A Look Into the Crystal Ball: 2010-11

The 2010-2010 season is only a couple weeks away, so I thought I'd take a look into my crystal ball to see how the team will do. Not to toot my own horn, but I came pretty close last year. Okay, maybe I did want to toot my own horn.

11/02/10 vs. District of Columbia (Exhibition) - Win, because Nova doesn’t want to become a laughing stock by losing an exhibition game like Syracuse last year.

11/12/10 vs. Bucknell - Win, because Jay Wright won’t let his alma mater beat him in the official season opener. (1-0)

11/16/10 vs. Marist (NIT) - Win, because it’s Marist. (2-0)

11/17-11/26 NIT Season Tip-Off vs. TBA - Nova wins the next two games (vs. George Washington and UCLA), then they lose in the finals of the NIT to Tennessee, because Bruce Pearl will cheat. (4-1)

11/20/10 vs. Lafayette - Win, because losing to Lafayette in a real game might be more embarrassing than losing to DC in an exhibition. (5-1)

12/03/10 vs. St. Joseph’s - Win, because playing St. Joe’s this early in the season won’t give Hawks fans enough time to disillusion themselves into thinking they have a chance. (6-1)

12/08/10 at Penn - Win, because Penn seems to be under the crazy impression that academics are more important than basketball. (7-1)

12/12/10 at LaSalle - Win, because Mouph Yarou is going to own Aaric Murray. (8-1)

12/18/10 vs. Delaware - Win, because the Blue Hens just don’t sound very intimidating. (9-1)

12/22/10 at Monmouth NJ - Win, because the creator of MTV’s Jersey Shore is a Monmouth Alum. (10-1)

12/30/10 vs. Temple - Win, because someone will actually guard Juan Fernandez this year. (11-1)

01/02/11 vs. Rutgers - Win, because two of their best players transferred and their coach was fired. (12-1)

01/06/11 at USF - Win, because Dominique Jones isn’t around to score 46 points anymore. (13-1)

01/09/11 vs. Cincinnati - Win, because by January, Lance Stephenson will be playing in the D-League. (14-1)

01/12/11 vs. Louisville - Win, because Samardo Samuels is gone. (15-1)

01/15/11 vs. Maryland - Win, because Greivis Vasquez is gone. (16-1)

01/17/11 at UConn - Loss, because Kemba Walker will be the Big East Player of the Year. (16-2)

01/22/12 at Syracuse - Loss, because of the Dome. (16-3)

01/26/11 at Providence - Win, because the Friars have nine freshmen. (17-3)

01/29/11 vs. Georgetown - Win, because Fisher and Stokes will outplay Wright and Freeman. (18-3)

02/02/11 vs. Marquette - Loss, because the Golden Eagles are always underrated. (18-4)

02/05/11 vs. West Virginia - Win, because it’s not at the Coliseum. (19-4)

02/09/11 at Rutgers - Win, because home-court advantage doesn’t make up for the reasons listed for the first game. (20-4)

02/12/11 vs. Pitt - Win, because the Pavilion will be rocking all day with the ESPN College GameDay crew there. (21-4)

02/15/11 at Seton Hall - Loss, because Jeremy Hazell will get hot and score 40 points. (21-5)

02/19/11 at DePaul - Win, because the Blue Demons ended last season on a 13-game losing streak. (22-5)

02/21/11 vs. Syracuse - Win, because they won’t have the Dome advantage in the rematch. (23-5)

02/26/11 vs. St. John’s - Win, because Steve Lavin needs a year or two to rebuild. (24-5)

02/28/11 at Notre Dame - Win, because no Irish fans will show up when they realize Harangody and Reynolds aren’t playing. (25-5)

03/05/11 at Pitt - Loss, because the Panthers will take the rematch at home. (25-6)

03/08-03/12 Big East Tournament - After splitting the regular season series, the consensus top two teams in the Big East, Pitt and Nova, will meet in the Championship. Pitt will win, just because they always seem to take the Big East Tournament more seriously.

03/14-04/04 NCAA Tournament - However, Nova will advance further in the NCAA Tournament. My final prediction: a #2-seed and lose in the Elite Eight.

A Look Into the Crystal Ball

With the season officially tipping off this Friday I thought I'd take a look into my crystal ball to set some odds and predictions for the 2009-10 Villanova basketball season.

Odds Villanova finishes first in Big East: 1.5/1
Odds Villanova wins Big East Tournament: 2/1
Odds Villanova returns to the Final Four: 5/1
Odds Villanova wins the National Championship: 12/1
Over/under clips of Scottie's game winning shot vs. Pitt shown during telecasts: 20.5

Over/under mentions of Redding's marijuana suspension during telecasts: 10.5
Over/under amount of times Mouphtaou Yarou's name is mispronounced during telecasts: 250.5
Over/under games until Jay Wright gets called for a technical foul: 5.5
Over/under number of different starting lineups used this season: 6.5
Odds leading average rebounder: Yarou 1.5/1, Pena 1.5/1, Redding 4/1, Sutton 7/1, Stokes 8/1, King 10/1
Over/under Scottie's season high points scored in a game: 39.5
Odds most 3-pointers made on team: Stokes 1/1, Reynolds 1.5/1, King 2/1, Sutton 10,000/1
Over/under Jason Colenda total points scored this season: 6.5
Odds leading freshmen scorer: Yarou 1/1, Wayns 1.5/1, Cheek 3/1, Armwood 10/1
Odds a UConn player gets arrested this year: 1/1
Over/under IQ of average St. Joe's fans: 65
Odds next Big East coach to be involved in a scandal: Rick Pitino 2/1, Bob Huggins 3/1, Jim Calhoun 5/1, Jay Wright 200/1
Over/under number of seasons Isiah Thomas lasts at FIU: 0.5
Over/under amount of money Jay Wright will spend on suits this season: $25,000



Now onto the schedule...
11/13 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson: Win (1-0)
11/16 vs. Penn: Win (2-0)
11/19 vs. George Mason (Puerto Rico Classic): Win (3-0)
11/20 vs. Dayton/Georgia Tech (PRC): Win (4-0) The first real test of the season. Both teams are in the preseason Top 25.
11/22 vs. Indiana/Mississippi/Kansas St./BU (PRC): Win (5-0) Indiana is still recovering from the Sampson debacle. Ole Miss and KSU should be solid, but I think Nova takes home the early season hardware.
11/28 vs. La Salle: Win (5-0)
12/2 vs. Drexel: Win (6-0)
12/6 vs. Maryland: Loss (6-1) The game is in DC. Greivis Vasquez is a stud. I think it's a close game, but the Terps hand Nova their first L.
12/9 @ St. Joe's: Win (7-1) The Hawk remains dead.
12/13 @ Temple: Win (8-1) Nova sweeps the Big 5 for another city title.
12/19 @ Fordham: Win (9-1)
12/23 vs. Delaware: Win (10-1)
1/2 @ Marquette: Win (11-1, 1-0) Marquette lost Dominic James, Wesley Matthews, and Jerel McNeal... long season ahead for the Golden Eagles.
1/6 vs. DePaul: Win (12-1, 2-0)
1/9 vs. Marquette: Win (13-1, 3-0)
1/11 @ Louisville: Loss (13-2, 3-1) Nova beats them at home, but at Freedom Hall I'll give Pitino's crew the edge.
1/17 vs. Georgetown: Win (14-2, 4-1) I think Georgetown will be a lot better than people expect, which is why they will split the season series later in February.
1/20 @ Rutgers: Win (15-2, 5-1)
1/23 @ St. John's: Win (16-2, 6-1)
1/27 vs. Notre Dame: Win (17-2, 7-1) Harangody will continue to put up monster stats (and look like a monster), but the team will continue to lose.
2/2 vs. Seton Hall: Win (18-2, 8-1)
2/6 @ Georgetown: Loss (18-3, 8-2)
2/8 @ West Virginia: Loss (18-4, 8-3) The showdown between the preseason consensus top two teams in the Big East. Nova always struggles in Morgantown...
2/13 vs. Providence: Win (19-4, 9-3)
2/15 vs. UConn: Win (20-4, 10-3) I'm not sure what to expect from this team. I think Kemba Walker will be great, Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson are back, but they lost Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien up front.
2/21 @ Pitt: Win (21-4, 11-3) Rebuilding year for the Panthers. BTW, San Antonio had the steal of the draft when DeJuan Blair fell to them in the second round.
2/24 vs. USF: Win (22-4, 12-3)
2/27 @ Syracuse: Win (23-4, 13-3) LE MOYNE! HA! The Orange will struggle to replace Johnny Flynn, Paul Harris, and... wait, did Eric Devendorf actually think he was going to make the NBA?
3/2 @ Cincinnati: Loss (23-5, 13-4) Deonta Vaughn, Yancy Gates, Cashmere Wright, and Lance Stephenson... The Bearcats are loaded with talent this year.
3/6 vs. West Virginia: Win (24-5, 14-4)

A 14-4 record should be good for a first or second place finish in the Big East and a 2 or 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. I hesitate to be so confident in a Wildcat team that will have to rely on several freshmen, but the rest of the Big East is relatively weak this year, plus Nova's backcourt may be one of the deepest and most talented in the country. This should be a fun team to watch... can't wait for the season to begin.

Round 5: North Carolina

Foe: #1 North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels (32-4)

Recent History: North Carolina leads the all-time series 9-4, with four of those games having come in the NCAA Tournament. Villanova toppled UNC in the 1985 Elite Eight en route to a National Championship. The most recent meeting came in the 2005 Sweet Sixteen when Tom O'Neill made the "travel call that wasn't" against Allan Ray. That North Carolina team was absolutely loaded with NBA talent: Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants, Marvin Williams, and Sean May. On one hand I was happy that Nova played so well against that heavily favored team, the eventual National Champions. However, that travel call left me bitter for months afterwards, and I was constantly dreaming of what could have happened if A-Ray tied that game up with the and-1.

This year's Tar Heels squad is similar to 2005's. It is a dominant team full of talent and depth at every position. I mean at the start of the season, it wasn't inconceivable to think that this team could go undefeated. Obviously it didn't happen; they lost to BC, Wake Forest, Maryland, and Florida St. (all NCAA Tournament teams by the way). They are led by a starting five that all score in double figures. Ty Lawson might be the best point guard in the country: 16.3 ppg, 6.5 apg, 2 spg, 48.5% 3PT. Tyler Hansborough is the reigning National Player of the year: 20.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg. Wayne Ellington is one of the best shooters in the nation: 15.6 ppg, 39.7% 3PT. Danny Green is a versatile Dwayne Anderson-type: 13.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 41.5% 3PT. Deon Thompson (10.7 pts, 5.8 reb, 1.1 blk) would be the #1 big man on most teams in the country, but he stays under the radar playing second fiddle to Hansborough. On top of that, the Tar Heels have the best bench in the country, full of players that could start on any other team. 6'10 freshman Ed Davis (6.6 pts, 6.6 reb, 1.8 blk) might be the best NBA prospect of UNC's big men and he only plays 18.9 minutes off the bench. Booby Frasor (2.7 ppg) and Will Graves (4 ppg) are solid options off the bench. Finally, freshmen Tyler Zeller (3.5 ppg) and Larry Drew II (1.5 ppg) are two former McDonalds All-Americans that can barely even crack the rotation.

Famous Alumni: Basketball: Larry Brown, Vince Carter, Billy Cunningham, Hubert Davis, Brad Daugherty, Raymond Felton, Phil Ford, Rick Fox, Brendan Haywood, Antwan Jamison, Michael Jordan, George Karl, Mitch Kupchak, Sean May, Bob McAdoo, Rashad McCants, Sam Perkins, Kenny Smith, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Donnie Walsh, Marvin Williams, James Worthy, Brandan Wright
Other: Peter Gammons, Lewis Black, Billy Crudup, Andy Griffith, Stuart Scott, John Edwards, Moonlight Graham, Mia Hamm, Chris Iannetta, Marion Jones, Davis Love III, Eddie Pope, Lawrence Taylor


Fun Facts:

• UNC is the oldest public university in the United States.

• The nickname "Tar Heels" is a reference to North Carolina's tar production during the 18th century.

• Final Fours: UNC - 18, Nova - 4

• NCAA Championships: UNC - 4, Nova - 1

Complimentary Youtube Video: Time for revenge...


Final Verdict: North Carolina is the favorite, but these two teams have arguably been the two most dominant in the Tournament so far. UNC likes to run and score; they average 90 points per game and give up just 72. Villanova doesn't have the depth to run with them, so they will need to try to slow the game down by containing Ty Lawson because he is the engine that makes them go. This same North Carolina team made the Final Four last year, so they are definitely not content just to be there. But I get the feeling our guys are looking for a little something more as well. Can Villanova beat the mighty Tar Heels? Yes, but it will take a near perfect game to pull the upset, and luckily Villanova has some experience in doing that.

TV: 8:47 PM on CBS and NCAA.com

Links: Villanova.com, VUH, IBBW, VBTN, VV, VSB, LGN, Wiki, ESPN

Round 3: Duke

Foe: #2 Duke Blue Devils (30-6)

Recent History: Villanova and Duke have not met in almost a decade, when the Blue Devils won 98-85 in the 2000 preseason NIT. Villanova is 3-7 all-time against Duke, but their last win was way back in 1958. Duke has consistently been one of the top teams in the country this season, maintaining a spot in the top 10 and spending a week ranked #1. They won the ACC Tournament over Florida State, and had several quality wins during the regular season including: Michigan, Purdue, Xavier, Georgetown, and Wake Forest. Duke destroyed Binghamton by 20 in the first round, then escaped Texas by 5 points in the second round. They were powered by 24 points from Gerald Henderson, who has been the team's best player this season. The junior G/F is averaging 16.8 points per game, and is looking like a potential lottery pick in the NBA draft. Right behind him is 6'8 super-soph Kyle Singler, averaging 16.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Jon Scheyer is the third Dukie averaging double figures at 14.9 points per game, most of which come from behind the arc where he shoots 39.5%. Rounding out the starting five are forward Lance Thomas (5.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and freshman point guard Elliot Williams (4.2 ppg). Off the bench they have guard Nolan Smith (8.5 ppg), 7'1 center Brian Zoubek (4.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg), and David McClure (1.9 ppg). Last and least is the infamous Greg Paulus. The once starting point guard has had a significant drop off in every statistical category this season, most notably minutes. The former star high school quarterback has got to be second guessing his choice to play basketball.

Famous Alumni: Basketball: Tommy Amaker, Shane Battier, Jay Bilas, Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Johnny Dawkins, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, Mike Dunleavy, Jr., Daniel Ewing, Danny Ferry, Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, Dahntay Jones, Billy King, Christian Laettner, Corey Maggette, Shavlik Randolph, J.J. Redick, Jason Williams, Sheldon Williams
Other: Richard Nixon, Ron Paul, Paul Farmer, Michael Peterson, Jack Coleman, Tucker Max, Dave Brown


Fun Facts:

• University is named after tobacco industrialists James Buchanan Duke and his father Washington Duke.

• Duke has 3 National Championships, 14 Final Fours, 17 ACC Championships

• Duke has had a record 11 National Players of the Year

Complimentary Youtube Video:


Final Verdict: This game has the makings to be an instant classic. Duke and Nova are two big names in college basketball, and the teams play similar styles. If Nova can bring that same kind of physical play they used against UCLA, I don't think the Blue Devils will be able to handle it. Coach K is one of the best coaches in the game, but Villanova has an inside man (transer Taylor King) to share some of Coach K's secrets. I think it will be a close game, but if they play like they did against UCLA, Nova should win it.

TV: 9:57 PM, CBS and NCAA.com

Links: Villanova.com, VUH, IBBW, LGN, VBTN, VV, VSB, Duke, Wiki, AP

Round 2: UCLA

Foe: #6 University of California, Los Angeles Bruins (26-8)(13-5)

Recent History: Eric Maynor missed a shot at the buzzer, allowing UCLA to escape with a 65-64 win, setting up this second round matchup. UCLA is the most successful college basketball program of all time, and one of the best of the past few years. They have made 3-straight Final Fours, and like Villanova, this year's senior class its the winningest in school history. Villanova is 1-2 all-time against UCLA. Nova lost to the Bruins in the 1971 NCAA Championship game 68-62. The two schools later met for a home-and-home series in 2001 and 2002. UCLA won 93-65 at the Pauley Pavilion in '01. Then in '02, Jay Wright's first season, Nova upset the Jason Kapono led Bruins 58-57 at Villanova's Pavilion. UCLA lost a big chunk of last year's team to the NBA draft: Russell Westbrook (#4), Kevin Love (#5), and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (#37), and all three players have had impressive rookie seasons. Despite the losses, the Bruins return a good team led by a trio of seniors: shooting guard Josh Shipp (14.4 ppg), point gurad Darren Collison (14.4 ppg, 4.9 apg), and 6'9 F/C Alfred Aboya (9.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg). 6'9 forward Nikola Dragovic is a threat from the perimeter (9.4 ppg, 37.7% 3-PT). They also feature a talented freshman guard and future NBA prospect, Jrue Holiday (8.6 ppg), although his defense is probably better than his offense at this point. Ben Howland's teams always put defense first, and this team is no exception.

Best Win: 85-76 vs. then #19 Washington

Worst Loss: 82-81 vs. Washington State (only loss to a non-NCAA Tournament team)

Famous Alumni: Basketball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Arron Afflalo, Trevor Ariza, Matt Barnes, Baron Davis, Tyus Edney, Jordan Farmar, Dan Gadzuric, Gail Goodrich, Jason Kapono, Kevin Love, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Reggie Miller, Bill Walton, Earl Watson, Russell Westbrook
Other: Sean Astin, Elizabeth Berkley, Jack Black, Francis Ford Coppola, James Dean, James Franco, Heather Locklear, Marilyn Monroe, Tim Robbins, Ben Stiller, George Takei, Jim Morrison, John Williams, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Troy Aikman, Arthur Ashe, Jeff Conine, Troy Glaus, Jimmy Johnson, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Michelle Kwan, Jackie Robinson, Chase Utley


Fun Facts:

• UCLA has a record 11 National Championships: 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1995.

• UCLA won 88 consecutive games from 1971 to 1974.

• Overall, UCLA athletics have won 124 National Championships.

Complimentary Youtube Video:


Final Verdict: This UCLA team has seemingly flown under the radar this year, despite being ranked all season. A team with this much tournament experience should not be taken lightly. Villanova cannot afford to fall behind early to a team that is this good defensively. They need to play 40 minutes of Villanova Basketball to have any chance of winning. Most importantly, Scottie Reynolds needs to bring his 'A' game because Dante Cunningham will have a much tougher time scoring inside.

TV: 1:05 PM on CBS and NCAA.com

Links: Villanova.com, VUH, IBBW, LGN, VBTN, VSB, AP

Round 1: American

Foe: #14 American University Eagles (24-7) (13-1)

Recent History: Villanova is undefeated (8-0) all-time against American. The last time they met was in 1993 at the Pavilion when Nova won 94-62. This is the second year in a row that American has made the Big Dance; it's also their only two NCAA invitations in school history. Last year they were a 15-seed and lost in the opening round to 2-seed Tennessee 72-57. This year the Eagles dominated the Patriot League and are currently on a 13-game winning streak. American is without a quality win, but they have experience against good teams, with losses to Oklahoma, Georgetown, and Maryland. American's bread and butter is the 3-point shot. They have four players shooting over 38% from behind the arc, including 6'8 senior forward, Brian Gilmore (12.4 ppg, 5.4 reb, 42% 3-PT). The clear leader of the team is 5'11 senior shooting guard Garrison Carr. He is averaging 17.8 points per game and is shooting 38.7% from 3-point range. Carr has the capability to get hot from downtown; he sank 8 threes in a game vs. UMBC earlier this season to score a season-high 34 points.Carr proved that he can do it against real competition last year in the NCAAs when he dropped 26 points on 6-15 from three against Tennessee. However, Carr has struggled against top competition this year: 9.3 ppg and 9% 3-PT (3/32) in games vs. Oklahoma, Georgetown, George Washington, and Maryland. Senior point guard Derrick Mercer is the third Eagle averaging double digit scoring at 11.5 points per game (41.4% 3-PT).

Famous Alumni: Basketball: Kermit Washington

Other: Goldie Hawn, Ugly Betty, Star Jones, Barry Levinson, Judge Judy

Fun Facts:

• The university was chartered by an act of Congress in 1893, fulfilling George Washington's wishes for a "national university".

• American is ranked #1 Most Politically Active Campus in the United States by the Princeton Review.

• American University was the birthplace of the U.S. chemical weapons program, and chemical weapons were tested on campus in the early 1900s.

Complimentary Youtube Video:

Final Verdict: This is an experienced American team, riding a long winning streak, but I don't see them being able to handle Villanova's size and athleticism, not to mention the Philly crowd. Carr is the only player that worries me, but Reggie Redding should be able to shut him down. I think Villanova cruises to an easy victory and meets the winner of UCLA/VCU on Saturday.

TV: 7:20 PM on CBS and CBSsports.com

Links: Villanova.com, AUEagles.com, VUH, IBBW, LGN, VBTN, VV, VSB, American on Wikipedia

Nova to Face Marquette in Big East Quarterfinals

Foe: Marquette Golden Eagles (24-8)(12-6)

Recent History: Marquette and Villanova split the season series, with each team winning at home. Since the loss to Nova at the Pavilion on February 10, Marquette won three in row then lost their final four regular season games, all to ranked opponents. Part of the slide had to do with the loss of senior point guard Dominic James. James was a Nova-killer, always having big games against us. The rest of the team has struggled since James' season-ending injury, but they had no problem beating St. John's in the second round of the Big East Tournament today 74-45. The big three of Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews, and Lazar Hayward all scored in double figures. Maurice Acker has replaced James as the starting point guard. 

Final Verdict: I think the loss of Dominic James will be too much for the Golden Eagles to overcome, and Nova will win the rubber match and move on to the semifinals. Look for Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher to both have big games. Since Marquette plays small lineups, Jay Wright will likely play Fisher and Reynolds together more often. Fisher had 21 points in both games vs. Marqutte this season, while Reynolds had 15 and 27 points.

TV: ESPN 2:00 pm

Providence @ the Pavilion

Tonight is Villanova's regular season finale. They host Providence for a rematch of the February 4th meeting at the Dunkin Donuts Center. This time it is at the Pavilion where Nova is riding a 27 game winning streak.

• 2/4 Preview
  
• 2/4 Recap

This is a big game for both teams. With Marquette's loss to Pittsburgh last night, Villanova can lock up a top-4 seed and double-bye in the Big East Tournament with a win. Providence is on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, and a win tonight would probably put them in.

Since they last met, Providence has gone 4-3, highlighted by a 81-73 upset win over #1 ranked Pitt. Last time the Friars almost pulled off a remarkable comeback fueled by a barrage of 3-pointers. Nova will have to guard the perimeter tightly tonight because Providence has a few guys that can really shoot it.

I know Senior Night was technically February 19th versus Rutgers, but this is Dante, Shane, Dwayne, and Frank's last game at the Pavilion, and the last thing the winningest class in Villanova history wants to do is go out on a loss in front of the home crowd. Look for all the seniors to have big nights, especially Dante Cunningham. We all know how much he's improved since he stepped on campus, and I'm sure he'll want to cap it off with a great performance.

Links: AP, VUH, LGN, IBBW, VBTN, VV

Nova @ Notre Dame

Foe: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (16-12)(7-9)

Recent History: Villanova leads the all-time series 16-14. Last season Notre Dame won in a high scoring game at the Wachovia Center 90-80. The Irish were led by the inside/outside combo of Luke Harangody (25 points, 10 rebounds) and Kyle McAlarney (30 points, 5 assists). Nova was led by Antonio Pena's 17 points and 9 rebounds. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher scored 13 points each, and Stokes added 11. The only significant player Notre Dame lost from last year is Rob Kurz. Other than that, this is essentially the same team. Tory Jackson runs the point (10.9 ppg, 5.2 apg). They have two sharpshooting wingmen: McAlarney (16.1 ppg, 43% 3pt) and Ryan Ayers (10.9 ppg, 42% 3pt). And finally, Luke Harangody dominants the middle (23.6 ppg, 12.3 rpg).

Best Win: 90-57 vs. #7 Louisville

Worst Loss: 71-65 at St. John's

Famous Alumni: Basketball: Digger Phelps, Troy Murphy, Matt Carroll, Chris Quinn, Rob Kurz
Other: Ted Leo, William Mapother (Ethan from "Lost"), George Wendt, Condoleezza Rice, Regis Philbin, Hannah Storm, Steve Bartman, Tim Brown, Joe Montana, Brady Quinn, Ryan Grant, Mike Golic, Joe Theismann


Fun Facts:

• Named national champions in 1927 and 1936.

• Went to Final Four in 1978.

• First Big East team to go undefeated at home two consecutive seasons.

Complimentary Youtube Video:


Final Verdict: Harangody is the leading scorer, rebounder, and one of the best big men in the Big East, but I'm more worried about McAlarney in this game. You know Harangody is going to get his 20 and 10 no matter what, but Villanova can't afford to let McAlarney get hot from 3-point range. I assume Reggie Redding will be assigned to guard McAlarney. Redding will have his hands full, but he has had some success in shutting down perimeter scorers this season. Antonio Pena may be called upon to play a larger role. He had a good game against Notre Dame last year, and Nova will need some big bodies to throw at Harangody.

Notre Dame is very good at home, and the Irish are much better than their 16-12 record would indicate. They are in the same boat as Georgetown, with their backs against the wall, needing to basically win out to have any chance to make the NCAA Tournament. I would have been a lot more worried about this game if Nova beat Georgetown. However, coming off a tough loss like that, I think Villanova is going to come out and play their best basketball, which will be too much for the Fighting Irish.

TV: ESPN 7:00 PM

Links: Game Notes, AP, VUH, IBBW, LGN, VBTN, VV

Nova Hosts Georgetown Saturday

Foe: Georgetown Hoyas (14-12) (5-10)

Recent History: Villanova and Georgetown have a storied history, highlighted by "The Perfect Upset" in the 1985 NCAA Championship game. Georgetown leads the all-time series 38-27. Jay Wright is 5-6 vs. Georgetown, but the Hoyas are currently riding a four game winning streak against Nova. Last season Georgetown played Nova once in the regular season and once in the Big East tournament, with Nova losing both times. The regular season game at Georgetown ended on the controversial foul call on Corey Stokes, 55-53. Scottie Reynolds had a game-high 24 points, while Georgetown was led by Roy Hibbert and Jonathan Wallace. The Big East Tournament game was a 82-63 blowout, fueled by seventeen 3-pointers made by the Hoyas. Georgetown lost Hibbert and Wallace to graduation, but added the highly talented 6'11 freshman, Greg Monroe. This year's team is balanced with four players averaging double figures in scoring: DaJuan Summers (13.6), Greg Monroe (12.9), Chris Wright (12.9), Austin Freeman (12.3). Senior guard Jessie Sapp is also a player to watch. He's only averaging 6.6 points per game, but he had 23 points against us last year in the BET on 6-9 shooting from downtown.

Best Win: 74-63 at UConn

Worst Loss: 65-60 at Seton Hall

Famous Alumni: Basketball: Patrick Ewing, Allen Iverson, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutumbo, Sleepy Floyd, Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert
Other: Bill Clinton, Jim Gaffigan, Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight), a lot of politicians


Fun Facts:

• 5 Final Fours, 1 National Championship (1984)

• 7 Big East Tournament titles, 4 Big East regular season titles

• Nickname is derived from the Greek and Latin chant, "Hoya Saxa", which translates to "What rocks".

Complimentary Youtube Video:


Final Verdict: This has been a surprising and disappointing season for Georgetown. They were ranked seven spots ahead of Villanova in the preseason coaches poll at #18. I criticized that ranking at the time, and because of the losses of Roy Hibbert, Jonathan Wallace, Patrick Ewing Jr., Jeremiah Rivers, I wasn't as high on this team as most of the rest of the national media. Ironically, now after they have struggled through the Big East season, I am not as down on Georgetown as most of the national media is. They really don't have any horrible losses, and they do have some signature wins (#2 UConn, #8 Syracuse, #15 Memphis). Georgetown has the #1 toughest strength of schedule, which needs to be taken into consideration. Memphis is considered a lock for the tournament right now, and not only did Georgetown beat them, but I doubt Memphis would do much better than 5-10 playing Georgetown's Big East schedule. And there are plenty of other "Memphis's" out there being considered over Georgetown. Villanova's next opponent, Notre Dame is in the same situation. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but if Georgetown can win a couple more games, I think they deserve an at large bid. This all makes Saturday's meeting a very important game for Georgetown. I think Jay Wright and his players understand Georgetown's situation, and therefore will not overlook this game. I say Nova wins in a close game.

TV: 12:00 PM on ESPN

Links: Game Notes, AP, VUH, IBBW, VBTN, LGN, VV

Nova off to Chi-Town to face DePaul

Foe: DePaul Blue Demons (8-19) (0-14)

Recent History: Last season Villanova lost its Big East opener at DePaul 84-76, but they avenged that with a 76-69 win at the Pavilion to split the 2007-2008 season series. Corey Fisher led Nova with 23 points in the loss, while Scottie Reynolds had 21 in the win. Draelon Burns killed Nova in both games, but DePaul lost him to graduation. Sophomore Dar Tucker is the clear leader of this year's squad, averaging 18.4 points per game. Center Mac Koshwal averages around a double-double at 13.3 and 9.8, and Will Walker chips in about 13 points a game.

Famous Alumni:
Basketball: George Mikan, Mark Aguirre, Rod Strickland, Dave Corzine, Terry Cummings, Tyrone Corbin, Kevin Edwards, Quentin Richardson, Bobby Simmons, Steven Hunter, Andre Brown, Wilson Chandler


Other: Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy), Ray Manzarek (The Doors), John C. Reilly

Fun Facts:

• The University is named after St. Vincent de Paul, a 17th century French priest.

• With 24,300 students, DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the U.S.

• Won NIT in 1945

• Went to Final Four in 1979

• From Wikipedia: "In 1900, when the first athletic team to represent DePaul University was organized, the monogram "D" was selected for the uniforms. From this originated the nickname "D-men" which evolved into "Demons.""

Complimentary Youtube Video: I hate that it happened against Nova, but this is probably the sickest dunk I've seen live in the Pavilion...

Final Verdict: DePaul is having a rough season. They're still looking for their first Big East victory. They're not just losing games, they're losing by 20 points at home to teams like Seton Hall. I doubt many fans will show up to see an 0-14 team, so the crowd shouldn't affect Nova too much, especially since they were able to overcome the Dome crowd. The only thing I'm remotely worried about is if Dar Tucker goes off, similar to what Da'Sean Butler did for West Virginia. But WVU's team is miles ahead of DePaul, so I really don't see any way Villanova loses this game.

TV: WPHL 8:00 PM

Links: AP, VUH, VBTN, IBBW, LGN, VV

Nova Travels to Carrier Dome for Rematch with Cuse

Nova sailed to a 102-85 victory over the Syracuse Orange in the season's first meeting between these two teams at the Wachovia Center on February 7.

• Preview from first Syracuse game

• Recap from first Syracuse game

Last season Nova and Cuse split the regular season series with a rare away team sweep. This year I wouldn't be surprised if they split again, but this time with the more conventional home team wins. Since they last met, Syracuse lost at UConn 63-49 and beat Georgetown at home in overtime 98-94. The Dome is always a tough place to play, but considering how well Nova played them last time, I like our chances. Look for Corey & Corey to have another big game.

TV: CBS, 1:00 PM

Links: VUHoops, IBBW, VBTN, Villanova Viewpoint, Let's Go Nova

Senior Night vs. Rutgers

Foe: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-15) (1-11)

Recent History: The all-time series has been a little lopsided; Nova leads 23-8. However, Rutgers is on a one game winning streak after their 80-68 win at the RAC last season. The Scarlet Knights were led by Anthony Farmer and Mike Coburn who had 23 points each. Villanova was led by Malcolm Grant who also had 23 points. The loss was the first of five in a row, representing the low-point of Villanova's season before they bounced back all the way to the Sweet 16. This year Rutgers is led by freshman Mike Rosario (17 ppg) from St. Anthony. He is the only player on the team averaging double digit scoring, but they have a few players, including Farmer and Coburn, who are capable of stepping up. Rutgers has two of the top shot blockers in the nation: Greg Echenique and Hamady N'Diaye, both averaging 2.5 blocks a game.

Best Win: 75-56 vs. DePaul

Worst Loss:64-63 vs. St. Bonaventure

Famous Alumni: Basketball: Quincy Douby, Eddie Jordan, David Stern, Jim Valvano
Other: Marc Ecko, Bill Bellamy, James Gandolfini, Joe Borowski, David DeJesus, Tom Emanski

Fun Facts:

• Rutgers made the 1976 Final Four.

• Rutgers was one of the first four schools (Yale, Columbia, Princeton) to participate in intercollegiate athletics.

• Last year 786 Rutgers students broke the Guinness World Record for "Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Ninja Turtles".

Complimentary Youtube Video:

Final Verdict: Rutgers is 1-11 in the Big East, which means two things: 1) they are not very good, 2) they are hungry for a win. Villanova should take them seriously for that second part, and also keep in mind that they are a young team capable of getting better as the season progresses. With that said, it is senior night in the Pavilion, and I don't see any way Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson, Shane Clark, and Frank the Tank Tchuisi lose this one.

TV: ESPN2 9:00 PM

Links: VUHoops, IBBW, VBTN, Let's Go Nova, Villanova Viewpoint, Wiki, AP

The Mountaineers

Foe: West Virginia Mountaineers (16-8) (5-6)

Recent History: Villanova is 20-17 all-time vs. West Virginia, but is 3-5 against the Mountaineers during the Jay Wright era. Nova has had an especially hard time playing in Morgantown, where they haven't won since 1999. Last season Nova won 78-56 at the Pavilion in the only meeting between the two teams. Nova was led by Dwayne Anderson's 17 points, who is unlikely to play because of the knee injury, Corey Stokes' 16 points, and Corey Fisher's 6 assists. WVU was led by Joe Alexander's 11 points, but he has since bolted for the NBA. WVU went through a transformation last year when coach John Beilein left for Michigan and Bob Huggins returned to his alma mater. Huggins did a commendable job with Beilein's players considering the different systems they run. This year Huggins has his own recruits and it's a promising class consisting of Devin Ebanks (8.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg), Kevin Jones (5.6 ppg), Darryl Bryant (10 ppg), and Cameron Payne. Returning players Da'Sean Butler (17.3 ppg, 6 rpg) and Alex Ruoff (16.3 ppg, 3.5 apg) have found ways to excell in the new system.

Best Win: 75-58 at then #14 Georgetown

Worst Loss: 54-43 vs. Kentucky (their only loss to an unranked team)

Famous Alumni: NBA: Joe Alexander, Hot Rod Hundley, Jerry West
Other: Cheryl Hines, Marc Bulger, Chris Henry, Chuck Howley, Sam Huff, Adam "Pacman" Jones, Jerry Porter, Billy Mays

Fun Facts:

• Won 1942 and 2007 NIT

• From Wikipedia: "The Mountaineer was adopted in 1890 as the official school mascot and unofficially began appearing at sporting events in 1927. The new Mountaineer is selected each year by the Mountain Honorary during the final two men's home basketball games. Candidates must have at least a 2.5 GPA, write an essay about why they want to be the Mountaineer, attend an extensive interview process and garner the most cheers during the home basketball game. The successful candidate is awarded the formal title of "The Mountaineer of West Virginia University." The new Mountaineer receives a scholarship, a tailor-made buckskin suit with coonskin hat, and a period rifle and powder horn for discharging when appropriate and safe. There is always a backup Mountaineer, to step in when needed."

Complimentary Youtube Video: The man, the myth, the legend...

Final Verdict: I think this is the year Villanova finally gets a win at the WVU Coliseum. They are riding a hot 6 game winning streak and the offense is clicking (94, 102, 102 points in last 3 games). Nova will have to focus their defensive efforts on Butler and Ruoff, two great permiter scorers. I think Dante Cunningham will be the player of the game, but Corey Stokes could be the x-factor. He will need to play a bigger role with Anderson out.

TV: ESPN 9:00 PM

Links: Official, AP, VUHoops, VBTN, IBBW, LGN, Villanova Viewpoint

Marquette: Rematch

Preview: Villanova will look to win its 6th straight game, and 26th consecutive in the Pavilion, Tuesday night vs. Marquette. Of course this is the second time the teams will meet; Marquette won the first game 79-72. Since then Marquette went on a tear through the Big East, getting out to a 9-0 start, but that ended this past weekend when they were upset at South Florida 57-56. Nova fans should remember that South Florida is a scrappy team at home, so I won't take too much away from them for that loss. Marquette has not played any of the big three teams (UConn, Pitt, Louisville) yet, but they are for real. Nova and Marquette are similar teams, both guard-oriented, and Marquette has had the advantage recently because of their experience. However, the two Coreys are maturing by the day and Redding, Anderson, and Clark have made strides since the first meeting. I'd be extremely surprised if this isn't a very close game. I think the Pavilion crowd will help Nova squeak by with a W.

TV: ESPN2 7:30 PM

Links: 1/1 Preview, 1/1 Recap, VUHoops, AP, IBBW, VBTN, LGN

#20 Syracuse vs. #16 Villanova

Foe: #20 Syracuse Orange (18-5)(6-4)

Recent History: Syracuse holds a slight 34-28 advantage in the all-time series, but Villanova has won five of the past seven. Last season Nova and Cuse met three times, with Nova winning the first 81-71 at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse winning the second 87-73 at the Wachovia Center, and Nova winning the rubber match 82-63 in the Big East Tournament, a crucial game in which the winner would likely make the NCAA Tournament. Nova went on the NCAAs, while Cuse had to settle for the NIT. Syracuse lost leading scorer Donte Greene to the NBA, but have Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins back from injury this season. The key match-up for the game will likely be Scottie Reynolds vs. Johnny Flynn in the backcourt. Flynn averaged 21 points and 4 assists in the three games against Nova last season, while Reynolds averaged 20 points and 3 assists. Flynn is averaging 17 points and 6 assists this year to lead five Orangemen averaging double figures in scoring: Devendorf (15.2), Harris (13.0), Onaku (11.5), Rautins (10.0).

Best Win: 72-65 at Memphis

Worst Loss: 72-69 vs. Cleveland State

Famous Alumni: NBA: Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Coleman, Donte Greene, Rony Seikaly, Hakim Warrick
Other: Joe Biden, Marv Albert, Matthew Berry, Bob Costas, Ian Eagle, Ted Koppel, Sean McDonough, Mike Tirico, Jim Brown, Tom Coughlin, Dwight Freeny, Marvin Harrison, Donovan McNabb, Art Monk, David Tyree, Dick Clark, Taye Diggs, Frank Langella, Jerry Stiller, Vanessa Williams
Fun Facts:

• Syracuse won national championships in 1918, 1926, and 2003.

• Syracuse has had an NCAA record 38 consecutive winning seasons.

Complimentary Youtube Video:

Final Verdict: Like Nova, Syracuse has 6 Big East wins, although Cuse's best win is probably vs. Notre Dame, currently on a 6-game losing streak. They will still be a tough team to beat, even with a home court advantage. Syracuse fans usually fill up the upper deck at the Wachovia Center, which might be why they've had some success there. I think the x-factors in the game will be Corey Fisher for Villanova and Paul Harris for Syracuse, who dropped 28 on Nova at the Wach last year. These teams match up well and it should be a close game, but I think Villanova will prevail in front of the home crowd.

TV: ESPN 12:00

Links: VUHoops, AP, IBBW

Previewing Providence

Foe: Providence Friars (14-7)(6-3)

Recent History: Villanova has had recent success against the Friars. Nova is 48-34 all-time, winning the last five, including three straight at the Dunkin Donuts Center. Last season Nova won 73-63 at Providence in a balanced effort with four Wildcats in double figures. Dwayne Anderson led the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Friars were led by Randall Hanke (18 pts), Jeff Xavier (14 pts), and Weyinmi Efejuju (14 pts). Efejuku and Marshon Brooks are the leading scorers this year at around 13 a game, but Providence has five other players avergaing right around 10 points. They have a balanced team with any of those seven capable of leading the team on any given night.

Best Win: 100-94 vs. #15 Syracuse

Worst Loss: 70-66 vs. Northeastern

Famous Alumni: Peter Farrelly, Billy Donovan, Ryan Gomes, God Shammgod, John Thompson, Lenny Wilkens

Fun Facts:

• Providence is the only college in North American administered by the Dominican Order of Friars; hence the nickname.

• Providence went to Final Four in 1973 and 1987.

• Providence's only athletic national championship came in 1996 cross country.

Complimentary Youtube Video: WARNING: Don't foul Jeff Xavier, or you'll have to answer to his brother...

Final Verdict: Providence is a surprising 6-3 in the Big East. Most of their wins have come against the bottom dwellers, but they are still a dangerous team, especially at home. Nova has played well at the Dunkin Donuts Center and is riding a hot 3-game winning streak. I think Nova wins in a close game, with Scottie Reynolds having a big scoring night.

TV: 8:00 ESPN Full Court

Links: VUHoops, AP, IBBW, VBTN, LGN

Cincy Preview

Foe: Cincinnati Bearcats (14-7)(4-4)

Recent History: Villanova and Cincinnati have met only four times, and Villanova holds a 3-1 edge. The only loss came last season, 69-66, at Cincinnati. Villanova was led by Scottie Reynolds' 2007-2008 season-high 32 points. Corey Fisher had a chance to tie the game with 6 seconds left, but missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Cincinnati was led by Deonta Vaughn's 25 points, and he is the player to focus on this year as well. Vaughn leads the team in scoring (15.6) and assists (4.8). Mike Williams and Yancy Gates both average 10 points a game.

Best Win: 65-57 vs. #23 Georgetown

Worst Loss: Twice to Providence (87-79, 72-63)

Famous Alumni: Sandy Koufax, Kenyon Martin, Jason Maxiell, Oscar Robertson, Nick Van Exel, Kevin Youkilis

Fun Facts:

• Cincinnati moved from Conference-USA to the Big East in 2005.

• Nickname Bearcats originates from former football player Teddy Baehr.

• Won back-to-back national championships in 1961 and 1962, both against in-state rival Ohio State.

Complimentary Youtube Video: Mr. Triple Double...

Final Verdict: Villanova should have plenty confidence after the win over Pitt, but Cincy is off to a somewhat surprising 4-4 start in the Big East and can't be taken too lightly. I don't think there will be a letdown following the Pitt game because these Wildcats will be looking for the loss last season. Also the game is at the Pavilion where Nova has been dominant (24 game win streak).

TV: ESPN Full Court

Links: VUHoops, IBBW, VBTN, Let's Go Nova

Pitt @ the Spectrum

Foe: #3 Pitt Panthers (18-1)(6-1)

Recent History: Villanova and Pittsburgh seem to always play each other tough and the series record reflects that, with Nova holding a slight 30-27 edge. Last season these teams played each other twice and the home team won both times to split the season series. Nova edged out Pitt in the first game 64-63 at the Pavilion, led by Malcolm Grant's 22 points. The second contest was a little more lopsided, with Pitt winning 69-57, and Nova was led by Scottie Reynolds' 26 points. DeJuan Blair had a double-double in both games and dominated the boards (15 and 14 rebounds). Pitt went on to win the Big East Tournament and earned a 4-seed in the NCAAs, losing to Michigan State in the second round. The Panthers lost a few seniors (Mike Cook, Keith Benjamin, Ronald Ramon), but the main difference from this year's squad is the return of super-senior Levance Fields. Fields is a point guard in the truest sense, averaging 6.9 assists to 1.9 turnovers, and he really makes the offense go. Sam Young leads the team in scoring at 18.8 per game, and Blair is averaging a double-double (14.7 pts and 12.7 reb).

Best Win:78-60 vs. then #8 Syracuse

Worst Only Loss: 69-63 @ then #20 Louisville

Famous Alumni: Mike Ditka, Larry Fitzgerald, Aaron Gray, Dan Marino, Curtis Martin, Marty Schottenheimer, Mark Blount

Fun Facts:

• Pitt has reach the championship game of the Big East Tournament seven of the past eight years.

• Pitt has made the NCAA Tournament seven straight years.

• Earlier this season Pitt was ranked #1 nationally for the first time in school history.

Complimentary Video Clip:

Final Verdict: Pitt presents a tough test for Villanova. Antonio Pena and Dante Cunningham need to stay in the game to battle DeJuan Blair on the boards. Scottie Reynolds needs to look to score aggressively. I'm still waiting for that breakout game from Corey Stokes in Big East play... this would be a conveinvent time. Villanova is still looking for that stand-out victory, and a win here would do wonders for their tournament resume. I see this one being close and low scoring, like the Louisville game, but unlike then, hopefully Nova can pull out a win at the end of this one.

TV: 7:00 ESPNU

Links: VUHoops, AP, Official, IBBW, VBTN, Let's Go Nova