NNBEPP2: 2011 Movies

While watching last Sunday’s Super Bowl, I could hardly even focus on the game because of all the great new movie trailers that premiered. The Patriots won, right? Anyway, let’s take a look at the upcoming 2011 movies in the latest edition of the Nova News Big East Power Poll.

1. Pitt (22-2, 10-1) :: Captain America
The leader of the Avengers seems like a good representative for the leader of the conference, but can Pitt remain one of the top teams in America without their captain, Ashton Gibbs. The Wildcats will get their first look at the Panthers this Saturday, when Nova will put it’s 46-game Pavilion winning streak on the line.

2. Notre Dame (20-4, 9-3) :: The Green Lantern
Hopefully it will change this weekend, but the fact remains, the Fighting Irish are the only Big East team to beat Pitt this season. Ben Hansbrough is playing like he has a mystical green ring that gives him the college basketball superpowers of his brother Tyler.

3. Georgetown (19-5, 8-4) :: Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
Like his father, John Thompson III has Georgetown competing at an elite level every year, even after losing players to the NBA. The Hoyas are on a seven-game winning streak, but they’d be even better if Austin Freeman could dress up and play all five positions like Martin Lawrence.

4. UConn (18-4, 6-4) :: Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon
Michael Bay’s movies are known for their big explosions and action sequences, but they tend to lack in story and character. The 2010-11 Huskies are known for Kemba Walker’s big scoring and impressive stat lines, but the team is lacking in other areas. Not to mention Walker’s shooting percentage has plummeted over the past two months. However, the Transformers movies still rake in hundreds of millions of dollars, and UConn still wins games, and those are the only stats that really matter.

5. Villanova (19-5, 7-4) :: Just Go With It
Villanova was cruising along, up double-digits on Rutgers, and I kind of half-tuned out. The next thing I know, it’s a two-point game. I think Jay Wright and his team did they same as I, and started looking forward to this weekend’s big match-up against Pitt. The way Nova lost that game was rough, but like Adam Sandler, I’m going to say “just go with it”, forget it and move on. Games like this happen, where you think you’ve won and you mentally check out, and it’s better to happen now than in the NCAA Tournament. It sounds cliche, but that loss will be a learning experience, and I don’t think this team will ever let up in a game for the rest of the season. If they needed to lose a mid-season game to Rutgers to learn that lesson, so be it. Furthermore, this loss will only add fuel to the fire for Saturday’s game versus Pitt. Let’s just hope the critics’ reviews of Villanova come March are better than those of Just Go With It.

6. Syracuse (20-5, 7-5) :: Super 8
J.J. Abrams’ projects are always shrouded in mystery, almost as much mystery as this Syracuse team. I can’t figure them out. They start the season 18-0, but are 2-5 since. Why does Fab Melo continue to start every game when he only plays 3 minutes? Where is Carmelo going? What's on that train in the Super 8 trailer? What is the island on Lost? I need answers!

7. Louisville (18-6, 7-4) :: Hall Pass
"A married man is granted the opportunity to have an affair by his wife." Is that the plot to Hall Pass or Rick Pitino’s life?

8. Cincinnati (19-5, 6-5) :: Cowboys & Aliens
Okay, I give up. I can’t figure out any way that cowboys and aliens relate to the Cincinnati Bearcats… But, hey, doesn’t that movie look cool?

9. Marquette (15-9, 6-5) :: Thor
Thor was a warrior, and the Golden Eagles used to be Warriors. Despite wins over Notre Dame and Syracuse, Marquette might not even make the NCAA Tournament this year, which has more to say about the depth and quality of the Big East than Marquette’s shortcomings.

10. West Virginia (15-8, 6-5) :: The Hangover Part II
This season has been the hangover to last year’s Final Four for West Virginia. The second hangover is the one Bob Huggins has while he’s coaching.

11. St. John’s (13-9, 5-5) :: X-Men: First Class
Talk about first classes, Steve Lavin has the #2 recruiting class in the country, with 6 players in the ESPNU Top 100. As for their 15 point win over Duke? They must have turned into mutants for that game.

12. Providence (14-10, 3-8) :: Priest in 3D
What’s crazier, a vampire-killing priest or a donut-eating friar?

13. Rutgers (13-11, 4-8) :: Sucker Punch
Rutgers’ stunning comeback win over Villanova felt like a sucker punch. It was just one of those freaky Reggie Miller/Larry Johnson late-game performances. Sure, Villanova made their share of mistakes, but Rutgers hit some lucky shots that make you just shrug your shoulders and tip your cap.

14. Seton Hall (10-14, 4-8) :: Pirates of the Caribbean on Stranger Tides
Bullets are no match for pirates… Captain Jack Sparrow nor Jeremy Hazell.

15. South Florida (8-17, 2-10) :: Fast Five
It’s not good when the highlight of your season is “holding” Jimmer Fredette to 32 points in a double-overtime loss and “holding” Kemba Walker to 24 points in an overtime loss. Neither is it good when the highlight of your movie is the trio of Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne Johnson. I don’t know what’s more surprising, that they’ve made five Fast and the Furious movies or that South Florida has been in the Big East for five years already. Either way, it sure was a “fast five”.

16. DePaul (6-17, 0-11) :: Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Never say never, unless the question is “When will DePaul win a Big East game?”

Two Coreys Are Better Than Everyone

Villanova is off to an undefeated 4-0 start to Big East play with wins over Rutgers (81-65), South Florida (83-71), Cincinnati (72-61), and Louisville (88-74). The number one reason for the team’s success is Corey. The number two reason is also Corey. Fisher and Stokes are both playing the best basketball of their careers, as they add their names to the list of great senior seasons under Jay Wright. (See: Reynolds, Scottie; Cunningham, Dante; Foye, Randy) It’s pointless to try to say who is the best Corey because they do different things and are equally important.

Both Coreys have been great all season long, but they have each turned it up a notch in the New Year when Big East Conference play began. Stokes is shooting the ball better than anyone in the country not named Jimmer (18.75 points, 54.8% FG, 60.9% 3PT, 93.1% FT in Big East games). Fisher Price is better known for his acrobatic drives to the basket, but recently he has heated up from the outside as well, making him virtually unguardable (17.25 points, 5.25 assists, 50% FG, 50% 3PT, 81.8% FT in Big East games). If he didn’t have such talented teammates, Fisher could probably score 105 points in a real game this season. (That is if you consider DePaul on February 19 a real game.)

Two more of those talented teammates are Maalik Wayns and Mouphtaou Yarou. Wayns has scored at least 15 points in three straight games, but he’s always looking to set up his teammates first and foremost (7.5 assists per game in Big East). The showdown with the Cardinals seemed to be turning into a 3-point shootout, with Louisville hitting 12 of 25 from long-range and Nova making 8 of 13 as well. However, the difference in the game was Yarou, the big man in the middle for Nova, who Louisville had no answer for. Mouph had a career-high 18 points and added a game-high 11 rebounds, including 5 on the offensive glass. If Wayns and Yarou continue playing this well, they might not still be around to join the "Great Villanova Senior Season Club".

The Path to Indy

The field of 65 has been announced, and despite their losses down the stretch, Villanova was rewarded with a 2-seed in the South Region. The path to Indianopolis is long and treacherous, but here is what Villanova will have to do to return to the Final Four...

Round 1: vs. #15 Robert Morris Colonials (23-11)
First of all, who is Robert Morris? The school, located in Pittsburgh, PA, was founded in 1921, and is named after... wait for it... Robert Morris, who signed the Declaration of Independence and helped finance the Revolutionary War. According to Wikipedia their notable alumni include Hank Fraley, Tim Hall, Tim Levcik, Robb Butler, Kevin Colbert, and Jerry Bowyer... a real who's who of F-list celebrities. Since when do Arena Football League players count as notable alumni? Robert Morris is in the Northeast Conference, along with Farleigh Dickinson, who Villanova beat 84-61 in their first game of the season. Robert Morris swept FDU in the season series, 80-73 and 65-50. This is Robert Morris' seventh trip to the Big Dance, but the Colonials are better known for their world-class bowling team, (2007 National runners-up) which has produced several professional bowlers, such as Roy Munson and Ernie McCracken. Robert Morris played two Big East teams this season: 11/11 they lost 100-60 at Syracuse and 2/8 they lost 77-53 at Pitt.

Villanova has recently struggled as a high seed in these opening round games of the NCAA Tournament. Last year, as a 3-seed, they trailed 14-seed American for much of the game, then finally pulled away late in the second half for a 80-67 victory. In 2006 as a 1-seed, Villanova had trouble early with 16-seed Monmouth, who they eventually beat 58-45. I wouldn't be surprised if history repeats itself and Robert Morris gets out to an early lead on Villanova, and the score may be close at halftime. Nova fans and office pool participants across the country will sweat as whispers of "Cinderella" are heard. However, just as in years past, Villanova's depth and athleticism will over power the mid-major Colonials in the second half, and the Wildcats will cruise to a double-digit victory.

Round 2: vs. #7 Richmond (26-8) or #10 St. Mary's (26-5)
St. Mary's beat Gonzaga 81-62 to win the WCC Tournament, and Richmond has a 71-54 victory over Temple, a team Villanova lost to earlier in the season, although Nova-killer Juan Fernandez did not play in that game. Both are solid teams that pose a legitimate challenge to Nova. Nevertheless, you have got to like Villanova's chances of getting to the Sweet Sixteen for the third year in a row.

Round 3: vs. #3 Baylor or #6 Notre Dame or #11 Old Dominion or #14 Sam Houston
The Baylor Bears are the favorite to make it to Houston from the New Orleans pod. I think they will, and frankly I can't wait because Baylor's players have some epic names that make Ole Miss and South Florida pale in comparison: LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter, Ekpe Udoh, Quincy Acy, Dragan Sekelja, and Givon Crump. Luckily, games aren't decided by name originality, so I think Villanova moves on the Elite Eight.

Round 4: vs. #1 Duke or #4 Purdue or #5 Texas A&M or #8 California or #9 Louisville or #12 Utah St. or #13 Siena
Obviously a lot of different scenarios are in play here. I think Louisville has a great shot at upsetting Duke in the second round. Purdue and A&M have a chance, but Villanova will most likely be looking at a rematch of last year's Sweet Sixteen against the #1 Blue Devils. This is almost the same exact Duke team that Villanova manhandled 77-54 last year, minus the now NBA player Gerald Henderson, but the Blue Devils may have been better off without his 1-14 shooting performance that night anyway. Nova lost Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson, and Shane Clark three of that team's toughest and most physical defenders, and it was that physical play that gave Duke fits. This year's Villanova team isn't as good defensively, but Duke doesn't scare me at all. I think Villanova has an excellent shot to return to the Final Four this year, but they have to take care of Robert Morris first.

Nova Overcomes Louisville in Some Kind of Hybrid Form of Basketball

Dr. Naismith must be rolling over in his grave because the game Villanova and Louisville were playing was not the form of basketball he intended when he invented the game in 1891. There were 66 personal fouls, 94 free throws, 42 turnovers, and the 40-minute game took roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes to play. Rick Pitino employed his signature full court press, and between the frenetic pace, physical defense, and the white-out crowd (and coach) Villanova was flustered. They could barely move the ball across halfcourt, as evidenced by Reggie Redding's seven turnovers. Jay Wright got so outraged by the rough play and his team's inability to break the press that he was tee'd up and had to be held back by his coaches to avoid being ejected. Louisville got out to a 17-point lead midway through the first half, and at that point Villanova had two choices: 1) Get down on themselves and give up, or 2) Keep fighting and playing Villanova basketball. Luckily they chose the latter and were able to cut the halftime deficit to seven points.

Then the second half was all Villanova, or more specifically all Scottie Reynolds. Scottie scored 30 of his season-high 36 points in the second half and was nearly perfect shooting the ball (9-10 fg, 5-5 3pt, 13-17 ft). Villanova returned from the locker room more patient, finally figuring out how the break the Louisville press. Nova cut down on their turnovers from 17 in the first half, to just 5 in the second. Corey Fisher personified the turnaround with zero second half turnovers, after compiling four in the first half. They also took control of the boards in the second half. Louisville out-rebounded Villanova by 10 in the first half, and they had more offensive boards (15) than Nova had total rebounds (14). However, Nova out-boarded the Cardinals 22-17 in the second half. Taylor King led the team with 7 rebounds, all but one of which came in the second half.

You could say Pitino out-coached Jay Wright early in the game because Jay's squad wasn't initially prepared for the press, but in the end Pitino out-coached himself. As good as Scottie Reynolds was, Samardo Samuels was even more dominant. He had 21 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, and was literally perfect shooting the ball (4-4 fg, 13-13 ft). How somebody that unstoppable doesn't touch the ball on every possession is outrageous. Nova had no answer for him inside, yet Pitino seemed content to let his guards jack up threes, 33 of them in total, despite shooting only 21%. Villanova, on the other hand, was much more selective with the longball, and it paid off to the tune of 9-14, 64%.

Between the ultra-fast pace of play and the 33 personal fouls called on each team, depth became very important, especially later in the game. For the past couple of years, Louisville would win these types of games over Villanova because they always had a deeper bench. Now Villanova goes 11 deep, and Jay Wright took full advantage of that by playing 10 players for at least 10 minutes. Maalik Wayns stepped up to score 10 points in the first half to help Nova claw back. It's almost not fair when a player as good as Dominic Cheek is coming off the bench as your ninth man. Mouphtaou Yarou is the newest addition to the roation, and he seems to be getting his legs back under him, playing 14 minutes in the game. He showed some nice post moves on offense and provided a shot-blocking presence on defense, but he needs to learn how to avoid the ticky-tack fouls.

Villanova showed a lot of grit and perseverance to come through and win this game. Nova should get back to playing actual basketball in their next game, a showdown at noon in Philly against Georgetown and their classic Princeton offense.

Around the Big East

1. Syracuse (10-0)
The Orange have made everyone forget about the preseason loss to LeMoyne with wins over Cal, North Carolina, and Florida. The junior transfer from Iowa State, Wesley Johnson, has been fantastic, averaging 16.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and shooting 54% from three. They also got a commitment from the #2 center prospect for 2010, Febricio Melo. With a last name like that, I doubt Boeheim had to do much recruiting.

2. West Virginia (7-0)
They haven't played anybody yet, but their defense looks scary-good. They held Duquesne to 39 points. Devin Ebanks has missed four games due to unknown personal reasons. Nova-killer Da'Sean Butler is off to a nice start, averaging nearly 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists per game.

3. Villanova (9-1)
All aboard the Redding Railroad! Reggie will return from suspension on Saturday at Fordham. His senior leadership and defense might be exactly what this team is lacking.

4. Georgetown (8-0)
Speaking of scary-good defenses, opponents are only averaging 56.2 points against the Hoyas. G'Town fans should be thankful Greg Monroe (15.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3 assists) didn't bolt for the NBA last year.

5. UConn (6-2)
Their only losses are to Duke and Kentucky. They have one of the best backcourt duos in the nation with Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker, both of whom are averaging over 5 assists per game.

6. Cincinnati (6-2)
Both of their losses came in overtime to good teams (Gonzaga and Xavier). Lance Stephenson has skillzzz...


7. Pitt (8-2)
Their only two losses are to Texas and Indiana. There's a lot of new faces on this Panthers team, but they look better than I expected.

8. Seton Hall (8-0)
Seton Hall is undefeated? And second in the country in scoring at 90.8 per game? What the what? A game against Virginia Military (134-107) will skew the numbers, but still. By the way, Jamel Jackson dropped 40 in that game... the game before? One point! Shiver me timbers, what is up with the Pirates this year?

9. Louisville (5-3)
The Cardinals have lost two in a row, but at least the latest was against Carolina. Wait, that was Western Carolina?! Well then, things aren't looking too good for Pitino's squad. He can't seem to settle on a rotation; 11 players are averaging over 11 minutes per game.

10. St. John's (8-1)
The Johnnies are off to a nice start; their lone loss came at Duke. Plus, they accomplished what Villanova could not: win at Temple and hold Juan Fernandez to 5 points.

11. Notre Dame (9-2)
I wish I could say something about the Fighting Irish basketball team, but every time I Google search Notre Dame all I get back are updates on the football coach carousel.

12. Marquette (7-3)
I enjoyed this: http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2009/12/marquette-takes-on-greatest-team-ever.html

13. South Florida (7-2)
They're giving Ole Miss a run for their money for most exotic names: Augustus "Caesar" Gilchrist, Jarrid "Almost" Famous, Toarlyn "Reggie Cleveland All-Star" Fitzpatrick, Shaun "Manuel" Noriega.

14. Rutgers (7-2)
Could the Scarlet Knights' days in the Big East be numbered?
http://blog.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2009/12/big_ten_seeks_12th.html

15. Providence (7-4)
The Friars lead all of college basketball with an average of 45.8 rebounds per game. Take that stat with a grain of salt because it also means they're missing a ton of shots.

16. DePaul (6-3)
I guess the Blue Demon faithful is not thrilled with Jerry Wainwright's .436 winning percentage over his five seasons at DePaul... http://www.firejerrywainwright.com/ When you look at Isiah Thomas as a coaching upgrade, you know your program's in bad shape. My favorite "Wainwright'ism": "He plays with great enthusiasm, and what a physical specimen! If I looked like that, I'd spend all day walking around in a Speedo."

Louisville Sends Nova Home

Final Score: Louisville 69, Villanova 55

Player of the Game: Earl Clark - 17 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast, 4 stl

Recap: This game started a lot like the Marquette game the day before. It was all Nova early, although they only took an 8 point lead into the locker room at the half this time. And like the Marquette game, Villanova's opponent made a comeback in the second half. There were no late-game heroics this time, however; as Louisville marched on to an easy 14-point win.

Dante Cunningham was terrific in the first half. He was draining mid-range jumpers and finished the game with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Dwayne Anderson was hot early from the perimeter and scored 12 points. Corey Fisher also had a great first half, knocking down some threes and had 14 points total for the game.


Then a completely different Louisville team came out of the locker room after halftime. They were sharing the ball on offense, but the big difference was on defense. Louisville ran the full court press to perfection, forcing 23 Villanova turnovers, including 7 by Fisher and 6 by Reynolds. They also denied Cunningham the mid-range jumper by guarding him tight on the high post and even blocked a couple of his shots. Louisville was all over Scottie Reynolds the entire game. The only open looks he got were deep 3-pointers, well beyond the NBA line, so it's no surprise he only finished with 2 points on 1 field goal. Jay Wright called Louisville "the best defensive team in the country", and I agree. They are so long and athletic and they go about 9 deep, so Rick Pitino is able to press the entire game by continuously substituting fresh players. It's actually how I envision next year's Villanova team to be. Jay Wright's squad will be 10 or 11 deep, with a plethora of guards to sub in and out. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves; this season is far from over.


As opposed to last year, Villanova can now sit back and relax on Selection Sunday, knowing that their name will be called. The only question is what seed they will be and whether or not they will get to play in Philly at the Wachovia Center. I still think they have a good chance at a 3 or 4 seed, and hopefully they get to stay close to home. A Big East Championship is prestigious and I'd love it if Nova won, but I'd probably rather get sent home early and be fresh for the NCAA tournament than get physically and mentally drained like Syracuse has done by playing 4 games and 7 overtimes in 4 days.

Nova Loses Heartbreaker

Final Score: #21 Louisville 61, #17 Villanova 60

Player of the Game: Terrance Williams, 12 pts, 14 reb, 6 ast, game-winning basket

Recap: Well, I just got back from the hospital after having three heart attacks at the end of that game. Villanova had four opportunities to win it in the final seconds but just couldn't find the bottom of the net. Nova trailed most of the game and did an excellent job battling back to give themselves a chance to win. First, Antonio Pena missed two free throws that could had tied/won it, then they got a second life after the miss. Jay Wright ran his signature in-bounds play and it worked to perfection with Dante Cunningham getting the ball under the basket. However, he missed the layup and Reggie Redding and Dwayne Anderson missed a pair of wide open put-backs. This is a game we should have had and it will be a tough loss to swallow.

It's easy to blame Antonio Pena for the loss because he missed the two crucial free throws, but he was actually the reason Nova even had a chance to win at the end. Pena had one of his best games of the season with 14 points and 8 rebounds, and he really held his own down low against Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels. I know he must feel horrible right now, but he should keep his head up because he played well and Nova needs him the rest of the season. He was 6-14 from the free throw line, so obviously he needs to hit the gym and practice his shot, but he also needs to finish better around the basket. Sure he got fouled, but he had good chances to still make the shot and get the and-1, which would have been huge especially when you're struggling at the line.

I think the real key to the game was Corey Fisher's breakaway right before Pena's misses. He should have: A) Faked the pass and took it himself, either making the shot or drawing the foul. Or B) Took one more dribble before he passed it off to Pena, forcing the defender to commit to him, leaving Pena open for a dunk. I'm not saying Fisher is to blame for the loss either, but he has to keep in mind that Pena was 6-12 from the line at that point, so sending him there again was not the best option. Otherwise, Fisher played a good game (7 pts, 3 ast, 1 to) and probably should have seen more than 18 minutes.

Dante Cunningham scored 21 points in another high-volume shooting game (9-19 FG). He shouldn't stop shooting the jumper, but Dante needs to take it inside more often. Look at the good that resulted when Pena took it inside. Cunningham is probably a better finisher around the basket and definitely a better free throw shooter than Pena. A big man that is as good a free throw shooter as Dante is an asset that should be taken advantage of. (see Luke Harangody, Tyler Hansborough, etc.)

Bandage or not, Corey Stokes needs to get more than two 3-point attempts a game. He had the bandage off today and hit a big three to spark Nova's comeback. He's shooting over 44% from behind the arc on the season, and Nova could have used some Stokes 3's today, considering the rest of the team was only 1-6.

Scottie Reynolds had a disappointing followup to his 40 point gem. He had 11 points (3-6 FG) and missed both of his 3-point attempts. I would have liked to have seen Scotti

e take some more outside shots, but then again looking at Louisville's numbers from downtown (3-25, 12%), maybe there was something wrong with the rims. Playing point guard for most of the game, Reynolds had only 2 assists to 4 turnovers. It definitely benefits the offense to have Fisher running the point and Scottie playing off the ball, but it's a matter of give and take having two 6-footers on the defensive end, and Jay seems to prefer the D. However, both of Wright's defensive specialists (Reggie Redding and Dwayne Anderson) went scoreless today. On a brighter note, Scottie had one of the best highlights of the season early in the game with a spin move to reverse layup.

What does this loss mean to Villanova's season? Right now, it's a home loss to a top 25 team. I think Louisville will get better as the season progresses and move closer to their preseason rank of #3 nationally. So hopefully at the end of the season, when the tournament committee is reviewing Villanova's resume, they will look at this game positively, for playing a very good Lousiville team so tough. Anyway, Nova has a full week to regroup before they return to the Pavilion to play St. John's; a good opportunity to get back to .500 in the Big East.

Showdown With Louisville At High Noon

Foe: #21 Louisville Cardinals (10-3)(1-0)

Recent History: The all-time series between Villanova and Louisville is tied at 6-6, but Nova holds a 3-1 edge since the Cardinals joined the Big East. Last season Louisville pummeled Nova at Freedom Hall 68-54. Scottie Reynolds was held to a season-low 4 points in the game. Louisville earned a 3 seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to North Carolina. This year's team is deep and talented, led by junior Earl Clark (13.5 ppg), senior Terrance Williams (11.6 ppg), and freshman Samardo Samuels (13.5 ppg). 

Notable Win: 74-71 vs. Kentucky

Notable Loss: 68-54 vs. Western Kentucky

Famous Alumni: David Akers, Deion Branch, Tom Jackson, Johnny Unitas, Wes Unseld

Fun Facts: 

• Louisville won two NCAA Championships (1980, 1986).
  
• Rick Pitino is the only coach to take three different teams to the Final Four (Providence, Kentucky, Louisville).
  
• Louisville has had 57 players all-time taken in the NBA draft, Francisco Garcia (2005) being the most recent.
  
• Louisville is 97-0 when they score 100 or more points.
  

Complimentary Youtube Video: Lappas' preview...

Final Verdict: Louisville is deeper and more talented up front, but the Wildcats should have the advantage in the backcourt. Despite the preseason hype (#3), Louisville has had some disapointing losses so far, which has drpped them in the rankings. They are still a dangerous team and this would instantly become Nova's strongest win of the season. Nova needs to take advantage of the homecrowd support at the Wachovia Center to pick up a win in their Big East home opener. I think it will be a close game, but Nova should pull it out at the end.

TV: 12:00 ESPN

Links: Official, VUHoops, VBTN, IBBW

NNBEPP1

Nova News Big East Power Poll 1st Edition

1. UConn - 8-0
Hasheem Thabeet has been a monster, even without the cornrows. The 7'3 center is averaging 14.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks. With wins over Miami and Wisconsin, this team is loaded and will get even better when Stanley Robinson returns from injury. I'll ignore the close call to Buffalo for now.


2. Pitt - 9-0
Pitt's teams are always boring and this one is no exception. Yet they're in the top 25 every year despite not having any top NBA talent.


3. Louisville - 4-1
Like Nova they've had an easy early season schedule, but unlike Nova they LOSE at HOME by DOUBLE DIGITS to WESTERN KENTUCKY without COURTNEY LEE. I CAN'T STOP USING CAPITALS!!! I don't know if they deserve this ranking, but they're just too deep and talented to drop any further.


4. Notre Dame - 6-2
Harangody has pneumonia, but the Irish might not need him with the way Kyle McAlarney and Ryan Ayers are shooting the ball. McAlarney hit 26 threes in three consecutive games, including 10 against the ridiculously good Tar Heels, who might actually go undefeated this season.


5. Your Villanova Wildcats - 8-0
I can't wait for the showdown with Texas on Tuesday. Let's see what this team is made of.


7. Georgetown - 5-1
Greg Monroe seems poised to grab the torch from Roy Hibbert and continue in the tradition of great Hoya centers.


6. Syracuse - 8-0
The Orange had impressive wins over Florida and Kansas. Devendorf and Rautins are back, Johnny Flynn has been awesome, but it still feels like they're missing something...




8. Marquette - 7-1
Obviously Indiana is one of the premier coaching opportunities in the country, but don't you think Tom Crean wishes he had one more year with this team of James, Matthews, McNeal, and Hayward.


9. West Virginia - 6-1
Joe Alexander should have stayed in school another year, but I guess you can't blame him for leaving early... he's making $2.4 million more than me this year.




10. Seton Hall - 6-1
The Pirates had a nice win over the "post-Mayo" USC, and their only loss is to the "current-Tyreke Evans" Memphis.


11. Cincinnati - 6-1
The Bearcats on the right path back to national prominence with a great freshmen class, but Cashmere Wright's injury may have killed their season. This team could be very dangerous in the future though.

12. DePaul - 4-2
Dar Tucker is a stud (20+ ppg), but the Blue Demons were held to 36 points at Northwestern in an embarrassing loss.

13. St. John's - 6-1
They're only loss is to BC, but Anthony Mason Jr. is out for the season. At least they're still in the running for Lance Stevenson.




15. Providence - 6-3
Looks like it will be a long season at the Dunkin Donuts Center for new head coach Keno Davis.
14. Rutgers - 5-3
Former Nova assistant Fred Hill is nabbing some big time recruits (Mike Rosario, Greg Echenique), but the Scarlet Knights already have home losses to St. Bonaventure, Lehigh, and Binghamton.
16. South Florida - 3-3
Hey, at least they get to live in South Florida.

Nova pummeled by Louisville

Final Score: Louisville 68, Villanova 54

Player of the Game: It's difficult to give it to any one player on Louisville because their scoring was so balanced, so I'll just give the award to Rick Pitino for getting the most out of his players and out-coaching Jay.

Villanova Player of the Game: Again it's difficult to choose, but for obvious different reasons. I'll give it to Malcolm Grant for his 11 points and 3 assists.


Recap: I could blame the loss on Jay Wright for his questionable lineups and rotations, or on Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher for being late to the shoot-around, or on any number of other reasons, but the truth of the matter is that Louisville is just a far better right now. Villanova fans finally saw Malcolm Grant get extended playing time; however it wasn't the way they envisioned it, coming at the expense of Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds. Jay Wright probably should have played Corey Fisher more minutes, but ultimately it wouldn't have made much of a difference. Louisville is playing some of the best basketball in the country right now, and has a legitimate chance to win a national championship. Although it was never really a close game, the Villanova players shouldn't get too down on themselves over this loss because it was against a great team in an extremely hostile environment. The Wildcats have two winnable games left on the schedule vs. South Florida and at Providence. If they win both, Villanova will finish at .500 (9-9) in the Big East. That is not so bad, and with one or two wins in the Big East Tournament they may still have a chance for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

I'd love to go a little more in-depth in the post-game analysis, but I can't since a certain network (I'll give you a hint: it starts with a C and ends with an S... and there's a B in the middle) switched to the UCLA/Arizona game in the middle of the second half in most areas. I could understand them switching to the more competitive game when there was less than two minutes remaining, and it was clear that Villanova wasn't coming back. It was an insult to the players to cut the broadcast at that point in the game. At the 13 minute mark, with a 13 point deficit, it was way too early to give up on the game. Malcolm Grant already proved that anything could happen with his late-game heroics in the LSU game. If you say you're gonna broadcast a certain game, then broadcast it.

Next Game: Wed. Mar. 5, 8:00 pm, vs. South Florida, at the Pavilion