The Best Villanova Basketball Team of My Lifetime* (*I Was Born in 1986)

It's been a while. I haven't posted on Nova News in four years, but like Barry Bonds, I never officially retired. I just kind of stopped. Wait, why did I just compare myself to Barry Bonds? My hiatus had nothing to do with drugs, performance enhancing or otherwise. I wasn't on PEDs while writing all those blog posts, unless you count caffeine. Though I may have been drunk when I wrote some posts. (I still believe in you, Scottie!) Anyway, I had to return to the blog to write about this years basketball team.

The 2014-2015 Villanova Wildcats are hands-down the best Nova basketball team I've seen since I started following the school my freshmen year in 2004-05. In that time, I saw a Scottie Reynolds and Dante Cunningham led team go to the Final Four in 2009. I saw the #1-seeded 2005-06 team, which was even better than the '09 Final Four team, though they only made it to the elite eight. The '06 team, unfortunately, had the misfortune of running into the juggernaut Florida Gators team full of future NBA stars like Al Horford, Joakim Noah, and Corey Brewer. That '06 Nova team had plenty of NBA talent itself as well. Randy Foye was a lottery pick and has been a solid NBA veteran guard. Allan Ray went undrafted but spent some time with the Celtics. Freshman Dante Cunningham didn't play much on that team, but he's gone on to be a backup power forward in the league. Finally, there was my sophomore year classmate and 2015 NBA All-Star Game starter, Kyle Lowry.

I don't know if this year's team has any future NBA stars. Darrun Hilliard is probably the best player on the team right now. He definitely has the skill and basketball IQ to play at the next level. The only thing that may hold him back is his lack of speed and athleticism.

JayVaughn Pinkston has been a favorite player of mine since he stepped on campus (and knocked a drunk frat boy out), and he'd be a sure-fire NBA power forward if he was only a few inches taller. But alas, he's stuck at 6'7.

Ryan Arcidiacono is a classic college guard, who's been playing so well this year that the announcers have actually learned how to pronounce his last name correctly. Sadly, I don't think Adam Silver will be mispronouncing his name on draft night.

Daniel Ochefu and Josh Hart may be the best pro prospects on the team. You can't teach Ochefu's height and athleticism, and he is only getting better and better. Josh Hart is young and still a little raw, but has the size and athleticism to be a two-way two-guard in the NBA, like Jimmy Butler or Wes Matthews.

Dylan Ennis probably won't join his little brother in the NBA. Kris Jenkins is a sharp-shooting stretch-four, but needs to improve the other areas of his game. As for Phil Booth, who knows. It's too early to tell how good he can be.

All of that is in the future, though, and doesn't really matter for Villanova's chances in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. You can argue whether this team has NBA talent or not, but regardless, they are loaded with NCAA talent.

This Big East isn't the same Big East as when I was in school, but it's still a strong conference, and Villanova cruised through the schedule like it was the America East. Nova was San Antonio Spurs-like in the way they made the game look so easy, to the point that it was almost boring. That is, boring if you find great team basketball played the right way, boring.

The thing that strikes me most about this team is their chemistry. I know it's a cliche that the announcers have repeated 1,745,386 times during the broadcasts, but these players really do pass up good open shots for better open shots. No one is selfish and out for their stats. They have no signature alpha-dog, but six players average over nine points a game, and any one of them is capable of leading the team with 20+ points on any given night (all six of them already have). Putting on my "Bill Simmons Body Language Doctor" glasses, everybody on the team looks like they genuinely like each other, both on and off the court, and they seem to be having a lot of fun together.



Like every Jay Wright team, the 2015 Wildcats have great guards, shoot the three, and play hard on defense, but unlike every Jay Wright team of the past, this years squad actually has a legitimate inside presence. JayVaughn Pinkston may be an undersized power forward, but he is strong and is one of the few players these days with a true offensive post game. But the big difference maker for this team is Daniel Ochefu. He's not some undersized three masquerading as a power forward. He's a legit 6'11 center. He's the best Jay Wright big man since... ever, really. And the best Villanova big man since Ed Pinckney. D-Chef plays both ways, his post game is constantly improving, he's been a beast on the boards (pulled down 24 in one game this season), and he's a legit shot blocker and defensive presence in the paint. Ochefu is the piece that all those great "Guard U" teams were missing. Now we have our stud big man, plus the great guards. The only real weakness of the team is backup center if Ochefu gets into foul trouble, though even in that case, the team can go small with Pinkston at the five, which will work against most teams.

That 2005-06 Villanova team may have been a #1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but a lot of experts doubted their title chances because they were too small. Ultimately that team did fall... short. The 2015 #1-seeded Wildcats, however, have no nits to be picked by the experts. Nova is a legitimate contender for the national title. The biggest hurdle that stands in their way is, once again, another SEC juggernaut team full of future NBA stars: Kentucky. If the two Wildcat teams make it to the championship game, it may be a David vs. Goliath situation. Then again, Villanova knows a thing or two about slaying Goliaths.

From Pitt Fall to Beating Hall

Villanova came dangerously close to losing their third-straight game Tuesday night against the Seton Hall Pirates. Last Saturday the Wildcats lost a close hard-fought game (57-54) to Pittsburgh, one of the best teams in the country, which is nothing to hang your head about even though the 46-game Pavilion winning streak came to an end. Ironically, Nova’s win over the Pirates was the more disappointing performance over the past two games. The team’s late-game ineptitude was reminiscent of the Rutgers collapse. Villanova led most of the game against Seton Hall and were up 7 points with 5 minutes to play. However, from that point on, they stopped attacking on offense and "played not to lose" instead of "playing to win". They ran the clock down on each offensive possession, which resulted in rushed turnovers or poor shots trying to beat the buzzer. Jay Wright’s team is at their best when playing at an up-tempo pace and remaining aggressive on offense. Maybe it’s just something about playing in New Jersey and the close proximity to the cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore that makes them lose their minds.

Corey Fisher has been playing fantastic as always, but the problem is he hasn’t been playing enough. He fouled out early against Pitt when the team could have used him on that final possession with a chance to tie the game. Then Fisher was forced to sit on the bench with 4 fouls late in the Seton Hall game. You want him to stay aggressive on offense and defense, but he is the best player on the team and needs to be on the floor when it matters.

Antonio Pena is getting a little too trigger happy with that mid-range jumper. He’s much improved in that department, but he’s not quite as automatic as Dante Cunningham was.
P.S. Dante out-double-doubled Kevin Love against the Timberwolves last Monday, (18 points and 13 rebounds for Cunningham vs. 12 points and 11 rebounds for Love) so I guess that scientifically proves he's a better player.

Maalik Wayns has fallen back into a shooting slump these past few games: 0-6 FG vs. Rutgers, 4-12 FG vs. Pitt, 2-7 FG vs. Seton Hall. Then when he does make a 3-pointer, it’s too late. However, Wayns’ bigger slump has been his ball-handling. He has 13 turnovers in past three games, including an almost-fatal 6 against Seton Hall. He’s one of the fastest players in college basketball, but speed kills, and sometimes he gets out of control.

James Bell stepped up big-time against Seton Hall in the absence of Corey Stokes. 21 points, 7-9 FG, 4-6 3PT, 3-3 FT. Was he wearing a Bayside Tigers shirt under his jersey? Did he make a call on a foot-long cell phone from the bench? Yep, I guess you can say Villanova was “Saved by the Bell”.

Mouphtaou Yarou had a huge game in the loss to Pitt with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks, despite the fact that he missed a wide open dunk. Mouph looked like he was on his way to another big game against Seton Hall after scoring 8 points in the first half, but he was scoreless in just 7 second half minutes.

Isaiah Armwood didn’t shoot any field goals against Pittsburgh, but he did hit one shot, the one to Nasir Robinson’s face. I don’t know whether or not it was intentional, but I kind of hope it was because Robinson deserved it. He’s just another name in a long tradition of dirty Panther players… *cough*cough* Carl Krauser.

Dominic Cheek is the player I thought would step up to fill the shoes of the injured Stokes, but instead Cheek shot 1-7 and 0-5 in the past two games. He hasn’t scored in double figures since January 6, two games before his knee injury. His rebounding numbers have been fine since then, so I don’t know why his shot is so off.

Even with Villanova down a man due to Stokes’ injury, Maurice Sutton’s playing has been dwindling. Sutton has played under 10 minutes for seven-straight games, as Jay Wright has been giving the extra minutes to Armwood and Bell.

Kyle Lowry scored a career-high 36 points Wednesday night to go along with 7 assists and 4 rebounds. A career under-30% 3-point shooter, Lowry hit 6 of 9 threes, improving his season average to 36.4%. It used to be that outside shooting was the only thing holding Kyle back. Now all he has to worry about is the slew of all-star caliber point guards he has to guard every night in the West: Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Steve Nash, Deron Williams, Tony Parker, Chauncey Billups, Baron Davis, Jason Kidd and...

Finally, congratulations to Randy Foye, who had his #2 jersey retired at the Pavilion last Saturday. Foye was one of my favorite players to watch while I was at Villanova, both on the court and off. It was just five years ago that I was sitting in the same classroom as Randy in Mendel Hall for our marine biology class. Ah, the good ‘ole days, learning about crustaceans and algae. Now he’s making millions of dollars in the NBA and I’m… not.

Best Motion Picture of the Year Nominees

Winter’s Bone
A young girl has to travel through the crystal meth-infested neighborhoods of the Ozark Mountains to find her father. Speaking of tough winter road trips, after a tough loss to a top-10 team at UConn, Villanova had to go up to the Carrier dome to face an even higher ranked top-10 team, then they had to travel to the always raucous Dunkin Donuts Center. Who would have figured that Villanova’s lone win in the 3-game road trip would come against the toughest opponent of the three, #3-ranked Syracuse. However, Nova followed that impressive win with a loss against a Providence team that started out 0-6 in Big East play, though the Friars are a much better team than that poor start would indicate.

Inception
I think Jim Boheim pulled some kind of inception, breaking into our minds and making us think that his Syracuse team was better than it actually is. The Orange started out 18-0, but have now dropped three straight, including a 22-point loss at home to Seton Hall. Or was I just dreaming about that?

The King’s Speech
The story of George VI overcoming a speech impediment to become the king of Britain. Maalik Wayns has seemingly overcome a 3-point shooting impediment that he was struggling with earlier this season to become the “king” of Villanova these past couple of games. Wayns has led the team in scoring in each of the past two games; 21 points (3-7 3pt) vs. Syracuse and 18 points (2-4 3pt) vs. Providence.

Toy Story 3
Fisher Price is one of the best toy companies out there. Fisher Price is also one of the best college point guards out there. However, against the Friars, Vincent Council played more like Fisher Price than Fisher himself. Council had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, including some impressive alley-oop passes. Meanwhile, Fisher shot 2-10 from the field to score just 7 points.

127 Hours
That’s about how much time Corey Stokes needs to spend practicing shooting. I thought he broke out of his slump for good with that 16 point (4-11 3pt) game against Syracuse, but then he went on to have his worst shooting night… probably ever. 2 of 16 from the field!? 1 of 9 from three!? At least he was perfect from the free throw line, and he grabbed a season-high 9 rebounds. But if he doesn’t improve that shooting stroke, he might have to cut his own arm off.

Black Swan
Maurice Sutton is a white swan who needs to embrace his dark side more often and play like a black swan. He showed he can play tough against Syracuse with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks, but he had just 1 point and 2 rebounds in 9 foul-plagued minutes against Providence. Mouphtaou Yarou is another player who occasionally suffers from “white swan syndrome”. He’s had some stellar games this season, but he’s also had his share of sub-par performances, most recently against Providence (3 points, 2 rebounds, 1-6 FG). Embrace your inner black swans, big guys… just don’t lose your minds in the process.

True Grit
Sutton can learn a thing or two from his teammate Antonio Pena who showed true grit against Providence with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Dominic Cheek also showed some grit, scoring 9 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in just his second game back from his knee injury. I hate to do it, but I have to credit Rick Jackson for his grit as well. He had 16 points and 15 rebounds in the loss to Nova, and he’s been a double-double machine all season.

The Fighter
Like boxers, Scoop Jardine (1-8 FG, 0-3 3pt) and Dion Waiters (2-12 FG, 1-7 3pt) went down swinging-- or shooting-- in their loss to Nova. Marshon Brooks’ Providence team may have won, and he still scored 20 points, but his 0 for 8 three-point shooting performance versus Nova was… interesting. When you’re 0 for 7 on the night, you’d think he would think twice before bricking that eighth three. But no, even when pinned against the ropes, Brooks went down swinging and threw up one last brick.

The Social Network
A story of friends turned enemies over millions of dollars… Just like former Wildcat teammates Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry, who now battle against each other in the NBA with their million dollar contracts. Lowry’s Rockets beat Foye’s Clippers Wednesday night, 96-83, while both players scored 20 points a piece. Foye looks like he’s finally healthy for the first time this season, and he’s stepped into the starting shooting guard role with the injury to Eric Gordon. Even though Randy and Kyle are enemies on the court, they still remain friends on Facebook.

The Kids Are All Right
This movie title sums up the state of Jay Wright’s squad right now. The young Wildcats will continue to have their ups and down throughout the grueling Big East schedule, but ultimately, they’ll be alright.

Huskies Halt Wildcats Win Streak

With 2.5 seconds left in a tie game, Kemba Walker ended Villanova’s winning streak at 11 games, resulting in the Wildcats’ first Big East loss of the season. On the bright side, I’m still a perfect 18-0 in my preseason predictions. If only I had followed through and done some sports betting before the season... Maybe I have some kind of supernatural psychic power, and I doomed Nova by predicting them to lose to the Huskies. In that case, is it too late to change my prediction for the Syracuse game this Saturday?

Also on the bright side, Corey Fisher outscored fellow Bronx native Kemba Walker 28-24. The 28 points were a season-high for Fisher, who also dished out 6 assists. Fisher had an impressive performance in the comeback-win over Maryland as well, when he scored 8 of his 17 points during a 19-0 Villanova run late in the game. When you throw out the inflated early season statistics and focus on conference play, Fisher is right there with Walker in the running for Big East Player of the Year, which is another preseason prediction that I’d gladly be wrong about.

Unfortunately, Nova did lose the game, so there is inevitably a dark side. I knew Corey Stokes’ out of this world shooting would eventually fall back to earth, but I never foresaw a slump this bad. Nova was able to overcome his 4-14 FG and 1-7 3PT shooting day against Maryland, but Stokes’ 0-6 shooting day proved costly in a tight game against UConn. Even the best of shooters are prone to the occasional slump, so Stokes just needs to stay confident in his stroke and shoot his way out of it.

Maalik Wayns was instrumental in the Maryland comeback, scoring 22 points, hitting 7 of 10 field goals and 7 of 9 free throws. Wayns is at his best when he drives to the basket and draws fouls like his mentor Kyle Lowry. However, he only earned one trip to the line against the Huskies and missed all four of his 3-point attempts. Speaking of Lowry, he has remained the Rockets’ starting point guard even after Aaron Brooks returned from injury, and his play hasn’t suffered any drop-off. Lowry tied his season-high with 28 points last week against Chris Paul and the Hornets.

Antonio Pena had 14 points and 10 rebounds against Maryland, his first double-double since December 3, but don’t let that stat fool you. Pena, averaging about 10 points and 7 rebounds, is quietly having a super super-senior season (say that five times fast) for Nova. He had a modest 8 points and 5 rebounds in the loss to UConn, but the more important stat is the 38 minutes that he played in the game (and 39 minutes vs. Maryland). Throughout his career, Pena’s fatal flaw was always his inability to stay on the floor due to foul trouble, but he’s done a fantastic job at avoiding stupid fouls this season. Pena is yet to be disqualified from a game this season after fouling out eight times in 2009-2010. It helps that he is playing alongside a legitimate center in Mouphtaou Yarou, but you can tell that the 24-year-old Pena has grown wiser with his years.

Yarou’s scoring has been sporadic this season, following up his season-high 18 points versus Louisville with 3 points versus Maryland then 8 points versus UConn. However, Mouph must be watching Kevin Love game tape because his rebounding has stayed consistent, grabbing double-digit boards in three straight games. And Yarou must have shared that tape with Isaiah Armwood before the Maryland game because he went on to record a career-high 13 rebounds. Maybe Armwood had some extra motivation playing against his home-state school. Jay Wright has had to lean on Armwood and freshman James Bell more than usual these past two games because of the knee injury that Dominic Cheek suffered against Maryland. The outcome of the UConn game likely would have been a little different if Cheek, a sixth man of the year candidate, was available. Fortunately, the injury isn’t serious, and Cheek should be back soon.

Before I close, one more note for the bright side... At least the 33rd overall pick in the 2009 draft, Dante Cunningham, is having a better NBA career than the 2nd overall pick, Hasheem Thabeet.

The Hawk, the Quaker, and the Explorer are Dead

Villanova finished up a three-game sweep against Big 5 schools, including St. Joe’s (71-60), Penn (65-53), and La Salle (84-81). All three opponents proved to be tougher adversaries than expected, especially the scrappy Explorers, who nearly pulled off the upset at the intimate Tom Gola Arena. The only Big 5 opponent remaining on the schedule is Temple, who beat the Wildcats for the city crown last season. The Owls already knocked off Georgetown this year (68-65), prompting a dubious court rushing by their fans.

Villanova’s talented back court is renowned around the country, but the new dynamic duo in the front court has been vital to the team’s recent success. Antonio Pena and Mouphtaou Yarou are like a modern version of San Antonio’s “Twin Towers”, David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Neither Wildcat is a 7-footer, but fifth-year senior Pena is a wily veteran like the Admiral, while Yarou is a young big man oozing with potential, just like a young Duncan. Pena’s been dominant over his last four games, averaging 14 points and 9 rebounds. Mouph is already averaging close to a double-double on the season at 8.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and he will only get better from here. The Spurs’ Twin Towers won two championships together, which is impossible for Nova’s duo to duplicate since Pena is a senior, but I’d settle for “just one”.

Corey Stokes, coming off a career-high 34 points against Penn, is having an Allan Ray-esque offensive season. His numbers are up across the board, averaging 16 points per game, shooting 47% from the field, lighting it up from downtown at 41.8%, and Stokes is virtually automatic from the charity stripe at 95.7%. He can guard multiple positions at 6-foot-5, and Jay Wright has praised Stokes as one of his best defenders. The Bayonne Bomber has come a long way since arriving on campus as a one-trick pony 3-point specialist.

Dominic Cheek has turned into a real spark-plug off the bench for Villanova. Ironically, his worst game, when he scored just four points, came in his lone start of the season, versus Penn. Cheek dropped 14 points against both St. Joe’s and La Salle, and he’s turning into a legitimate threat from behind the arc. He sank four 3-pointers vs. the Explorers, which is valuable because as teams play more zone defense, Nova needs more reliable shooters to pair on the perimeter with Stokes.

Corey Fisher and Maalik Wayns’ 3-point accuracy should improve, but thus far they’ve been dreadful at 22% and 14.7% respectively. Both seem to be trying to shoot their way out of their slumps, as Fisher is attempting 4.6 threes per game, and Wayns, 3.8. Fisher has proven he can consistently drain the collegiate 3-pointer, shooting 39.6% last season, so I encourage him to continue taking the open shots. Wayns, on the other hand, should stick to driving to the basket because he’s shooting a much better 63% on 2-pointers.

Other notes:

- There are seven Big East teams currently ranked in the top 25, and this was supposed to be a “down year” for the Big East. I know it’s early, but there are four teams still undefeated and four more with just one loss. They’ll start beating up on each other soon enough.

- JayVaughn Pinkston was suspended for the entire season. That seems fair; he made a mistake and is serving his punishment. Now, the rest of the team can focus on this season, and not have to worry about any distractions surrounding Pinkston’s situation.

- LeBron James’ return to Cleveland garnered a lot of national attention, and he answered with an impressive 38 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. Kyle Lowry’s return to Memphis wasn’t as ballyhooed, but he had an equally impressive 28 points, 3 rebounds, and 12 assists. (11-15 FG, 4-5 3PT, 2-2 FT) Lowry is flourishing while Aaron Brooks is sidelined with an injury, averaging about 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists as a starter for Houston. Brooks should be returning shortly, unless there's some kind of Tonya Harding incident.

- Randy Foye has played in just seven games this season for the LA Clippers. You can’t say I didn’t warn you. Then again, if his second year with the Clips is anything like Blake Griffin’s, Foye could be in store for big year in 2012… assuming the world doesn’t end.

- Dante Cunningham doesn’t wow you with his stats (4 pts, 3 reb, 0.5 blk), but he is quietly turning into a solid professional basketball player up in Portland. He is playing about 17 minutes every night, and Coach Nate McMillan gives him that time off the bench because he plays hard all the time.

- Scottie Reynolds is averaging 18 points and 4.6 assists for the Springfield Armor in the NBA D-League. Scottie has to be an upgrade over a some of the current back-up point guards in the NBA. Come on GM’s, what are you waiting for?

Thanksgiving Tweets 2010

This is an updated version of last year's post.

I searched across the far-reaches of the interweb and Twitterland to find out what everybody in the Nova basketball community is thankful for this Thanksgiving.*

Klow7: @AaronBrooks Thanks for faking that injury so I can start.
about 2 hours ago from web


randyfoye: I'm thankful that I have a front-row seat to watch the Blake Griffin Show.
45 minutes ago from TweetDeck


Dante33: Thank God I don't have the injury luck of @Greg_Oden.
about 1 hour ago from web


TimThomas: @sportsguy33 Thanks for the kind words and support from your columns.
about 3 hours ago from web


SReynolds1: @Italy Thanks, but no thanks...
about 1 hour ago from TweetDeck


MouphTheProof: @JamesNaismith Thanks for inventing a game that can take me from Africa to America.
about 1 hour ago from web


BringThePena: Thanks to Strength Coach Lon Record for continuing to make me even more of a beast this year.
about 11 hours ago from web


FisherPrice: Thanks to all the NYC streetballers who taught me my moves. (All 105 of you...)
about 4 hours ago from TweetDeck


DomCheek: @CoachBobHurley Thanks for helping me get to Villanova.
11 minutes ago from web


Stokes24: Thanks to my bro for making these songs.
30 minutes ago from web


MoSutton: Thanks to my family for giving me good basketball genes and a 6'11 frame.
about 2 hours ago from web


iArm34: Thanks @KDthunderup for the high school memories.
about 9 hours ago from web


WaynsWorld: @jameernelson, @Klow7 Thanks for teaching me how to play like a Philly guard, and @FisherPrice and @SReynolds1 for teaching me how to play like a Villanova guard.
about 12 hours ago from web


WootenForNova: Thanks for a blow-out @Lafayette so I could get onto the stat sheet with one rebound.
about 1 hour ago from web


JVPinkston: Thanks to my coaches, my teammates, and all of Nova Nation for supporting me through this tough time.
about 3 hours ago from web

DOuano4: Thank you student section for going wild anytime I touch the ball.
about 4 hours ago from TweetDeck

JayWright: @RollieMass Thank you for teaching me everything I know.
28 minutes ago from web


*By searching across the interweb, I meant completely make this up myself.

A New Letter From Dan Gilbert

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in a region 431 miles away from the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a brief, humble, unselfish build-up culminating with a national tweet of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports, entertainment, and probably the history of the universe.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘Klow7' WINS ONE"

You can take it to the bank. (Then come to Quicken Loans to get the loan you will need to pay off your losses on that bet.)

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of another city’s very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels. As a matter of fact, I am on my way to Ace Hardware right now.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to-- Hold on folks, I’m getting a call from David Stern…

Wow, this is embarrassing. Apparently Mr. Lowry was a “restricted” free agent and had no control over the situation. Once Daryl Morey and the Rockets matched our $24 million offer, Kyle had no choice but to return to Houston. My apologies.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and slightly less darker day....

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU another angry letter in a silly font that you have long deserved and is long overdue....

Dan Gilbert


Majority Owner


Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA Free Agency Summit

It’s finally here… The Summer of 2010… NBA free agency. Teams have spent two years tanking and clearing salary cap space in hopes of signing them. That’s right, Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry are free agents for the first time in their young NBA careers, and they could be wearing new jerseys ( or new New Jersey jerseys) next year. What, you thought I was talking about someone else?

Randy Foye is coming off a tumultuous season with the Washington Wizards where he averaged 10.1 points and 3.3 assists per game (13 pts and 5 assists as a starter). There’s a good chance the former Wildcat will be playing for his third NBA team next fall, or fifth team if you count the draft-day trades in 2006. (Drafted 7th by Boston, rights traded to Portland, rights again traded to Minnesota for Brandon Roy, and last summer traded to Washington for Ricky Rubio). The Wizards still owe gunslinger Gilbert Arenas $80 million through 2014, and they just made a draft night trade to add point guard Kirk Hinrich. I’m sure they would love to shoot Arena’s contract off to another team, but if they are unable to, the Wizards are unlikely to match an offer made for Foye, who is a restricted free agent.

Dork Elvis, aka Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey, apparently sees in Kyle Lowry what Nova fans saw in the two years the Broadstreet Bulldog roamed the courts up and down the Main Line. Morey’s recent tweet: “Rockets fans, please send a message to Luis (@LScola4) and Kyle (@Klow7) letting them know much we want them back! http://twitpic.com/21iko5.” Kyle excelled off the bench as Aaron Brooks’ back-up at the point, averaging 9.1 points and 4.5 assists, and I’m sure both sides would love to stay together. However, on a per 48 minute basis, Lowry averaged 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists. What if another team desperate for a point guard looked at those stats and offered Kyle a starting position? I think he’d have to take that opportunity.

So where could Kyle and Randy be heading if they leave their respective cities? Some teams with available cap space and vacancies at the point guard position are the New York Knicks and Miami Heat. The Indiana Pacers are looking for a new point guard, although they are already over the salary cap.

Scottie Reynolds is slated to play for the Phoenix Suns’ summer league team, but he isn’t guaranteed a spot on their big league roster next season. I hope things work out for him in the desert (Vegas, then Arizona) because there aren’t many better point guards to apprentice under than Steve Nash.

Tim Thomas could take a veterans’ minimum contract with a salary cap strapped team like the Miami Heat to chase a ring with Wade and Bosh (and LeBron?). If he doesn’t return to play for Mark Cuban in Dallas, Tim could be making his tenth team change in fourteen seasons, which has to be some kind of record. Personally, I’d like to see TT (that’s what I call him) join the Boston Celtics, just to see how Bill Simmons would react.

Malik Allen averaged 2 points and 2 rebounds in just under 9 minutes per game for the Denver Nuggets last season. At 32 years old, Allen can provide cheap veteran front court depth, something just about every team in the league can use.

As for Villanova's final representative in the NBA, Dante Cunningham is not a free agent and will be back in Portland for his second year. The Blazers liked what they saw from their second round draft pick and extended his contract through 2011.

Oh, yeah. Apparently there's another big free agent, although he did not attend Villanova. Some guy by the name of LeBron James. After tonight's primetime special, "The Decision", we'll finally know where the King will hold his court. As a Knicks fan, I'm hoping he comes to Madison Square Garden, erases the misfortunes of the Isiah Thomas era, and brings a title to New York. As a basketball fan, I would love to watch him team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, forming the most dynamic trio in NBA history and creating must-see TV for 82+ nights a year. (How much is NBA League Pass?) As an American sports fan, I want him to stay in Cleveland and prove that loyalty still exists in sports, and that hometown fans truly matter to these multi-millionaire superstars.

Nova in the Naughts: A decade in Review

With the decade coming to a close, I thought it would be a good time to take a look back at the past ten years of the program.

2000-2001 (18-13)

November 17, 2000: Villanova loses 98-85 in the second round of the preseason NIT to eventual National Champions Duke, led by Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, and Chris Duhon.
January 17, 2001: Gary Buchanan scores 30 and Michael Bradley adds 29 in a win over Virginia Tech.
March 14, 2001: Steve Lappas loses his final game as head coach 87-78 to Minnesota in the opening round of the NIT.
March 15, 2001: Jay Wright and the Hofstra Pride lose to UCLA 61-48 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
June 27, 2001: Michael Bradley is selected 17th overall in the NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors.

2001-2002 (19-13)

November 21, 2001: Jay Wright wins his Villanova head coaching debut 82-68 over Grambling State.
November 27, 2001: Jay Wright suffers his first loss as Villanova head coach to Rasaul Butler and the La Salle Explorers 61-58.

February 9, 2002: Villanova upsets #15 UCLA at the Pavilion 58-57.
February 11, 2002: Caron Butler, Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor, and the Huskies hold Villanova to 40 points; no Wildcat scores in double figures.
March 22, 2002: Villanova loses to Temple 63-57 in the quarterfinals of the NIT.

2002-2003 (15-16)

November 15, 2002: Jay Wright's prized recruiting class of Jason Fraser (13 points, 13 rebounds), Randy Foye (10 points), Allan Ray (16 points), and Curtis Sumpter (2 points) make their debut in a 73-61 loss to Dwyane Wade (17 points) and #18 Marquette at Madison Square Garden.

November 30, 2002: Villanova upsets #9 Michigan State 81-73 behind 29 points from Gary Buchanan.

April 7, 2003: Carmelo Anthony and Syracuse win the National Championship without ever playing Villanova that season.

2003-2004 (18-17)

November 22, 2003: Allan Ray drops 38 points and Mike Nardi dishes out 13 assists in a 114-103 win over the Redlands Bulldogs.

February 28, 2004: Villanova loses by one point in overtime at the Wachovia Center to eventual National Champs UConn.

March 10, 2004: Randy Foye hits a game-winning shot with 3.6 seconds left to beat Seton Hall 61-60 in the first round of the Big East Tournament, ending a five-game losing streak.

March 24, 2004: Villanova loses to Rutgers 72-60 in the quarterfinals of the NIT, which is now the last time Nova has failed to make the NCAA Tournament.

2004-2005 (24-8)

January 22, 2005: Villanova upsets #2 Kansas 83-62 on a snowy day in Philly.

March 18, 2005: Jay Wright gets his first NCAA Tournament victory over Danny Granger and New Mexico.

March 20, 2005: Curtis Sumpter goes down, and Jason Fraser posts 21 and 15 to lead Nova past David Lee and Florida.

March 25, 2005: Allan Ray gets called for a phantom travel after shooting 3-32 from the field in the Tournament. Randy Foye drops 28 and freshman Kyle Lowry scores a season-high 18 points, but Nova loses by one point in the Sweet 16 to eventual National Champs North Carolina led by Raymond Felton, Sean May, Rashad McCants, and Marvin Williams.

2005-2006 (25-8)

December 3, 2005: Randy Foye scores 32 points to lead #4 Villanova past #5 Oklahoma at the Pavilion.

January 8, 2006: After a 10-0 start, Villanova gets "Pitsnoggled" and loses 91-87 to West Virginia at the Pavilion.

February 13, 2006: #4 Villanova beats #1 UConn 69-64 at the Wachovia Center in front of a record-setting crowd. Jay Wright is nationally recognized for his 4-guard offense.

March 10, 2006: Carl Krauser pokes Allan Ray's eye out, and Pitt knocks Nova out of the Big East Tourament in the second round.

March 17, 2006: Villanova earns its first ever #1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, then narrowly escapes a monumental upset versus 16-seeded Monmouth 58-45.

March 24, 2006: Sean Williams goal-tends Will Sheridan's shot with 3 seconds left in overtime, and Nova wins 60-59 to move on to Elite Eight.

March 26, 2006: Randy Foye scores 25 points in his final game in a Villanova uniform, but Nova falls short to the eventual back-to-back National Champion Florida Gators, led by twin towers Joakim Noah and Al Horford.

March 29, 2006: Kelvin Sampson is named head coach at Indiana, causing McDonald's All-American Scottie Reynolds to renounce his commitment to Oklahoma and join Villanova.

June 28, 2006: Randy Foye (7th) and Kyle Lowry (24th) are selected in the first round of the NBA draft. Allan Ray is signed by the Celtics.

2006-2007 (22-11)

November 11, 2006: Villanova beats the Rollie Massimino coached Northwood Seahawks 97-60.

December 9, 2006: Despite 31 points and 10 rebounds from Curtis Sumpter, Nova falls to Drexel 81-76 at the Pavilion.

January 20, 2007: Villanova holds Kevin Durant to 12 points, and he is posterized by Dante Cunningham.

February 28, 2007: Freshman Scottie Reynolds drops 40 points on Hasheem Thabeet and UConn.

March 16, 2007: Villanova squeezes into the NCAA Tournament as a 9-seed, but loses to Kentucky 67-58 in the first round.

2007-2008 (22-13)

December 6, 2007: Malcolm Grant scores 13 points in the final three minutes to come back from a 21 point deficit to defeat LSU.

February 4, 2008: St. Joe's hands Villanova its fifth loss in a row in a 77-55 blowout at the Palestra.

February 11, 2008: Corey Stokes is called for a foul 70 feet from the basket, with less than one second remaining. Jonathan Wallace hits both free throws to give Georgetown a 55-53 victory.

March 21, 2008: Villanova is one of the last bubble teams to make the Tournament as a 12-seed, and they use a 18-point comeback to upset #5 Clemson in the first round.

March 28, 2008: Villanova is once again knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by the eventual champions, the Kansas Jayhawks.

2008-2009 (30-8)

January 6, 2009: Scottie Reynolds has his second 40-point game in a 89-85 overtime win over Seton Hall.

January 28, 2009: Reggie Redding scores 18 points in the final college basketball game at the Spectrum, a 10-point win over #3 Pitt.

March 9, 2009: Dante Cunningham wins the Most Improved Player Award in the Big East, Corey Fisher wins the 6th Man Award.

March 19, 2009: Tied at 55 with 7 minutes to play, Villanova rallies to beat 14-seed American in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

March 21, 2009: Six Wildcats score in double figures as Nova beats UCLA by 20 points in the second round.

March 26, 2009: In the Sweet 16 Gerald Henderson shoots 1-14 and Jon Scheyer 3-18 in a 23-point Villanova blowout.

March 28, 2009: Scottie Reynolds hits "The Shot" against Pitt to send Villanova to Detroit for the Final Four.

April 4, 2009: For the fourth time this decade Villanova loses to the eventual National Champion, this time Tyler Hansbrough's Tar Heels.

June 25, 2009: Dante Cunningham is selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Trailblazers.

2009-2010 (??)

November 19, 2009: Mouphtaou Yarou leaves Puerto Rico with Hepatitis B.

November 22, 2009: Villanova beats Ole Miss to win the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

December 13, 2009: Villanova fans curse the name Juan Fernandez.

December 19, 2009: Reggie Redding returns from marijuana suspension to score 15 points.

January 2, 2010: Villanova opens Big East play at Marquette.

Thanksgiving Tweets

I searched across the far-reaches of the interweb and Twitterland to find out what everybody in the Nova basketball community is thankful for this Thanksgiving.*

Klow7: @ChrisWallaceGM Thanks for trading me to a real NBA team.
about 2 hours ago from web


randyfoye: Thankful that I'm not a part of that 13-game losing streak in Minnesota.
45 minutes ago from TweetDeck


Dante33: @Batum, @TOutlaw, Thanks for the extra playing time due to your injuries.
about 1 hour ago from web


TimThomas: @sportsguy33 Thanks for the kind words and support from your columns.
about 3 hours ago from web


Scottie1: @KSampson Thank you for leaving Oklahoma, and @JTIII Thanks for not having any scholarships available.
about 1 hour ago from TweetDeck


MouphY: @FTchuisi Thanks for helping me acclimate to the United States.
about 1 hour ago from web


BringThePena: Thanks to Strength Coach Lon Record for helping to make me a beast this year.
about 11 hours ago from web


FisherPrice: Thanks to all the NYC streetballers who taught me my moves.
about 4 hours ago from TweetDeck


DomCheek: @BobHurley Thanks for helping me get to Villanova.
11 minutes ago from web


Stokes24: Thanks to my bro for making these songs.
30 minutes ago from web


MoSutton: Thanks to my family for giving me good basketball genes and a 6'11 frame.
about 2 hours ago from web


iArm34: Thank God that shot went in...
about 9 hours ago from web


JColenda: Thank you student section for going wild anytime I touch the ball.
about 4 hours ago from TweetDeck


5Wayns: @jameernelson, @Klow7 Thanks for showing me how to play like a Philly guard.
about 12 hours ago from web


WootenForNova: Thanks to the Penn defense for allowing me to score my first points.
about 1 hour ago from web


The_Real_Redding: Thanks to coach, my teammates, and all of Nova Nation for supporting me.
about 3 hours ago from web


JayWright: @RollieMassThank you for teaching me everything I know.
28 minutes ago from web


*By searching across the interweb, I meant completely make this up myself.