The Waiting Game

“I’m not even mad… That’s amazing.” That’s how Anchorman Ron Burgundy felt after his dog Baxter ate a whole wheel of cheese and pooped in the refrigerator. I feel the exact same way about Villanova’s late season collapse and their most recent one-point loss to South Florida. I just stared in shock at the way Nova played during that second half at Madison Square Garden. When Maalik Wayns’ potential buzzer beating shot rimmed off the basket, I wasn’t angry, it was more a feeling of awe and confusion. How did this Wildcats team, ranked nationally in the top-10 for much of the season, spiral out of control and end up on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament?

Villanova played like that top-10 team in the first half against the Bulls, taking a 16-point lead into halftime. However, the team that came out of that locker room was the one that has lost five games in a row and is continually finding new ways to lose each night. Some of it is bad luck, like the injury to Mouphtaou Yarou against the worst team possible, the tall athletic front court of South Florida. Or the knee tendentious that has been nagging Corey Fisher for a month. Or the hamstring and turf toe injuries that caused Corey Stokes to miss games. Or the back spasms that plagued Maalik Wayns. Or the knee injury back in January that Dominic Cheek hasn’t played the same since. These injuries are unfortunate, and there’s not a whole lot Jay Wright or anyone else can do about them. Injuries happen. It’s just a simple case of bad luck.

But then there’s the team’s inability to execute down the stretch of close games, which Jay Wright and his players absolutely can control. Villanova shot a perfect 20 for 20 from the free throw line until the final 48 seconds of the game, when they missed the front end of a 1-and-1 TWICE. Then there was the inbounds lob pass thrown up for grabs under the other team’s basket. Then there was the crater-sized opening left in the lane for Anthony Crater to drive to the basket for the winning layup. These are careless mistakes that well-coached, experienced teams should not make.

So where is that experience and leadership to take over at the end of these close games? Well that player is supposed to be preseason Wooden Award finalist, All-Big East 2nd Team player, senior guard and leading scorer, Corey Fisher. And he… WASN’T EVEN ON THE FLOOR FOR THE FINAL SEQUENCE OF THE GAME. This knee injury must be a lot worse than anybody thought it was, that Jay Wright wouldn’t trust his senior leader and all-around best player to get a defensive stop with the game on the line. Fisher put up decent enough stats (15 points, 3 assists), but watching him play, you can tell that something just wasn’t right. At first it simply appeared to be the case of a shooting slump, with 3-16, 1-10, 3-14 performances from the field over the past few games. Then the news came that Fisher was suffering from knee tendentious. But why should a knee injury affect his shooting stroke?

When you look closer, you’ll see that the injury has changed Fisher’s entire style of play. All season long, Fisher got to the free throw line about eight times per game, while taking about four 3-pointers. Over the past month, his free throw attempts and 3-point attempts per game have interchanged. Fisher’s bread and butter is driving to the basket and attacking defenders with his signature “Fisher Price” mid-air acrobatic moves. With the knee injury, he doesn’t have the athleticism to do that anymore, so he is settling for long jumpers, which has never been the strength of his game. Watching Fisher against USF, whenever he drove to the basket, he would dish the ball to avoid contact, rather than trying to draw a foul. The real issue isn’t that Fisher is missing so many 3-pointers (0-8, 0-8, 3-8, 1-8, 1-4), it’s that he’s being forced to attempt that many in the first place. Fisher has made just NINE free throws through this five-game losing streak, an amount that he would easily make in a single game earlier this season. It’s a shame Fisher’s injury had to happen now, when he was in the midst of a fantastic final season, but it’s time we exit the denial phase. Once we the fans, the team, the coaches, and Fisher himself acknowledge that this injury is significant and is having a negative impact on the team, we can begin to try to figure out how to overcome it.

Jay Wright’s system is designed around the point guard. It’s been described as the “take ‘em” offense. He relies on his point guards to run plays and create shots for themselves and others using the dribble drive. This worked great in 2006 when he had four great point guards (Randy Foye, Kyle Lowry, Allan Ray, and Mike Nardi), and the team went to the Elite 8. It can even work with just two great point guards (Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher), as we saw two years ago in the run to Final 4. And it worked earlier this season with the combination of Corey Fisher and Maalik Wayns. The problem is that now, with Fisher’s injury, the team really only has one and a half point guards, and that one is still just a sophomore. If Villanova does make the NCAA Tournament, Jay Wright will have to fundamentally change his offensive philosophy for the team to have any chance of winning a game. How do you do that?

You can start by taking some notes from the Notre Dame and South Florida playbooks and start setting screens for Corey Stokes on the perimeter. Both teams made an effort through set plays to get open looks for thier sharpshooters, Tim Abromaitis (9-13 3PT vs. Nova) and Shaun Noriega (6-12 3PT vs. Nova). Stokes made 3 of 6 from downtown and scored 16 points in the first half against USF. As Justin Timberlake would say, “Six 3-pointers isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? Twelve 3-pointers.” If Jay Wright can figure out a way to get Stokes twelve shots a game from behind the arc, he will likely make at least half of them. Guess how many shots Stokes got off in that atrocious second half collapse against South Florida… ONE… And he missed it. And you wonder why Nova made only four field goals and zero 3-pointers in the second half of that game. With Fisher banged up and Wayns inexperienced, the offense needs to center around the best shooter on the team, Corey Stokes. The good news is Jay Wright has over a week to adjust his system in preparation for the NCAA Tournament, if they are lucky enough to earn a bid.

Which brings us to the ultimate question… Will Villanova make the Big Dance? Fortunately for now, most experts say yes. Nova’s body of work is impressive enough, though losing their last five games will certainly hurt their seeding. Heck, even St. Joe’s alum and ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi has the Wildcats still in the Dance, albeit as an 11-seed. Nova appears to be safe for now, but with conference tournaments running throughout the country, you never know what upsets may loom. For now, it’s the waiting game. Villanova will have to sit in anticipation to hear if their name is called on Selection Sunday, and who knows, maybe that will be just enough time for Yarou's face and ribs, Stokes' hamstring and toe, Cheek's knee, Wayns' back, and Fisher's knee to heal. One could hope.

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".

Nova and USF in the Olympics

That was exactly what Villanova needed to break their 2-game losing streak, a good old fashioned Pavilion smackdown. Nova beat South Florida 74-49 for their 37th consecutive win at the Pavilion, although it wasn't as easy as the final score would indicate. The Bulls cut Villanova's lead down to six in the second half before Villanova pulled away for good.

With the Winter Olympics in full effect, it got me thinking. How would Nova's players do if they pursued an Olympic sport instead of basketball.

Maalik Wayns - Speed Skating

With the way Wayns jets from coast to coast on the hardwood, I'm sure he could challenge Apolo Ohno and Shawnee Davis for some gold medals.

Antonio Pena - Hockey

With his intimidating size and strength, I think 'Tone would make a good hockey goon. Pena had a handful of monster jams in the game, finishing with 14 points and 7 rebounds.

Corey Fisher - Freestyle Skiing

Fisher Price uses aerial improv skills when trying to avoid taller defenders for layups, making for a perfect transition to the aerial moves needed for freestyle ski jumps. A few of Fisher's signature lay ups that usually drop took some unlucky bounces last night, resulting in a poor FG% and just 7 points.

Isaiah Armwood - Ski Jumping (Long Jump)

He has the ups to jump over his own coach, plus he has the slender frame for longer hangtime.

Reggie Redding - Curling

Like Redding's game, curling isn't the flashiest or most athletic sport, but it requires smart decision making, strategy, and precision. Redding had an inconspicuous final Pavilion game on Senior Night, just 2 points and 2 assists and limited by foul trouble. However, the more observant will realize Redding played a major role in limiting Dominique Jones, one of the Big East's best scorers, to 12 points on 2-10 shooting.

Corey Stokes - Biathlon

Nothing goes together quite like guns and skiing. Stokes has the necessary combination of speed and long-range shooting accuracy. Stokes had 11 points, knocking down multiple threes for the first time in five games.

Taylor King - Snowboard Halfpipe

King is from Huntington Beach, California, so he probably knows how to surf, which will make for an easy transition to the snow. He just needs to grow his hair out to fit in with Shaun White.

Mouphtaou Yarou, Maurice Sutton, Jarrid Famous, and Augustus Gilchrist - Bobsled Team

Hey, if Jamaica can have a bobsled team, why not Benin? Okay, they probably wouldn't be any good, but I would just love to see a bunch of 6'10 and 6'11 guys try to fit into a little bobsled.

After a good showing against UConn, I was surprised to see Mouph only play one minute at Pitt. Then Jay rewarded the big man with a season high 24 minutes against USF, and he didn't disappoint. He is still raw offensively, scoring just 4 points, but he had 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 steals.

Dominic Cheek - Alpine Skiing

Downhill racing requires speed, athleticism, fearlessness, and luck... Kind of like the lucky no-call on Cheek's put-back dunk that was probably offensive interference. Let's just hope Cheek doesn't start playing drunk like Bode Miller.

Scottie Reynolds - Figure Skating

Before you laugh, wait a minute and hear me out. Figure skating is the most popular event at the winter games. The skater is under intense pressure to deliver a flawless routine in front of huge crowds. You need to be precise and crafty performing jumps, flips, loops, axles, and spins. Most importantly, you need to be clutch and calm under pressure, which coincidentally are two of Scottie Reynolds' greatest attributes. Naturally Scottie would also spice up the event like Will Ferrell in Blades of Glory.


Last night was Scottie's final game at the Pavilion, and he put on a show for the fans with some spectacular shots en route to his game-high 21 points. It may have been his last time playing in the Pavilion, but I'm sure we'll be seeing that #1 jersey hanging up in the rafters sometime in the near future.

Russell Wooten and Jason Colenda - Doubles Luge

The student section showed some appreciation to the walk-on Wooten on Senior Night, and although he's no longer on the team, we can't forget about the other senior walk-on, Jason Colenda. Now it's time for them to pass the Olympic torch to the next Villanova walk-on.

Nova Survives Rumble in South Florida

Final Score: #21 Villanova 70, South Florida 61

Player of the Game: Dwayne Anderson - 7 pts, 11 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk

Recap: Keeping with the theme from last year...

The Good

- Dwayne Anderson's game high 11 rebounds, his 3-pointer, and his driving layup and subsequent offensive rebound off of his missed free throw to help seal the victory... That earns player of the game honors in my eyes.

- Dante Cunningham while on the court (14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks).

- Scottie Reynolds tied a season-high 7 assists.

- The two Corey's were both great off the bench: 10 points each in 18/19 minutes. I still think they could be seeing a little more playing time because either one is Nova's best third scoring option.

- Reggie Redding had a decent night offensively (11 points) to compliment his gritty defense.

- Shane Clark had a season-high 8 rebounds, and he hit a 3-pointer despite having a soft cast on his wrist.

- Nova picks up a valuable Big East road win and moves back to .500 in conference.

The Bad


- Dante Cunningham while off the court. He missed 21 minutes because of foul trouble.

- Antonio Pena (6 points, 1 rebound) couldn't continue his hot streak from the past 3 games, where he was averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds.

- Scottie Reynolds had a season-low 7 points.

- The fact that this game was as close as it was. Villanova appears to be playing to the level of their competition this season.

The Ugly


- I called it a rumble because this game was physical. There were 48 foul calls total. Two players fouled out (Reggie Redding and Dominique Jones) and both Dante Cunningham and Antonio Pena saw limited playing time due to foul trouble.

- The roughest foul of the game was called on Corey Stokes... and there was actually contact on this one as opposed to the questionable call versus UConn.

- Dante's "dunk/layup" that somehow went in... it wasn't pretty but 2 points are 2 points.

Nova Travels to South Florida

Foe: South Florida Bulls (7-11)(2-4)

Recent History: Villanova is undeafeated (2-0) all-time against USF. Villanova's first and only trip to South Florida came in 2005-06, when Randy Foye led the Wildcats to a 49-46 victory. Last season Nova won 72-59 in the Pavilion and were led by Shane Clark's 15 points and 7 rebounds. Dominique Jones had 29 points in that game, and averaging 18.8 points per game, he will be the player to watch this time around as well. 

Best Win: 80-58 at Depaul

Famous Alumni: Chucky Atkins, Hulk Hogan, Tony La Russa

Fun Facts: 

• South Florida's basketball program was founded in 1971.
  
• USF joined the Big East in 2005.
  

Complimentary Youtube Video:

Final Verdict: Nova needs to win this game. With the Big East as rigorous as it is, you need to win the easy ones. That doesn't mean this game will be a gimmie. USF has two Big East wins already and they played Syracuse close. However, if Villanova plays as well as they did in the UConn loss, they should walk away with a victory.

TV: ESPN Full Court 12:00

Links: AP, IBBW, VUHoops

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 vs. USF: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Final Score: Villanova 72, South Florida 59

Player of the Game: Shane Clark 15 pts, 7 reb

Recap:
The Good

• SHANE CLARK IS BACK! Shane had his best game in a long time, scoring in double figures for the first time since December. He had 15 points on 7-11 shooting, 7 rebounds, an assist, and he even knocked down a three. He also had one of the sickest dunks of the season; a one-handed put-back slam off of a Malcolm Grant missed three. It's great to see Shane back in form.

• An extremely rare Scottie Reynolds dunk. He set the tone early with a one-handed slam on a break-away. He had 9 points for the game.

• Dwayne Anderson's effort. The play where he went diving into the stands to save a loose ball says it all. He gives 100% all game long and will dive after any loose ball. He had 7 points and 10 rebounds. He also made a nice play where he faked the pass then went up for a one-handed slam.

• Villanova's team defense. They held USF to 31.5% from the field and 17.4% from 3-point range.

• Reggie Redding's defense. He had 2 blocks and 2 steals in only 16 minutes of play. He only had 3 points, but had 3 assists and no turnovers.

• A Frank Tchuisi sighting. The Cameroonian made his first free throw of the season for his only point of the night.

The Bad

• Corey Stokes' 3-point shooting. He was 0-5 from long-range. The team as a whole wasn't much better at 18.8% (3-16). I'm sure Stokes will shake this night off and shoot better next game.

• Corey Fisher's continued shooting woes. He was 1-5 from three and 2-6 from the field for 6 points total. He has never really recovered from his 1-16 FG night against Georgetown. Fish is 2 for his last 20 from behind the arc.

• Casiem Drummond's foul trouble. Cas fouled out with 6:37 left in the second half, despite only playing 12 minutes. It's a shame because he was effective while on the court. He had 6 points, 7 boards, and a block in his short time on the floor. If Drummond can stay out of foul trouble it will significantly help Nova make a run in the Big East Tournament.

• Dante Cunningham got two quick fouls that kept him on the bench for most of the first half. He was a perfect 4-4 from the field to score 8 points.

• Villanova gave up 29 points to USF freshman Dominique Jones, although he did take 21 shots to do it.

The Ugly

• Villanova's play in the the final 3 minutes. Sloppy passes, turnovers, fouls, and quick shots when they should have been running the clock down. Malcolm Grant in particular was playing out of control in the final minutes and looked like he was trying to do too much. Luckily Villanova had a big enough cushion of a lead that it didn't matter.

• Villanova's sloppy play in the middle of the second half. USF cut the lead to 6, before Nova was able to pull away and go up by as many as 23.

• Shane Clark missed three dunks. The first was forgivable because it was a difficult one-handed tomahawk that would've been one of the best dunks of the season. The last was unacceptable: a two-handed dunk right under the basket.

• USF's intentional foul on Antonio Pena. A USF player pushed Pena in the back right under the basket, but Tone still made the the lay-up. Pena finished with 10 points.

• The Wavecam. It's more like the "Blair Witch cam". It's not a bad idea, but the camera moved around too much, and the ball got cut off the screen a few times.

Next Game: Sat. Mar. 8, 7:30 pm, at Providence