stunning halt on Friday night when South Florida upended Marquette, 57-56, down in the Sun Dome.

Villanova has been on fire of late, winning five straight games to move to 7-3 in Big East play. The lone losses for the Wildcats have come against Marquette, Connecticut and Louisville, the only teams with one-loss in Big East play. The highlight of their winning streak was a 67-57 win over Pittsburgh, their most impressive win of the season.


Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

’Nova Forward is Stepping Out of Shadows (Gloucester County Times)
Williams Succes at MU Doesn’t Surprise Crean (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
Clark Adds Experience at Villanova (DelCoTimes.com)
Villanova in Good Position Heading into Homestretch (Philly Daily News)
Nova Braces for Marquette’s Backcourt Trio (Philadelphia Inquirer)
McNeal Not Distracted by Scoring Title (Journal Sentinel)
Game 24: Villanova (Journal-Sentinel)

Villanova and Marquette is a classic match-up of strength versus strength as each team boasts talented backcourts that fuel their game plans. Marquette features three seniors in their starting backcourt: Jerel McNeal, Wesley Mathews and Dominic James. The ‘three amigos’ helped spark the Golden Eagles to a 9-0 conference record and a 12-game winning streak overall under new coach Buzz Williams. All three players are quick and athletic, dictating the flow of the game with their ability to push the basketball, attack the basket and extend defensive pressure on the ball. The importance of their roles are multiplied by the lack of inside strength and numbers of the Golden Eagles. Their line-up is completed with 6-foot-6 Lazar Hayward playing power forward and 6-foot-8 Dwight Burke playing center. Often time, Hayward is their most productive rebounder and interior defender, although he is playing out of his natural position at power forward and used as their de-facto center. Out of necessity, Hayward has developed into a solid post contributor, but against the bigger Big East teams ahead on their schedule, this could be an area that is exploited in league play and beyond as the seasons gets tougher here on out.

Another weakness of the Golden Eagles is they do not shoot very well as a team. McNeal has improved his three-point shooting by leaps and bounds this season (career 30% shooter from three coming into the year), shooting 47% from beyond the arc and has been unreal in Big East play, but their 4-24 from beyond the arc against USF was a major reason for their first conference loss, not to mention their 10-23 performance from the foul line.

McNeal is a definite Big East Player of the Year candidate. He continues to fill the stat sheet and has eclipsed 20 points in nine of 10 Big East contests and is shooting 50% (33-60) from beyond the arc in conference games.

Villanova is one of the few teams in the nation that has three guards that can match-up with the Golden Eagles’ trio. They may not be as explosive offensively, but Reggie Redding and Corey Fisher are quickly elevating themselves into position of one of the best defensive backcourt tandems in the country. Scottie Reynolds still has a big hand in the offense averaging 15 points and 4 assists and has a 40-point performance (at Seton Hall) and a 31-point performance (at Providence) in a couple tough road wins, showing the veteran can carry the load when needed.

The difference in this ‘Nova squad and the last couple years has been the consistent inside play of Dante Cunningham. The unsung senior has flown under the radar and is scoring a team-best 17 points a game and leading the club with over 7 rebounds a game. He is coming off a 31-point, 10-rebound double-double in the Wildcat’s weekend washout of Syracuse. Cunningham, along with Antonio Pena, Shane Clark and Dwayne Anderson give ‘Nova some depth and versatility in the frontcourt, even without real Big East-level size, and in this game, it very well could be the difference in Nova picking up a big home win.

The oddsmakers have made Villanova a 4 ½-point favorite on their home floor. Both teams will look to push the basketball and really get after it defensively, Villanova has just enough inside to control the rebounding and get a couple second chance points to turn the tide in this game.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 74
Marquette 67

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ VILLANOVA

February 7, 2009


Another big game in the Big East matches 6-3 Villanova against 6-4 Syracuse at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. The Wildcats, since dropping an 89-83 decision at No.1 Connecticut, have reeled off four consecutive wins, including a 10-point victory over Pittsburgh. In their last game, Scottie Reynolds scored 31 and Dante Cunningham, Reggie Redding and Dwayne Anderson all had double-doubles as the Wildcats held off a late Providence rally for a 94-91 win on the road.

Syracuse looked to be headed in the opposite direction as the Orange had dropped four of five following a 4-0 conference start. Syracuse got back on the right track Wednesday night with a 74-61 home win over West Virginia in the Dome.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet:
Wildcats Pace Appears to be Good Enough (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Syracuse has been hit hard by injuries, but are slowly coming back to health. Andy Rautins returned from an ankle injury to play 21 minutes in the win versus WVU and Arinze Onuaku was a little more productive in Wednesday’s game than he was in the loss to Providence a week earlier. Still, Onuaku’s problems with tendonitis in his knee are likely to linger and figuring out how healthy he is from game to game will be a chore. It is not good news for the Orange as the junior big man is tough to move in the paint and is the only player SU has to bang against some of the beef found in the Big East.

With Onuaku limited and Rautins finding his stroke from the perimeter again, the offensive burden falls back to the SU guards and against WVU Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf were up to the task, combining for 44 points in the win. They will find things much tougher against a physical defensive unit that makes up the ‘Nova backcourt. Sophomore Corey Fisher is starting to make his name as a top-notch defender and Reggie Redding already enters the game known as one of the better perimeter defenders in the Big East. Syracuse will likely try to isolate Paul Harris and have him use his size and strength to over power his defender to score points.

Syracuse will employ their standard 2-3 zone defense. The veteran Reynolds should have a better idea of how to attack and find the gaps than WVU did, setting up perimeter shooters like Corey Stokes and Anderson to knock down some three’s on their home floor.

With a gimpy Onuaku, Villanova’s ability to extend pressure in the backcourt is even more of an advantage as SU is more unlikely to take advantage of one-on-one mismatches inside. Paul Harris is likely to have a good game if he can put the ball on the floor under control and get into the lane, but the Villanova defense is likely to control other SU options. Offensively, ‘Nova will look to hit the gaps of the zone and knock down their shots when the opportunity arises.

It should be a good game, but in the end, Villanova’s defense carries them to a win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 70
Syracuse 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: 'NOVA LOOKS TO DROP FRIARS

February 4, 2009


Providence College will host the Villanova Wildcats in a Big East conference match-up tonight at the Dunkin Donuts Center. This game will be a moment of truth of sorts for the Friars, who stand at 6-3 in conference play, but are coming off a 94-61 pummelling at the hands of UConn over the weekend.

The Wildcats have won three in a row, including a victory over Pitt last Wednesday in the finale of the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Villanova is now 5-3 in the Big East and looking to put some seperation between themselves and the crowded middle of the pack, and this pushing the Friars closer to conference mediocrity.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet:

'V' is for a Villanova Team that is Very Tough to Beat (Philadelphia Daily News)
Villanova is PC's Next Big East Challenge (Providence Journal)
Capsule Preview: Villanova at Providence College (Providence Journal)

Before their home win over a crippled Syracuse squad last week, the best win registered by the Friars game against in-state rival Rhode Island from the Atlantic 10. Their best Big East win was their road victory over Cincinnati, a team that 'Nova decimated themselves this past Sunday.

The Friars desperately want to be included in the NCAA Tournament talk and their 6-3 Big East record might have some talking in that manner. However, their lack of out of conference quality wins will force games like this one to be a must-win.

The Wildcats are playing well, especially on the defensive end, and Corey Fisher is becoming a more consistent weapon on both ends of the court. The 'Nova defense will pressure the PC guards, who can be shaky with the ball and their decision making is not always the best. This strategy is usully used for Villanova to cover their lack of strength in the paint, but led by Dante Cunningham and Antonio Pena, Villanvoa matches up favorable with the Friar frontcourt.

The college basketball betting odds have 'Nova listed as a 3 1/2-point favorite on the road. They are the better team and their match-up should allow them to get the job done in this contest.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 75
Providence 68

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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

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SPECTRUM FINALE FEATURES PITT, 'NOVA

January 28, 2009


A match-up of top 25 teams takes place in Philadelphia as Pittsburgh travels across the state to meet Villanova. The game will be the final basketball game played in the historic Spectrum which is scheduled to be razed late next summer.

Villanova is ranked #21 in the country, but they are still looking to get that win that will make pundits believe in their squad. The Wildcats have won three (SHU, USF & SJU) in Big East play and lost three (Marquette, Louisville & UConn). Their best win of the year was against Big 5 rival Temple in the out of conference schedule.

Pittsburgh comes to Philly as the hunted. The Panthers are ranked No. 3 in the country and, much like the Super Bowl participants from their city, rely on a physical style of defense that can intimidate other teams. This Pitt team also has an element of athletic ability offensively that allows them to strike quickly and put up a run of points that leaves the opponent wounded.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the internet:

’Nova Memories Run the Spectrum (DelCo Times)
Spectrum Hosted Glorious College Games (Philly Daily News)
Villanova, Pitt Ready for Typical Big East Slugfest (Philly Daily News)
Pitt to Face Villanova With a New Twist (Tribune-Review)
Nova to Play in Landmark Spectrum Finale (Philly Inquirer)
Dixon’s Scoring Gives Pitt Shot in the Arm (Observer Reporter)

Pitt will bring a familiar look to the Spectrum that the Wildcats saw earlier this season in a game against Texas at Madison Square Garden. ‘Nova lost to the Longhorns, 67-58, while being hit hard on the boards. Texas outrebounded Jay Wright’s squad 55-38 and those second chance opportunities from the offensive rebounds made the biggest difference in the game.

Villanova will attempt to counter Pitt’s size and strength in the paint by extending their defense and trying to pressure the Panthers. In their lone loss of the season at Louisville, Pitt turned the ball over 20 times and was out of sync as UL wiped out a 10-point Pitt lead with a 19-3 run at the 8 minute mark of the second half.

Even though many point to the UL press that brought down the Panthers from their perch of a #1 ranking, it was foul trouble to DeJuan Blair that hurt Pitt the most. With Blair in the game, Pitt was able to score points on second-chance opportunities and they limited the Cards to one-shot, keeping the press from being able to set-up. Blair will be the key tonight, if he can stay on the floor, he can help Pitt control the game. If he is picking up little reach or bump fouls 25+ feet away from the basket and finds himself saddled to the bench with fouls, the dynamic of Pitt’s team changes.

Villanova is very guard-driven on offense, so Jermaine Dixon will be key once again for Pitt and the long and athletic, 6-foot-3 guard will be challenged with stopping Scottie Reynolds. What makes Pitt so tough is that Brad Wanamaker and Gilbert Brown come off the bench and the defensive ability hardly misses a beat. Pitt can also go big with Sam Young as a small forward or slide him to the power forward spot and match-up with the smaller Wildcat line-up, but still hold a size and athletic advantage.

The Panthers are a pretty healthy 3 ½-point favorite on the road. Keeping in mind the Texas game from earlier this season, Pitt is a tough match-up for the Wildcats as they will be able to attack their weaknesses while not giving up an athletic advantage to the ‘Nova backcourt. Even though it is a ‘home’ game and will have a historical value being the final basketball game in the Spectrum, this is far from being the home court for Villanova. Look for Pitt to control this game and put it away with a couple impressive runs as long as DeJuan Blair is able to be on the floor.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Pittsburgh 72
Villanova 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA @ SOUTH FLORIDA

January 24, 2009


Villanova looks to climb back to .500 in conference play when they travel to South Florida for a noon tip-off on Saturday afternoon for a Big East match-up. The Wildcats are coming off a tough loss at Connecticut from earlier this week.

South Florida is 2-4 in conference play after completing a home and home sweep over DePaul. USF has never won more then three Big East games in a season since joining the conference, but will have 12 games left to see if they can find two more victories to surpass that previous mark. Unfortunately, the schedule makers did not give them more cracks at the Blue Demons.

Chris Howard Lights up the Sun Dome for the USF Bulls (St. Pete Times)
Bulls & Villanova Set for Noon on Saturday (gousfbulls.com)
Bulls Basketball Keeps Building Despite Losing (Tampa Tribune)
USF Loses Senior Center Ajayi to Knee Injury (St. Pete Times)

The Bulls have been showing some improvement of late. Although they won just once on a recent three-game conference road trip, an 80-58 demolishing of DePaul, USF hung pretty tough with Pittsburgh before losing 75-62 and made a valiant comeback at West Virginia before coming up short, 62-59. They returned home and finished off a sweep of DePaul with a 70-61 victory. Making the win more impressive was they did it without Jesus Verdejo, their second leading scorer.

USF has been getting consistently big scoring efforts from Dominique Jones. The sophomore shooting guard leads the team on the year in scoring (18.8/game), rebounds (4.9), assists (4.1) and steals (1.6). What is more impressive is in the last four games, Jones has averaged over 26 points a game as well as 5 assists and 7 rebounds. He has also been able to get to the line 39 times in his last three games.

Villanova junior guard Reggie Redding will have the assignment to stop Jones. Redding is a very good defensive player that will play the role of defensive stopper quite well. He will not worry about his own offense and will not let not scoring cause his concentration to lapse on the defensive side of the ball.

Also helping the Bulls show improvement has been the progression of freshman Augustus Gilchrist. The 6-foot-10 F/C is a tough match-up because he is very comfortable shooting from the perimeter. He recorded his first double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds in their last win over DePaul and also had a 22-point outing at Pittsburgh.

Villanova is a very balanced team with seven players averaging at least six points a game, led by senior Dante Cunningham who is averaging a team-high 16.7 points and 7.1 rebounds. Like Jones for USF, Cunningham leads ‘Nova in a variety of categories as he also leads the Wildcats in blocked shots (1.3/game) and steals (1.7). Junior guard Scottie Reynolds adds support offensively to Cunningham, averaging 15.2 points a game and leads the team with 4.1 assists a game. Reynolds is still the player likely to make the clutch shots for Jay Wright’s squad and has shown he is still capable of carrying the scoring load when needed, like his 40-point performance in an OT win at Seton Hall earlier.

The latest college basketball odds show Villanova to be a 6 1/2-point road favorite. It is a game to watch carefully, as it sits right in between UConn and Pitt for the Wildcats.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 68
South Florida 64

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA VISITS UCONN

January 21, 2009


Just another night in the Big East when a pair of ranked teams go head to head as 20th-ranked Villanova makes the trek to Hartford to take on No. 3 UConn.

The recurring theme when this game is analyzed is the need for Villanova to make a statement. The Wildcats have played three ranked teams, losing to all three (Texas, Marquette and Louisville) and we are 17 games into the season and their two best wins have been against local Big 5 rivals Temple and St. Joe's.

For UConn, they have something weighing on their mind as well, a three-game losing streak to jay Wright's squad.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

No Break for UConn (TheDay.com)
'Nova Looks for Respect vs. UConn (Evening Bulletin)
Easy Times May Be Over for Villanova (Philly Inquirer)
Villanova Looks to Make Statement (Philly Daily News)
Taken for Granted, Adrien Becomes UConn's Leader (Rep-Am)
Huskies Hope to Shake Wildcats (Norwich Bulletin)
UConn Trying to Keep Momentum Rolling (Rep-Am)
Versatile Villanova to Test UConn (Hartford Courant)

The match-up between UConn and 'Nova is concentrated on by looking at the size and NBA frontline of the Huskies and the traditionaly strong guard play of the Wildcats. While Dante Cunningham is enjoying a strong senior season and has given the 'Nova frontcourt new life, they just can not match-up withthe size and strength of a line-up that will start Hasheem Thabeet, Jeff Adrien and Stanley Robinson and also bring Gavin Edwards off the bench.

While Scottie Reynolds leads a strong Villanova backcourt line-up, it is probably pretty accurate to say that the UConn backcourt should be, at least, the equal to their counterparts tonight. If AJ Price can build some momentum from his hot-shooting in the weekend win over Seton Hall (although, do not expect the same number of open shots tonight) and the speed infusion that Kemba Walker brings and Jerome Dyson's ability to play both ends of the court, this is a pretty good backcourt in its own right, even if they are overlooked because of their frontline.

We are still waiting on proof of how good Villanova is. They will certainly have motivation to make a statement, but UConn might as well with the bright lights of the ESPN cameras on their home floor against a previous nemesis. As a 9 1/2-point favorite, we like UConn to start flexing a little more muscle and knock down some free throws tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Connecticut 74
Villanova 62

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: ST. JOHN'S @ VILLANOVA

January 18, 2009



Villanova (1-2) looks to climb back to .500 in Big East play on Sunday afternoon when they welcome St. John’s to the City of Brotherly Love for a big East match-up. The Redstorm are 1-3 in Big East play so far this year.

With much of the city of Philadelphia fixated on the NFL Odds of the Eagles reaching the Super Bowl later this afternoon, there is a little hoops appetizer to start their sports day.

Villanova will look to shake off the rust of not playing in eight days, when they lost to Louisville 61-60 at home. The Wildcats made a late run to take the lead, but a Terrence Williams basket with seven seconds put UL up by one. In the final seconds, ‘Nova missed two free throws and a couple point blank shots and ended up with a disappointing loss.

St. John’s played both Pittsburgh and Connecticut tough for about a half this past week, but ended up falling to both as they just did not have enough depth to compete the full forty minutes. Still, Jay Wright understands that Norm Roberts’ team will come after the Wildcats on the defensive side of the ball.

“I love their team’s toughness,” Wright said this week during the coach’s conference call. “They have four guys in double figures. They’re very well balanced. They play great team defense. I love their team defense.”

Against the Panthers, DJ Kennedy scored 18 points. It was Kenendy who was the catalyst for SJU’s upset win over Notre Dame earlier this season. Against UConn, Paris Horne scored 24, however, they will need to fin more than just one guy stepping up, they need a team effort, like they got against ND.

Injuries are also a problem for the Redstorm. They already lost Anthony Mason Jr for the season to injury and will likely be without starting point guard Malik Boothe once again. Justin Burrell has been playing with a mask after breaking facial bones in practice back in December, he has not seemed to be at his best since the injury. Adding to the injury list is Rob Thomas, the redshirt sophomore who has a long history of injury problems (among others) that have kept him off the floor. Thomas pulled a groin and did not play in the second half versus UConn on Thursday.

Villanova’s leading scorer this year is Dante Cunningham, who is averaging over 17 points and nearly 8 rebounds a game. Junior Scottie Reynolds is still capable of carrying the offensive load, too. For evidence of that, you need not look much further than his 40-point outburst in an OT win at Seton Hall which accounted for the Wildcats’ lone conference win to this point.

Look for Villanova to extend the defensive pressure in the half court to make it difficult for SJU to run their offense with freshman Quincy Roberts handling the point guard duties with Boothe out. This is where VU is at their best and should lead them to victory as 14 ½ point favorites.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the web:

St. John’s Sees Light After Brutal Stretch (NY Times)

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 70
St. John’s 60

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