Midseason NNBEPP

I haven't been able to post for the past few days, so let's make up for lost time with a mid-season Nova News Big East Power Poll. I am overdue for one, anyway. Scroll down to Providence and UConn for specific thoughts on Nova's recent games against those teams. And DePaul fans scroll at your own risk... you might break your mouse trying to get down to my thoughts on the Blue Demons.

1. Villanova (22-3, 11-2)
Sure, I'm biased, but I think Villanova deserves the top spot. Mainly because...

2. Syracuse (24-2, 11-2)
I'm not completely sold on the Orange. For some reason I can't get the words Moyne and Le out of my mind. Nevertheless, the February 27 showdown at the Carrier Dome should be awesome with a capital Dickie V.

3. West Virginia (19-5, 8-4)

I'm surprised Deniz Kilicli has the time to juggle playing college basketball while promoting his new movie The Wolfman.

4. Georgetown (18-6, 8-5)
I was feeling pretty good about Nova's loss to the Hoyas, until they lost to the mess that is Rutgers basketball.

5. Pittsburgh (19-6, 8-4)
I'm not sure why, but the Panthers have all the looks of a team that will get upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in a 5/12 or 6/11 game.

6. Louisville (16-9, 7-5)
After watching last week's episode of "Inside Villanova Basketball with Jay Wright" (There's not much better than Jay Wright up close in HD), I stuck around after to catch some of Jim Boeheim's show, and he said something to the effect of, "Louisville will be one of the best teams in the conference when the season's over". I know what you're up to Boeheim. Talk up the competition so that when you lose to them at home, it doesn't look as bad.

7. Connecticut (15-11, 5-8)

I had to bump up UConn a few spots after Monday night's upset. They are much better than their record would indicate. I can't believe this team has lost so many games, perhaps it was due to Calhoun's absence. The Huskies have two of the best guards in the country in Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker, and they have a deep front court full of long athletic players. Plus they have a balanced combination of youth and experience. They don't even have any horrible losses. They've really just been victims of a brutal schedule, which happens when you play in the best conference in the country. Couple the win over Villanova with their win over Texas, and UConn has beaten two of the best teams in the country. I'd be shocked if UConn doesn't make a late season run and make a case for an NCAA Tourney bid. Meanwhile, Boeheim just called me a hypocrite.

UConn is a good team, but it didn't help that the Huskies saved their best game of the season for the Cats. Nova had difficulty with UConn's size, getting killed in the paint (out-rebounded 36-26 and a 44-20 free throw differential). Pena, Sutton, and Stokes all fouled out. Nova especially needed Pena to combat UConn's size, but although he scored 10 points, he grabbed just 3 rebounds in 18 minutes. Mouphtaou Yarou got some extra playing time against UConn's front court, and he showed some flashes of his sky-high upside. Mouph had 6 points, 5 boards, and 3 blocks in just 13 minutes. Extended that over a full game, and Yarou could become a double-double and shot-blocking machine in the future. While Yarou is taking steps forward in his development, Taylor King has taken a giant step back. King has gone ice cold shooting 1-16 over the last 3 games. Though, to his credit, he has grabbed 16 rebounds over that time as well. Scottie Reynolds had a rare game where he played better in the first half (14 points) than the second (4 points).

Kemba Walker showed just how good he can be with a career-high 29 points. Walker got to the line 16 times and his back court mate Jerome Dyson got there 14 times. It's hard to believe that a team with those two guards playing together has lost so many games. Both are capable of putting up a triple-double any given night... the good kind of triple-double, not the kind Stanley Robinson nearly had Monday night (10 points, 7 rebounds, 7 turnovers). Finally, Isaiah Armwood made Dante Cunningham proud with the Villanova dunk of the year so far, not counting Armwood's dunk over Jay Wright at Hoops Mania.

8. Marquette (16-8, 7-5)
The Golden Eagles will likely end the season with the honor of being the only Big East team to lose to DePaul.

9. Cincinnati (15-10, 6-7)
I'm eager to see Lance Stephenson in action, but why do I get the feeling he will have his best game of the season against us.

10. Notre Dame (17-9, 6-7)
Dear Big East coaches,
Please do not vote Luke Harangody Big East Player of the Year. That is all.
Thank you.

11. Seton Hall (14-9, 5-7)
Naturally, one game after scoring 32 points on Nova, Jeremy Hazell scores just 2 points at Pitt.

12. South Florida (16-9, 6-7)
Villanova will have their hands full trying to contain Dominique Jones. His 46 points against Providence are the third most in a NCAA game this season. Arkansas' Rotnei Clarke is number one with 51 points against Alcorn State.

13. Providence (12-13, 4-9)

Once again, Scottie Reynolds steps it up in the second half to lead his team to victory. Corey Fisher also had 22 points, and in Reynolds' shadow, Fisher is quietly putting together an incredible season. Nova fans know how good he is, but I think Fisher Price is underrated nationally. Speaking of underrated, Antonio Pena had 15 and 12 for his sixth double-double of the season. The future looks bright for Friars freshman Vincent Council who had 21 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds.

14. St. John's (14-10, 4-8)

Anthony Mason Jr. needs to start shaving words and designs into his hair like his father used to. I guarantee it will improve his play.

15. Rutgers (14-12, 4-9)
I still don't understand how Rutgers beat Georgetown with Mike Rosario shooting 3-16. Maybe their win over Division II powerhouse Caldwell College in their previous game gave them the preparation and confidence they needed.

16. DePaul (8-17, 1-12)
You know things are bad when you start offering scholarships to 12 year olds.

Must-See Dante Dunk

Dante Cunningham posterizes Amare Stoudamire.

Nova Mauls Mountaineers

That was Villanova's most impressive game of the season. Coming off a tough loss at Georgetown, to go into a hostile environment like Morgantown and control the game from start to finish shows just how great this team is.

Fisher Price was single-handedly dominating the Mountaineers, until the zebras took him out of the game by calling him for a ridiculous fourth foul with 14:21 remaining. There were more charges called in this game than at a bull fight. Fisher finished with 17 points and 3 assists, including a beautiful cross court zip pass that set up Maurice Sutton for a jam.

Luckily for Nova, when Fisher stepped out, Scottie Reynolds stepped up. After scoring just two points in the first half, Scottie went off for 19 in the second. You've probably heard about Scottie's trip to the game last weekend on a train full of Georgetown fans. The problem with being this good for four years is that opposing fans get to know you a little too well. The signs and chants get more creative; I can only imagine the kinds of things Scottie's sees and hears on the road.

I've been having nightmares about Da'Sean Butler since he dropped 43 points on us last year, but thankfully he did more to hurt his team than help in this game. He was just 2-12 shooting from the field and had 4 turnovers. Reggie Redding and Corey Stokes deserve a lot of credit for shutting Butler down.

Antonio Pena just missed another double-double with 10 points and 9 rebounds. He had about three or four wide open dunks under the basket. Pena's strong play was encouraging because WVU has a strong front court with Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones.

It was like a game within a game watching Taylor King and ...pause for spell check... Deniz Kilicli battle in the post. King was ice cold shooting the ball (0-6), but he pulled down 8 rebounds and blocked 3 shots.

Isaiah Armwood had 8 points and 4 rebounds off the bench. Once he puts on some more muscle and learns to finish stronger around the basket, he could become a force. I already like how active he is on defense and the boards.

No wonder Wellington Smith had zero points in 17 minutes, with that name he sounds more like an English butler than a basketball player.

Dominic Cheek provided a nice boost in the first half, scoring 7 points in 6 minutes, but he only played 2 minutes in the second half. Maalik Wayns didn't play at all in the second half after playing three minutes in the first. Mouph Yarou didn't play at all, but it's unclear if it is health related.

Apparently there was a blackout in the locker room when Truck Bryant got dressed before the game. Did you see those blue shoes?

Super Sloppy Snowy Weekend

The weekend saw a series of unexpected events: Washington DC got covered in three feet of snow, Georgetown scored 100+ points for only the second time in school history, Villanova committed 16 first half turnovers, Georgetown attempted 27 more free throws than Villanova, and the New Orleans Saints won their first ever Super Bowl. Villanova dropped their first Big East game of the season 103-90 to the Hoyas, ending their 11-game winning streak. Nova certainly didn't play their best game of the season, but you can't hang your head in shame after losing on the road to the 8th ranked team in the country. Georgetown is a very good team, and there might be a rubber match in the future for these two Big East rivals. Below are more thoughts on the game, and on that other game from Sunday night.

You Can't Beat Perfection
Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees was an outstanding 32/39, throwing 2 touchdowns, and completing 18 of his final 19 passes. Jason Clark played the game of his life and seemingly couldn't miss from downtown. He made six of seven 3-pointers to score 24 points. Nova was so busy trying to stop Greg Monroe inside, that they continually left Clark wide open on the perimeter. Oh yeah, and they couldn't stop Monroe either (19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists).

Great Players, Bad Turnovers
Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks ever, but he threw an interception on the Colts' final drive, securing the loss. Scottie Reynolds is one of the best players in the country, and you might look at the 24 points and 6 assists and think he had a great game. However, he had six costly turnovers, four of which came in the first half when Nova dug itself into a 23-point deficit.

Coaching Gambles
Sean Payton made a risky decision to open the second half with an onside kick and it paid off. John Thompson III faced a tough decision when his point guard Chris Wright picked up his fourth foul early in the second half. He put Wright back in with around 10 minutes left, and Wright later fouled out with about 5 minutes left, but ultimately none of it mattered as the Hoyas maintained a double digit advantage throughout the second half. Villanova fought til the end and technically won the second half 59-53, but I thought the Cats could have played much better considering Georgetown played most of the second half without a point guard.

And You Thought Those Fans Were Rowdy
Who Dat Nation was partying all night on Bourbon Street, but wait until you see the West Virginia fans tonight. Villanova better bring some helmets to wear while their sitting on the bench.

Nova Sinks Pirates into Davy Jones' Locker

Villanova survived a scare from the hot-shooting Jeremy Hazell to defeat the Seton Hall Pirates 81-71. The game sparked some meaningful questions, which I will attempt to answer below.

Is Scottie Reynolds the greatest Villanova Wildcat of all time?
Scottie scored 15 points, and in the process reached the 2,000 career point milestone. Regardless of whether or not he catches Kerry Kittles (2,243), Scottie is certainly in the discussion for the best Wildcat of all time. It's always difficult comparing players from different eras, but Scottie has a big edge in Tournament success. If he can somehow lead his team all the way, like Ed Pinckney in 1985, it would be hard to argue for anyone else in a Villanova uniform being better than Reynolds.

Why won't Nova lose in the Pavilion?
Villanova extended its Pavilion win-streak to 36 games in front of someone else who knows a thing or two about long streaks, Cal Ripken Jr. Villanova has only one more game in the Pavilion this season, February 24 against South Florida. The Bulls have Dominique Jones, a scorer that I fear even more than Hazell, but I like Nova's chances to carry the streak into the 2010-2011 season. So why is the team so dominant in its on campus home?
1. The Campus Food - They never have to worry about playing on an empty stomach with the all-you-can-eat buffets at the Pit and Spit.
2. The Proximity - No planes, trains, or automobiles. They can just roll out of bed and walk to the game.
3. The Banners - I bet the team gets a little extra motivation when they look up to the rafters and see the 1985 Championship banner, the 2009 Final Four banner, and all the retired jerseys.
4. The Student Section - It's always difficult for opponents to focus in the second half when they have to deal with this behind their basket:

5. The Quality of Opponent - It's no secret Villanova plays most of its bigger games at the Wachovia Center. Many of the wins have come against easier opponents, but the streak is impressive nonetheless.

Has Antonio Pena turned a corner?

Pena followed up his double-double against Notre Dame with 16 points and 8 rebounds, but I think it has more to do with the quality of the opponents. Seton Hall only had one player over 6'6 (Herb Pope) play more than 3 minutes, and even he is only 6'8. Pena has proven he can dominate average big men, but he has struggled against the elite in the Big East like Greg Monroe, Samardo Samuels, and Mac Koshwal.

Is Jeremy Hazell an NBA player?

He may get drafted, but I don't think Hazell's game will translate to the next level. He reminds me of Adam Morrison, in that he is an elite college scorer, but is a one dimensional player. He is the star of his team and excels by taking lots of shots (12-23 for 32 points last night). In the NBA he won't be the best scorer on the team, and he won't have the luxury of chucking it up every time he touches the ball.

Is Villanova the deepest team in the country?
Nova certainly has the deepest back court in the country. Jay Wright had 10 players log over 10 minutes in the game. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher seem to be the constants, but Redding, Pena, Stokes, Wayns, King, and Cheek are all capable of lighting up the scoreboard. Aside from Pena, it was Stokes who stepped up in this game. When Seton Hall was making a run in the second half, Stokes hit three dagger 3-pointers and scored 11 points to help bury the Pirates.

Are there actually any pirates in New Jersey?

Surprisingly, yes. Famous pirates such as Blackbeard, Captain Morgan, and Captain Kidd patrolled the waters between Sandy Hook and New York City during the 17th and 18th centuries. According to legend, Kidd buried treasure somewhere in central Jersey. Rumor has it season two of "The Jersey Shore" will have the cast members searching for the treasure.

What the hell is going on in Lost?
Sorry, I've got no answers for that one.

Nova Neutralizes Notre Dame

Villanova took control in the second half to cruise to a 90-72 victory over Notre Dame. At 19-1 (8-0) Villanova is off to its best start to a season ever. The Wildcats displayed their depth with seven players scoring at least eight points. Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds led the way with 17 points each. On the Fighting Irish side Luke Harangody, like a robot, put up 21 points and 9 rebounds. Reynolds and Harangody are two of the leading candidates for Big East Player of the Year, and I hope this game tape is sent to the coaches after the season because it is exhibit-A as to why Scottie Reynolds should win Big East POY over Harangody. Here are the reasons why:

1. Wins and losses matter.
Yeah, Harangody got his 21 and 9, but his team lost (again). The Irish are in the middle of the pack in the Big East (4-4), whereas Reynolds' Wildcats are in first place (8-0). I know last season doesn't factor into this year's voting, but Notre Dame had very high expectations (preseason #9), yet failed to make the NCAA Tournament. He's only one piece of the puzzle, but the team's best player deserves part of the blame for that. Oh yeah, and Scottie Reynolds just so happened to make a game-winning shot to send his team to the Final Four. Back to this season, if Nova finishes first in the Big East and earns a #1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, and Notre Dame fails to make the NCAA Tournament, it will be tough the give the award to Harangody over Reynolds.

2. Reynolds makes his teammates better, Harangody does not.
Harangody has taken almost double the amount of shots as the next player on his team, so obviously the offense runs through the big man. Yet he is averaging less than two assists per game (1.7), and he's averaging over two turnovers per game (2.2). Reynolds, on the other hand, dishes out 3.3 assists per game, despite Corey Fisher (4.3) being the primary play maker. Reynolds has also significantly reduced his turnovers since Big East play started (1.6). They both only had one assist in this game, but Reynolds had just one turnover compared to Harangody's four.

3. Defense.
Scottie Reynolds isn't necessarily a lock down defender, but he gives full effort on the defensive end. I'm not sure Harangody even runs back on defense. For all I know he remains camped out under his own basket the entire game. Harangody is notorious for avoiding contact on the defensive end, afraid of getting into foul trouble. Need further proof? Look at the game the man Harangody was guarding, Antonio Pena, had. Pena had 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists, his first double-double of Big East play. The 14 points were the most he scored since he battled the ferocious front court of Fordham. It was the first time Pena reached double figure rebounds in Big East play. I love Pena, he's a very solid player, but he hasn't been the double-double machine that he was earlier in the season against the bigger athletic forwards of the Big East. Harangody may score and rebound like a Big East stud, but he defends like a mid-major dud.

4. Scottie is clutch, Luke is ???
Harangody scored 16 points in the first half, but disappeared in the second half where the game was decided, while Reynolds was busy scoring 13 of his points. Reynolds has made countless clutch plays and game-winning shots over his career, while Harangody's clutch factor is unknown because he hasn't played in enough big games during his time at Notre Dame.

5. Harangody is ugly.
Plain and simple. You don't want to see that mug on a plaque.

Nova Downs Red Storm (Must See TV Edition)

Villanova trailed by one at halftime, but Jay Wright's squad returned from MSG's locker room with tenacity, going on to beat the St. John's Red Storm 81-71. Nova was carried by a trio of 6-foot-nothing scoring assassins. Scottie Reynolds led the way with 19 points. Corey Fisher scored 18 and Maalik Wayns added 16 points. Villanova is now alone in first place in the Big East at 7-0, their best start ever to conference play.

Now that Leno has officially stolen the Tonight Show back from Conan, NBC is left scrambling to find replacement programing for its 10:00 time slot. Luckily, I have some ideas involving members of the Villanova basketball community.

Monday 10:00 PM
"Saved by the Bell: The College Years II (The New New Class)"
A reboot of the sequel to the hit series. Featuring Taylor King as California beach bum Zack Morris, Antonio Pena as muscle-bound A.C. Slater, Maurice Sutton as the wacky Screech Powers, and Ed Pinckney as the former sports star who returns to school as an R.A.

10:30 PM
"Fresh Prince of Benin"
Starring Mouphtaou Yarou as Will Smith and Russell Wooten as his cousin Carlton Banks. Watch as high jinks ensue while Mouph makes his transition from Africa to life in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

Tuesday 10:00 PM
"Rollie's Recipes"
A cooking show hosted by Rollie Massimino, featuring his famous Italian pasta dishes.

10:30 PM
"The Two Coreys"

A reality show following Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes in their lives after high school in New Jersey as they try to balance athletics and academics.

Wednesday 10:00 PM
"Law and Order: PSU" (Public Safety Unit)
A new addition to the Law and Order franchise, starring Reggie Redding, Isaiah Armwood, and Dominic Cheek as Villanova Public Safety officers who patrol the campus searching for underage drinkers.

Thursday 10:00 PM
"24: Villanova"

St. Joe's fans have planned a terrorist attack on the Pavilion, and only one man can stop them... undercover CTU agent Jay Wright. He has 24 hours to prevent the attack, but Jay must beware of a mole inside CTU.

Friday 10:00 PM
"Walker, Nova Ranger"

Watch as Scottie Reynolds and his partner Maalik Wayns revive Chuck Norris' role as martial arts experts who fight crime in the Big East with roundhouse kicks and jumpshots.

Jersey Boys Lead Nova Past Rutgers

Three former New Jersey high school stars led Villanova in a 94-68 rout over Rutgers at the RAC. Rutgers was never in this game, and at 0-6 in the Big East, they might pull a "Conan O'Brien" on Fred Hill before the season's over. The lone bright spot for the Scarlet Knights was freshman Dane Miller who had 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Dominic Cheek - embarrassed former St. Anthony teammate Mike Rosario (1-8, 3 points) by scoring a career high 17 points. He showed his versatility by taking it strong to the basket and knocking down two 3-pointers.

Corey Stokes - was locked in from long range, knocking down four triples for 16 points. He seems to have broken out of whatever shooting slump he was in.

Corey Fisher - The former New Jersey High School Player of the Year had 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. I think all six of his field goals were scored in the paint. In classic Fisher Price fashion, he used a fake pass to toy with defenders while he went up for a layup.

Scottie Reynolds - It's either a really good or really bad sign when Scottie Reynolds and Isaiah Armwood score the same amount of points (9). In this case it was good. Nova's scoring was balanced, and the game was out of hand so quickly that the Cats didn't even need Big Shot Scott in this one.

Isaiah Armwood - was impressive in the first half, where he scored all nine of his points. He threw down a thunderous dunk, and with Armwood's athleticism, Fisher and the guards should be looking his way for alley-oops at least twice a game.

Maalik Wayns - like Fisher, Wayns cut through Rutgers' defense like it wasn't even there. He also tied a season-high with 4 assists.

Mouph Yarou - had 9 rebounds, but he looked lost on the offensive end. Whenever he got the ball deep in the post, he either traveled, stepped out of bounds, or committed an offensive foul. He seems more comfortable pulling up for the mid-range jumper, than taking it strong to the basket, which is not what I want to see from my power forward/center. I'll cut him some slack though, since he is still recovering from Hepatitis.

Reggie Redding - had 5 points and 5 rebounds. Like Reynolds, he wasn't really needed as Jay gave the youngsters lots of run.

Antonio Pena - co-led with Yarou for a game-high 9 rebounds, but picked up 4 personal fouls in only 15 minutes. Hamady Ndiaye (say that name five times fast) seemed to be giving him and Yarou fits inside. Ndiaye is the other bright spot for Rutgers this season, as he's third in the nation in blocked shots, and he had 5 swats in this game.

Taylor King - like Pena, King ran into some foul trouble, picking up 4 in just 12 minutes, limiting him to 5 points.

Maurice Sutton - had a block and a couple of rebounds in six minutes.

Russell Wooten - had his name chanted from up in the rafters of the RAC as he got into the final minute of the game.

Nova-Georgetown Awards

Despite losing another big lead, Villanova held on to beat Georgetown 82-77 Sunday afternoon at the Wachovia Center. It ended a 5-game Hoya winning streak... certainly a cause for awards.

The Brett Favre Award for Outstanding Senior Performance
Senior classmen Scottie Reynolds scored an efficient 27 points (8-15, 4-7, 7-8), and led his Wildcats to their fifth straight Big East win. Senior citizen Brett Favre threw 4 touchdowns and led his Vikings to the NFC Championship game. Scottie has been granted the moniker "Mr. Big Shot" by the media, but this time the little man came down with a big rebound that helped win the game. After the game coach John Thompson III admitted, "Scottie can't be contained."

The Shonn Green Award for Outstanding Rookie Performance
The Jets rookie running back broke for a 53-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to win the game for the Jets. Freshman Maalik Wayns scored 11 points and sank clutch free throws late in the second half to win the game for Villanova.

The Conan O'Brien Award for Getting Screwed by a Major Corporation

Conan is getting screwed by NBC and is losing the "Tonight Show". Kind of like how Corey Fisher got screwed by McDonald's when Chris Wright was named a high school All-American over him. Fisher outscored Wright, who struggled with fouls, 10-6. Who votes for those McDonald's All-American teams anyway? Ronald McDonald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese?

The George Clooney Award for Best Performance in a Loss

For his performance in Up in the Air, Jay Wright George Clooney lost to Jeff Bridges for the Best Actor Award at the Golden Globes last night. Greg Monroe had a monster game in the Georgetown loss: 29 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals, and 2 assists. Nova had no answer for the versatile big man, but he didn't receive enough help from his teammates.

The "Jersey Shore" Award for Biggest Waste of Time
To the 10 minutes and 26 replays spent on reviewing the scuffle that wasn't between Armwood and Benimon over a rebound. That slight delay helped contribute to another two and a half plus hour game. Armwood showed some toughness on that play, and later in the game when he came up with a big steal from Greg Monroe. Jersey Shore seems to be the show everybody loves to hate, but I refuse to waste my time by watching it.

Nova Overcomes Louisville in Some Kind of Hybrid Form of Basketball

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

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

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

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

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

Nova Beats Marquette by 2... Again

That ending was a lot more exciting than it should have been. Villanova blew a 22-point lead with lazy and sloppy play in the second half. After a questionable intentional foul call on Corey Stokes, the Golden Eagles had the ball with 27 seconds left and a chance to tie the game with a two or take the lead with a three. Nova's defense came through with another big stop, just as they did in the first battle between these two teams, and like the last time, Villanova held on to win by two points, 78-76, for their 35th consecutive win at the Pavilion.

And a battle it was. This game had more hits and tackles than the Eagles had in the loss to Dallas later that night. Mouphtaou Yarou and Darius Johnson-Odom both had bandages on their heads. Taylor King layed on the floor in pain for several minutes after busting his head and shoulder. And Corey Stokes sent Lazar Hayward flying to the floor in what was a hard foul, but not flagrant.

Nova was getting anything they wanted offensively in the first half, and they looked to be on their way to another thrashing in the Pavilion, like the one they handed DePaul in the previous game. Stokes was back and on fire (16 points), Scottie Reynolds added 15 points, and three more Wildcats scored in double figures (Pena-11, Fisher-11, Redding-10). So how did Villanova lose such a big lead? Well, they seemed to get too comfortable with the lead, especially on the defensive end. They had several lapses on defense that resulted in backdoor layups and wide open threes. Also give credit to Marquette for turning up the pressure defensively. It's happened before this season where Villanova let a big lead slip, and there is a common theme in each of those instances: opponents' hot 3-point shooting in the second half.

Let's take a look at the data...

11/20 vs. Dayton: 18-point lead cut to 2, won by 7

Dayton: 4 threes made in 1st half (30.8%); 7 threes made in 2nd half (43.8%)

12/6 vs. Maryland: 16-point lead cut to 2, won by 9

Maryland: 3 threes made in 1st half (42.9%); 6 threes made in 2nd half (50%)

12/13 vs. Temple: Nova had 14 point lead in first half, lost by 10

Temple: 4 threes made in 1st half (36.4%); 7 threes made in 2nd half (63.6%)

1/9 vs. Marquette: 22-point lead cut to 2, won by 2

Marquette: 2 threes made in 1st half (25%), 9 threes made in 2nd half (60%)

The trends have been consistent. When Villanova gets up big, the opponent starts jacking up threes to try to come back, and Nova is unable to defend the 3-point line. They especially struggle against taller players who can shoot threes:

vs. Dayton: Chris Johnson 6'6 (3 threes made), Luke Fabrizius 6'9 (5 threes made)

vs. Maryland: Eric Hayes 6'4 (5 threes made) and Sean Mosley 6'4 (3 threes made)

vs. Temple: Juan Fernandez 6'4 (7 threes made), Ryan Brooks 6'4 (2 threes made), Craig Williams 6'9 (2 threes made).

vs. Marquette: Lazar Hayward 6'6 (4 threes made)

You can be all over someone on the perimeter, but if they're taller than you, they can just shoot it right over you. In the case of the 6'4 guards, those games took place while Reggie Redding was still suspended, so the 6'1 Corey Fisher and 6'2 Scottie Reynolds were forced to guard taller players. As for the front court 3-point shooters, Antonio Pena and Taylor King aren't quick or athletic enough to guard people out on the perimeter, and 6'5 Corey Stokes and 6'5 Reggie Redding (the team's best perimeter defender) are too short to guard the Lazar Haywards and Luke Fabriziuses of the world. The only player with the size, quickness, and athleticism to guard these types of players on the perimeter is 6'7 Isaiah Armwood; however, he is too young and raw to fill that role.

It's still too early to tell if these problems result from a simple lack of intensity and focus while playing with a big lead, or if Villanova truly has a problem defending taller players who can knock down the three. Villanova was lucky they were able to hold on to win this game, but they need to tighten up their perimeter defense to prevent another collapse in the future that may end in a loss. Finally, as Scottie Reynolds said, "There is no limit on our team if we can do that for 40 minutes, but we are not capable right now of doing that as a team for 40 minutes. That is our goal. When we get to that point we can be something special."

Foye Caught in Arenas Circus

I knew I was taking a risk when I drafted Gilbert Arenas on my fantasy team, but I figured I would lose him to another knee injury, not a gun suspension. By now you know the story: Arenas and Javaris Crittenton had some kind of gambling dispute and Arenas brought guns into the team's locker room. Ever the jokester, Arenas tried to lighten the situation by playfully making gun gestures with his hands in a pregame huddle. Randy Foye had the misfortune of being caught in Arenas' vicinity during his antics and was fined $10,000 by the NBA. Being the upright citizen and proud Villanova grad that he is, Foye had all the right things to say afterward: "It was foolish, stupid, immature, but I've got to be a man and accept my penalty and I apologize to the fans and the organization for behaving in that manner."

It's unfair that Foye is being penalized for his teammate's actions, but in reality, this might be the best $10,000 Foye spends all year. For most of the season Foye was coming off the bench for Washington and was struggling to find consistent playing time. Now he replaces Arenas in the Wizards' rotation as the team's starting point guard, which is significant considering this is a contract year for Foye. Randy may lose $10,000 now, but he has an opportunity to showcase his talent this season and remake that 10k, plus a lot more, with a new contract over the summer. Foye is averaging 8 points this season, down from 16.3 last season, but he's scored 18 and 20 points in his first two games since Arenas was suspended indefinitely.

Nova and DePaul in Avatar

With James Cameron's 3-D epic grossing over a billion dollars worldwide, I decided to do an Avatar-themed recap of the DePaul game. Plus, let's be honest, there's only so much you can say about a 99-72 shellacking, I have to spice it up somehow. If you are not one of the millions to have seen the movie yet, don't worry, there are no spoilers.

Jay Wright's Avatar...

... starring Mouphtaou Yarou as Jake Sully

Jake Sully is a paralyzed marine who is given a chance to walk again through the Avatar program. Yarou was given a second chance at Villanova after being sidelined with Hepatitis B for almost two months. Moupth had 4 points, 2 rebounds, and a block in 14 minutes, as Jay Wright will ease him back into the rotation gradually.

... and Jerry Wainwright as Colonel Quaritch

Potentially facing another winless Big East season, Wainwright's days as DePaul's head coach may be numbered, and that's a shame because the guy is a quote machine. Here's what he had to say about Taylor King after the game, "he has range that might start back in Piscataway. He is insane."

... and the DePaul Blue Demons as the Na'vi blue aliens


Memorable Quotes:

"They've sent us a message... that they can take whatever they want. Well we will send them a message. That this... this is our land!" - Jake Sully
A message was sent to DePaul... that this is our house! Villanova extended its Pavilion win streak to 34 games. The Wildcats had a little extra motivation because their last loss in the Pavilion came against DePaul three years ago.

"You should see your faces!" - Trudy Chacon
You should have seen DePaul's faces on defense as they watched shot after shot go in for Villanova. Nova shot a staggering 61% in the first half, taking a 25 point lead into the locker room.

"You have a strong heart; no fear. But stupid, like a child." - Neytiri

Maalik Wayns is fearless on the court, but he is young and still susceptible to freshmen mistakes. Wayns had a season-high 18 points in just 20 minutes off the bench. I've never seen someone go coast-to-coast and score so easily. However, he also led the team with 4 turnovers.

"One life ends; another begins." - Jake Sully

Corey Stokes sat out with a sore hamstring, and Isaiah Armwood took his spot in the starting five. Aside from his game-winning shot against George Mason, this was Armwood's best game as a Wildcat. He had just 6 points, but led the team in rebounds (7) and steals (5). Jay Wright really likes Armwood because of his length and athleticism, and he will likely continue to log major minutes, even when Stokes comes back.

"You haven't got lost in the woods, have you? You still remember what team you're playing for?" - Col. Quaritch

Although he had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Mac Koshwal may have forgotten which team he was on because he turned it over to Villanova seven times.

"You are not in Kansas anymore. You are on Pandora, ladies and gentleman." - Col. Quaritch
You are not playing out of conference cupcakes anymore. You are in the Big East. With DePaul out of the way, the schedule gets a whole lot tougher from here on out. Expect to see more down-to-the-wire games like last weeks against Marquette, especially with a rematch against the Golden Eagles coming up next. Their three Big East games have been decided by a total of
six points.

Some more thoughts on the game that I couldn't finagle into Avatar comparisons:

• Scottie Reynolds scored 21 points, his tenth straight game in double figures and seventh game of the season scoring 20+, boosting his season average to 17.9 ppg. Jay gave Scottie some extra playing time in the final minutes to pad his stats and help him catch Kerry Kittles on the Villanova all-time scoring list.
  
• Corey Fisher had a great bounce-back game, running the point flawlessly: 15 points, 6 assists, 0 turnovers. He also made a DePaul defender look silly with a Fisher Price crossover.
  
• Jay Wright used the blowout to rest his big men Antonio Pena and Taylor King, 19 minutes each, though they did play well while on the floor.
  
• Reggie Redding had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists. For my 2010 predictions, I should have said Redding will record a triple-double. He has the best chance of anyone on the team because of his rebounding and passing versatility.

Thoughts, Resolutions, and Predictions

Villanova won both their first game of 2010 and their first Big East game of the season with a thrilling 74-72 victory over Marquette. Scottie Reynolds hit a tough shot with 18 seconds left to give Villanova the lead, then the Cats followed that up with a good defensive stop on the other end. Redding sank one free throw, then with 2 seconds left Marquette failed to get a final shot off in time as Nova held on for the win. Now, to ring in the new year, for each player I will give my quick thoughts on their performance in the Marquette game, propose a new year's resolution for them, and make a prediction for their future in 2010.

Scottie Reynolds

Game Thoughts: Down by one, less than twenty seconds remaining, on the road in front of a hostile crowd, and Scottie Reynolds was as cool as a cucumber. He pulled a behind-the-back-and-through-the-legs dribble move, normally reserved for the playgrounds, then drew contact and made the shot. Game-winners are now becoming routine for Scottie.

New Year's Resolution: To cut down on turnovers. He's averaging over three a game, but is off to a good start in the new year with just one t.o. in 30 minutes against Marquette.

2010 Prediction: Scottie will finish second to Kerry Kittles among Villanova's all-time scoring leaders.

Reggie Redding

Game Thoughts: Shot a poor 3 of 11 from the field and missed his first 2 free throws, but like fellow senior Scottie Reynolds, Reggie remained calm and confident under pressure, making 5 of his final 6 free throws to help ice the game.

New Year's Resolution: To never be as dumb as the Tennessee players caught driving with marijuana, open alcohol, and a gun.

2010 Prediction: Redding will finish the season second in average scoring and rebounding. He is currently second in both, so what I'm basically saying is that this is no fluke.

Corey Fisher

Game Thoughts: Fisher was surprisingly benched at the end of the game, and he only played seven minutes in the second half. Wayns was playing well, but I wouldn't think that needs to come at the expense of Fisher.

New Year's Resolution: To shoot less threes and more free throws, like at the beginning of the season.

2010 Prediction: Fisher will at least test the waters of the NBA Draft this summer.

Antonio Pena

Game Thoughts: An underwhelming game from Pena, just 4 points and 5 rebounds. He was outplayed by the smaller 6'6 Lazar Hayward (17 points, 14 boards, 3 assists).

New Year's Resolution: To practice free throw shooting. (67%)

2010 Prediction: This number zero will get caught with guns in the locker room like the other Agent Zero, Gilbert Arenas... No, not those guns, I'm talking about Pena's massive biceps.

Corey Stokes

Game Thoughts: Stokes' shooting slump continued with a 2-point (1-5) performance. That's five straight games without multiple 3-pointers made or double-digit scoring.

New Year's Resolution: To just keep shooting. His stroke is too sweet, eventually he will catch fire.

2010 Prediction: Stokes will make 5+ threes, score 20+ points, and officially break out of his funk in Nova's first game at the Wachovia Center, 1/17 vs. Georgetown.

Taylor King

Game Thoughts: King had an average game (6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists), though he continues to impress with his rebounding ability.

New Year's Resolution: To stay patient on offense and let the guards create open shots. He is not as effective at creating his own shot off the dribble.

2010 Prediction: King will score 24 points against Duke in the NCAA Tournament, and two rounds earlier Villanova will beat Miami despite a heroic 37-point outburst from Malcolm Grant.

Maalik Wayns

Game Thoughts: Wayns looked like Tony Parker with his speed and ability to slice through defenders and get to the basket. He tied his season-high with 16 points and earned crunch-time minutes over Corey Fisher.

New Year's Resolution: To study tape of Kyle Lowry and imitate.

2010 Prediction: Maalik will make the All-Big East Freshmen First Team.

Dominic Cheek

Game Thoughts: Cheek played a season-low seven minutes, which was surprising for two reasons: 1) He has played well in his limited minutes all season, and 2) Jay Wright could have used his depth to exploit Marquette's 7-man rotation.

New Year's Resolution: Work on jump shot, it's too high-arcing.

2010 Prediction: Dom will have at least one 20-point game by the end of the season.

Isaiah Armwood

Game Thoughts: Jay Wright is trusting Armwood with more playing time (14 minutes), but he still looks very raw. He almost caused a couple of turnovers because he's so eager to get rid of the ball whenever he touches it.

New Year's Resolution: To bulk up. He makes Maurice Sutton look like Barry Bonds circa 2007.

2010 Prediction: With his super-athleticism, Armwood will have a highlight-reel dunk this season, worthy of Sportscenter's Top 10.

Mouphtaou Yarou

Game Thoughts: Mouph was finally cleared to play, although he didn't get into this game.

New Year's Resolution: To just stay healthy. (fingers crossed)

2010 Prediction: I say Yarou will return to game action next week.

Maurice Sutton

Game Thoughts: Mo didn't get into the game until the final 2 seconds. He wasn't needed because of Marquette's undersized team.

New Year's Resolution: See Armwood, Isaiah.

2010 Prediction: Sutton will block more than double the amount of shots as anyone else on the team.

Jay Wright

Game Thoughts: He got the win, but as I mentioned before, I think Jay could have used his bench and ran the press more often.

New Year's Resolution: To stop yelling at the refs after a bad call.

2010 Prediction: Jay Wright will be the first one to break his New Year's resolution.

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.

Jay Wright's 2009 Christmas Wishlist

Dear Santa,

Hey big guy, how's it going up there in the North Pole? You must be really busy. Everything is just fine down here on the Main Line. Villanova football are National Champions. We just beat Delaware 97-63, our 33rd consecutive win at the Pavilion. (You have an open invitation to any home game by the way. You can park your sled on top of the Jake Nevin Fieldhouse.) We're 11-1 and ranked #3 in the country... but there are still some things I'd like for Christmas this year.

1. Please let Scottie Reynolds continue to light it up from downtown like he did against Delaware. (6 of 8 for 22 points... and 6 assists)

2. A new $6,000 Italian-imported Kiton suit.

3. Please keep Reggie Redding, and the rest of the team for that matter, out of trouble. (Reggie has looked like a man on a mission since returning from suspension. The so-called defensive specialist is averaging 15.5 ppg.)

4. Please let the real Taylor King be the one we saw against Delaware (19 points and 12 rebounds), and not the one we saw the previous two games (11 points combined).

5. Conversely, please let the real Antonio Pena be the one we saw all season, and not the one we saw against Delaware (just 7 points and 6 rebounds).

6. A healthy team. (Mouph Yarou is still out with Hepatitis-B, and now Maurice Sutton is out with an upper respiratory disease.)

7. Please let Corey Fisher continue to have a 4/0 assist to turnover ratio, as he has for the past two games.

8. A Snuggie

9. Please help Corey Stokes discover his shot again. (Four straight games of single digit scoring and failing to make more than one 3-point shot.)

10. A National Championship (Thanks again for the Final Four last year, but I sure would love to go all the way...)

From,

Jerold

Merry Christmas!

Nova Has Pretty Good Weekend

The day after the Villanova football team beat Montana 23-21 for its first ever national championship, the basketball team followed suit with a 96-58 victory over the Fordham Rams. The football team probably doesn't get the attention and respect it deserves within the Villanova community, and I'm as guilty of that as anyone. First off, the FCS actually uses a playoff system to determine its champion, rather than voting on who gets to play for the championship like the BCS does, and that alone makes it a thousand times better. Secondly, Villanova has a legitimate superstar in Matt Szczur. He had 270 total yards and two touchdowns in the game. He is not only a NFL prospect, but a major league baseball catching prospect as well. I mean, they guy plays football during the day and saves babies lives at night. As a Villanova fan, I'm ashamed to say that I never even heard of Szczur until a few days ago.

As for the basketball team, they followed up their loss to Temple with a 38 point win over Fordham. Villanova now has the same number of wins at the Izod Center this season as the New Jersey Nets. They let Fordham hang around for a little too long in the first half, but Nova completely dominated the second half. The Rams had no answer for Nova's full court press, which led to turnovers and easy baskets for the Wildcats.

Reggie Redding made his 2009-10 season debut and didn't miss a beat. While suspended, he was still able to practice with the team, which enabled him to step right in and start. He had 15 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.

Scottie Reynolds, Antonio Pena, and Corey Fisher led Villanova with 17 points each. I was at this game, and let me tell you, Fisher Price looks so much better in person. He always seems two steps ahead of the defender. I could see him getting drafted in the late first round like Kyle Lowry. By the way, Lowry had his best game as a pro the other night in a 116-108 overtime win over Dallas. He had 26 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and a block.

Joining Redding in the starting five was Taylor King, while Corey Stokes and Maurice Sutton were relegated to the bench. Stokes had a rough shooting night (2-11), but pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds. In years past Stokes seemed to disappear when his shot was off, but now he is finding other ways to help the team. I don't know whether it's a result of defenses focusing on him more, but after taking 15+ shots in the two games previous, King has attempted under 5 shots in the last two. Meanwhile, Sutton has fallen out of the rotation completely. After playing just 6 minutes at Temple, he played 5 against Fordham, most of which came during garbage time. Isaiah Armwood has apparently taken over as the first big off the bench. He played a season-high 17 minutes, and although he failed to score, he grabbed 4 rebounds and made a couple of nice passes. Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek had nice bounce-back games, combining for 18 points off the bench.