Nova Rolls Past UCLA to Sweet 16

Final Score: #3 Villanova 89, #6 UCLA 69

Player of the Game: Dante Cunningham - 18 pts, 10 rebounds, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk

Recap: Now that's what I'm talking about! This is the team we were expecting to see show up to the NCAA Tournament. Villanova played it's most complete and balanced game of the season, dominating UCLA with its physical play from start to finish. This was definitely an award-worthy performance...

The John Wooden Award for Best CoachJay Wright and his squad put on a clinic today. Six Wildcat players scored in double figures, and a seventh, Shane Clark, had 8. UCLA, from the Panzy 10 Pac-10, was flabbergasted by Villanova's tough, physical style of play. Everybody on the team did what they're supposed to: Dante and Dwayne had double-doubles, Fisher was swishing and dishing, Stokes (12 pts) was draining threes (4-9), Scottie was scoring (11 pts), Redding did a little bit of everything (13 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals), and even Shane Clark was scoring in the post and rebounding.

The "I Love You Man" Award for Best BromanceAssociate head coach Pat Chambers kissed Dwayne Anderson on the head when returned to the bench. D-Train deserved some love for this performance: 10 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals. Anderson's highlight of the game was when he sprinted down the court, dove towards Darren Collison from behind, stole the ball, then slid across the floor on his stomach. That's just the kind of hustle Dwayne brings to the game, and it seems like he has at least one of those types of plays every game.

The Manu Ginobili "Sixth Man" Award

We all know Corey Fisher won Big East Sixth Man of the Year, but is there a better player coming off the bench in the entire nation? I submit that there is not. Fisher Price has accepted his role and excelled at it. He brings instant energy and scoring into the game, and has a knack for getting to and finishing around the basket that few in the college game can replicate. He had a pretty flawless game today: 13 points (4-7, 1-3, 4-4), 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers.

The Pennsylvania Lottery Award for Person That's About to Become Very RichIf Dante Cunningham continues to average 20 points and 10 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament, he could find himself on an NBA roster next year. NBAdraft.net has him going 37th overall right now. I thought he might have a little more trouble scoring today, but the Bruins had no answer for Dante's Inferno.

The Club Trillion Award

Walk-on Jason Colenda graduated from "Club Trillion" by hitting two free throws to score the first points of his collegiate career. Leave it to Colenda to do it in the NCAA Tournament, against the most prestigious program in all of college basketball, instead of an early December game against Houston Baptist.

The Austin Powers Award for Best Chest Hair

... Josh Shipp

Villanova will travel to Boston next week to play the winner of #2 Duke/#7 Texas. I am really looking forward to that game, no matter who we play. Duke is a team everybody loves to hate, and I'd love a rematch with Texas after that loss at the Garden back in December.