A Farewell to King

After initially deciding to leave the basketball team but stay at the University, Taylor King has announced his intentions to leave Villanova for good and transfer to USC. Rather than speculating on why King has left two different prestigious institutions (Villanova and Mater Dei High School) and Duke on equivocal terms, let’s search deep within the archives of Nova News to take a look back at the highlights of TK’s short stint as a Wildcat.

April 2008 - King announces he will transfer from Duke to Villanova, stating, “It just couldn't be a better fit for me... I asked blunt questions, but I wanted everything they offered. They la

id down their game plan for me and I couldn't resist.”

March 2009 - King was forced to sit out the entire 2008-2009 season after transferring, and he could not travel with the team, but that didn’t stop him from paying his own way to Boston and cheering on his teammates from the stands as they beat his former team, Duke, and then Pitt, to advance to the Final Four.

November 16, 2009 - After his debut against Farliegh Dickinson...

“We knew he could shoot the ball, but King really impressed me with his rebounding (7) and tenacity. He actually reminded me of Dwayne Anderson, which is a pleasant surprise.”

November 17, 2009 - After only his second game with Villanova, I was firmly on the Taylor King bandwagon.

“Taylor King - Plays like a madman... I love it. He grabbed three rebounds in less than a minute after entering the game, then drained a three. He also made the Dwayne Anderson signature dive from behind steal. 14 points and 7 rebounds in the game... you can can see he's already turning into a crowd favorite.”

November 23, 2009 - He was able to laugh it off afterwards since Nova won the game, but this is a nominee for King’s most embarrassing moment as a Wildcat. (There’s more).

“Yes, Taylor King actually did airball a free throw. His 3-point shooting (0-4) was off also, but he brings a lot more to the game than just shooting. He had 9 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist, and he could have had a double-double if he made that free throw. He also showed off his hops with a nice one-handed slam.”

December 3, 2009 - King dazzled the Pavilion crowd in a win over Drexel, but had some harsh words for the fans after the game.

“Taylor King had a big game off the bench with 16 points and 5 rebounds. He was feeling it from downtown, hitting 4 threes. He also had another Dwayne-Anderson-signature-dive-from-behind-steal, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Although, he made a curious statement after the game: "I heard the crowd a little bit and I like that. I don't feed off the crowd, though. I hear them but I am only playing for my coaches and teammates." I'd like to think he is playing for his fellow students and the fans as well.”

December 10, 2009 - This might have been King’s best game and proudest moment at Villanova, although it also involved the second nominee for most embarrassing moment.

“Taylor King delivered the dagger to kill the Hawk with a deep 3-pointer at the 1:31 mark, to put Villanova up by seven… Taylor King played his best game as a Wildcat with 20 points and 9 rebounds in his sixth man role. King showed great perseverance in this game. He missed all four of his 3-point attempts in the first half, yet remained confident in his lefty stroke and made all four of his shots from downtown in the second half. King had an embarrassing moment on a break-away when he was rejected by the rim and missed the dunk. However, he returned to the game aggressive, looking to make up for it, and he did.”

January 3, 2010 - My New Year’s prediction for King was slightly off...

“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.”

January 7, 2010 - DePaul post-game interviews will never be the same now that Jerry Wainwright’s been fired. Here’s what he said about King, “he has range that might start back in Piscataway. He is insane.”

January 10, 2010 - I nominate this for scariest moment of his career.

“Taylor King layed on the floor in pain for several minutes after busting his head and shoulder.”

January 24, 2010 - I guess I’ll have to recast this show…

“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.”

February 9, 2010 - King proved he was more than just a soft outside shooter.

“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.”

February 22, 2010 - This is when the wheels on the Taylor King bandwagon started to fall off…

“Taylor King has failed to score in double figures for 10 straight games. His 3-point shot has been off, which may be the result of tired legs. The 6'6 King has been forced to play out of position at power forward against players much bigger and stronger, yet he has held his own on the boards (5.8 rpg).”

February 25, 2010 - If basketball doesn’t work out for King, I’ve got the Olympic sport for him…

“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.”

March 9, 2010 - The beginning of the end?

“Taylor King might be out for the rest of the season. That hurts, but luckily Nova has the depth to deal with it.”

March 11, 2010 - He sat out Nova’s Round 1 game in the BET, then…

“13:00 - Taylor King is in! I don't know why he was out, but I'm glad he's back. (Note: King would leave the game after two minutes and never return. So never mind that unfounded excitement.)”

March 18, 2010 - In King’s last hurrah, he helped Nova avoid a first round upset in the NCAA Tournament.

“With a fresh haircut, King rediscovered his lefty stroke to score 10 points off the bench, his first time reaching double digits since early January. However, he only played 15 minutes. Jay Wright made some odd choices with his rotation today. At least King seems to be past whatever personal issues he was battling, which is a good sign.”

King's final per-game stats for the season: 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.5 blocks, 0.7 steals, .421 FG%, .364 3P%, .738 FT%.

Big East Final Standings

Ranked in order of Big East Tournament seed...

1. Syracuse (15-3)
I've hesitated all season long to believe in this team, and I give up. They destroyed Nova at the Dome; they're the best in the Big East and maybe the entire country. I can neither confirm nor deny that this is a reverse jinx.

2. Pitt (13-5)
The Panthers exceeded everybody's expectations by finishing second in the Big East in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. A lot of the credit goes to the Big East's Most Improved Player, Ashton Gibbs.

3. West Virginia (13-5)
They're really good, but their fatal flaw seems to be weakness at the point guard position. They probably could have beat us in regulation with a true point guard taking control at the end of that game.

4. Villanova (13-5)

Taylor King might be out for the rest of the season. That hurts, but luckily Nova has the depth to deal with it. Yarou, Cheek, and Armwood need to step up.

5. Marquette (11-7)
They have gone to overtime in four of their last five games. It looks like the Golden Eagles are getting an early start to March Madness.

6. Louisville (11-7)
After sweeping the season series versus Syracuse, the Cardinals are currently projected as an 8-seed in the NCAA tournament. I would hate to be the 1-seed that has to face them in the second round.

7. Notre Dame (10-8)
The Irish lose Luke Harangody and end the season on a 4-game winning streak. More proof to Bill Simmons' Ewing Theory, or more proof to my theory that Gody is overrated?

8. Georgetown (10-8)

A week after being hospitalized and finding out he has diabetes, Austin Freeman scores 24 points in a win over Cincinnati... good for him. Looking at the career arc fellow diabetic Adam Morrison, Freeman should continue to dominate in college, grow a huge afro and a mustache, get drafted in the lottery by Michael Jordan, then win an NBA championship for sitting on the bench.

9. South Florida (9-9)
The Bulls play DePaul in the first round of the Big East Tournament. Congrats on your first Big East Tournament victory USF!

10. Seton Hall (9-9)
Currently on the outside of the bubble looking in, I could definitely see the Pirates winning three games in the BET and earning a bid in the NCAA Tournament.

11. Cincinnati (7-11)
They're still a year or two away from being real contenders; that is assuming Lance Stephenson doesn't pull a Sebastian Telfair and enter the NBA before he's ready.

12. UConn (7-11)
There have been some nice surprises in the Big East, (Syracuse, Pitt, Marquette) but UConn is by far the most disappointing team. I'm rooting for them to beat St. John's and Marquette, just so Nova can get some revenge by beating them in the third round.

13. St. John's (6-12)

They needed not one, not two, but three overtimes to beat DePaul in their season finale. That must have been almost like watching the six-overtime Syracuse-UConn game in the BET last year, but only if all the players were drunk. Then again, Eric Devendorf played in that game, so maybe it wasn't that far off.

14. Rutgers (5-13)
Hamady Ndiaye was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, which gives further support to the adage that defense wins championships. What's that? Rutgers is horrible? Never mind then, keep shooting.

15. Providence (4-14)

The Friars ended the season on a 10-game losing streak. Maybe a diet of coffee and donuts isn't so good for basketball players.

16. DePaul (1-17)
There's always next year.

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.

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.

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!

King Kills Hawk, Wins Holy War

Taylor King delivered the dagger to kill the Hawk with a deep 3-pointer at the 1:31 mark, to put Villanova up by seven.  The Wildcats hit their free throws (30 of 31 in the second half) to close out the game for a 97-89 victory over St. Joe's. 

You could tell from the start that despite St. Joe's under .500 record and Nova's #3 national ranking, it would be a close game.  The atmosphere in the Palestra was intense, as Phil Martelli, his players, and the St. Joe's fans treat the annual "Holy War" as their biggest game of the year.  As a member of the Big East, that is not quite the case for Villanova, but Jay Wright had his players prepared to match the intensity regardless.  

The game started out at a frenetic pace, with each team trading bucket for bucket.  The fast pace played right into Jay Wright's game plan because there was no way St. Joe's would be able to run with the ultra-deep Wildcats.  The Hawks were able to keep up with Nova in the first half, but at the start of the second half they looked as tired as the Hawks mascot after waving his arms the entire game.  Nova was able to build a semi-comfortable lead in the second half before St. Joe's final push at the end of the game. 

Scottie Reynolds had another fantastic game with a very efficient 22 points (4-5 fg, 2-3 3pt, 12-14 ft).  He added 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and a block.  His only problem was being a little too sloppy with the ball, turning it over six times.

Taylor King played his best game as a Wildcat with 20 points and 9 rebounds in his sixth man role.  King showed great perseverance in this game.  He missed all four of his 3-point attempts in the first half, yet remained confident in his lefty stroke and made all four of his shots from downtown in the second half.  King had an embarrassing moment on a break-away when he was rejected by the rim and missed the dunk.  However, he returned to the game aggressive, looking to make up for it, and he did.

Antonio Pena was having his way inside against the Hawks.  He was scoring in the post at will and grabbing every rebound in his vicinity.  The only one who held him back from a monster game was himself, as he was somewhat limited by foul troubles.  He finished with 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, a block, and 4 personal fouls in 25 minutes.

Corey Fisher had some sweet dishes to lead the team with 6 assists.  He scored 13 points, and was a perfect 8 of 8 from the line.  Fisher is averaging over seven free throw attempts per game.

Corey Stokes had a quiet night with just 4 points and 4 rebounds.  He missed two threes early in the game, then he didn't look for his shot the rest of the game.  Perhaps he realized he just didn't have it that night and deferred to the hot hands (Reynolds and King).

Maurice Sutton was active on the boards; he collected 6 rebounds (3 offensive).  However, he missed some easy baskets inside.  Sutton needs to learn to go stronger to the hoop.  When you're almost seven feet tall you should be dunking the ball with authority, not laying it in softly.

Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek brought some energy and scoring off the bench, combining for 17 points and 4 rebounds.  Isaiah Armwood added 2 points in 5 minutes.  

With the win, Villanova moves to 3-0 in the Big 5 this season, and they will look to run the table this Sunday versus Temple.  

It's Raining Threes (And Beer)

Last night you saw how lethal Villanova's lineup can be with four quality 3-point shooters on the floor together. The Wildcats got hot from long-range early and never let up en route to a 95-86 win over the Maryland Terrapins. Nova attempted a school record 39 3-pointers and made 16 of them. Corey Stokes, Corey Fisher, Scottie Reynolds, and Taylor King all hit at least three longballs. Stokes led the way hitting 5 of 11 from downtown for his 18 points. Fisher was the most accurate from behind the arc, making 4 of 6 for 20 points. King shot a low percentage from the field (5-17, 3-8 3pt), but had 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Scottie Reynolds had that look early in the game. The same look he had against UConn in 2007 and Seton Hall in 2009 when he dropped 40. He didn't score 40 against Maryland, but he was draining shots and finding open teammates all game long to finish with 25 points and 8 assists. Maryland's version of Scottie Reynolds, Greivis Vasquez, did not fare as well. He had 12 points, 7 turnovers, and fouled out.

When you shoot so many threes, you need someone down low to clean the glass, and Antonio Pena did just that. He had 6 offensive rebounds and 11 total, to go along with his 8 points. Maurice Sutton contributed 4 of the teams 20 offensive boards. Villanova as a team out-rebounded Maryland 42-30.

Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns combined for 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench. The more I see Cheek play, the more I realize he will be really really good. He can start for most teams in the country right now, but I think he will benefit from watching the upperclassmen and being brought along gradually.

Despite Nova's dominance on the boards and their prowess from behind the arc, Maryland was able to keep the game close, thanks to some hot shooting of their own. Sean Mosley was 11-14 from the field to score 26 points and Eric Hayes hit five 3-pointers for 20 points. Nova also had difficulty containing Mayland's big man Jordan Williams (19 points and 12 rebounds), sending him to the line 13 times.

The turning point in the game came on a controversial call in the second half when Corey Stokes drew a charge under the basket. The Maryland crowd was hoping for a blocking foul and-1 call, and upon hearing it was a charge, one fan threw a bottle of Miller Lite onto the floor. Luckily, it didn't hit anyone and it was only plastic, but they had to delay the game to clean up the floor. The beer-throwing fan was later caught and ejected. This begs the question: Who was that mysterious fan, and why does he hate Miller Lite so much? Nova News is on the case and has compiled a list of possible suspects.

Suspect A: Steve Blake - He has probably been exchanging trash talk with Blazers teammate Dante Cunningham all week in anticipation of this game. Perhaps they made some kind of wager, and upon realizing he was going to lose, Blake grew frustrated and threw his beer onto the court.
Verdict: Former players typically sit behind the team's bench, but the bottle came from higher up in the stands, so it couldn't have been Blake.

Suspect B: President Obama - He lives in D.C. We know he's a basketball fan. He has enjoyed an adult beverage at the Verizon Center before.
Verdict: The President would have been sitting courtside, and come on... you know he would be rooting for Nova.

Suspect C: Tiger Woods' Washington D.C. mistress - He seemingly has one in every major city, and I'm guessing his D.C. mistress is a former Terp cheerleader. All the recent press allegations, coupled with her Alma mater losing; she likely lost her cool and flung her beer onto the floor.
Verdict: Girls can't throw that far, especially cheerleaders.

Suspect D: Scott Van Pelt - This Sportscenter anchor graduated from Marlyland, and he isn't afraid to show bias towards his school.
Verdict: Van Pelt is too much of a company man to attend a game not being broadcast by ESPN.

Suspect E: Kasey Kahne - He is the driver of the Budweiser NASCAR team. It had nothing to do with the charge call. Upon taking a sip of Miller Lite, he simply threw the bottle onto the court in protest of the taste.
Verdict: Why would a NASCAR driver be at a college basketball game?

Suspect F: Raphael the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle - He is a turtle, so naturally his allegiance lies with the Terrapins. He wears Maryland red. He is the most aggressive, rebellious, and emotional Ninja Turtle.
Verdict: I can't find any discrepancies, it all adds up. It had to be Raphael.

Well there you have it. Raphael the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle threw a Miller Lite bottle onto the floor in the middle of the Villanova-Maryland game. Touche sir, I hope it was worth it. At least Leonardo roots for Nova.

Nova Hexes Drexel With Defense

Villanova played what Jay Wright considered the team's "best defensive game of the year" in a 77-58 win over the Drexel Dragons at the Pavilion, the team's thirty-second consecutive victory at the on-campus arena. Drexel did not score until the 10:19 mark in the first half, and their top two scorers, Jamie Harris and Gerald Colds, were held scoreless.

Antonio Pena led the Wildcats with 19 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Drexel could not stop him inside and resorted to the hack-a-Pena strategy. It failed to work, as he made 11 of 16 from the stripe.

Scottie Reynolds had his most balanced game of the season with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and a steal.

Taylor King had a big game off the bench with 16 points and 5 rebounds. He was feeling it from downtown, hitting 4 threes. He also had another Dwayne-Anderson-signature-dive-from-behind-steal, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Although, he made a curious statement after the game: "I heard the crowd a little bit and I like that. I don't feed off the crowd, though. I hear them but I am only playing for my coaches and teammates." I'd like to think he is playing for his fellow students and the fans as well.

Corey Fisher scored just 5 points, but he dished out 5 assists and had 4 steals.

Corey Stokes hit just 1 of 4 from behind the arc to score 7 points. He had another 5 rebounds, his season average, which is up from 3.4 last year.

Maurice Sutton did what he does best, blocking three more shots.

Maalik Wayns scored 7 points off the bench in 17 minutes.

Dominic Cheek had just 3 points in 20 minutes, but his defense has been very impressive. He had 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal, and with his long arms, he is a perfect fit at the top of Nova's full court press. High school stars usually step on campus ready to score, but they struggle to adjust to the college game defensively; however, Cheek has been an exception to that trend.

Isaiah Armwood and Russell Wooten chipped in 2 points each.

JayVaughn Pinkston has become the third 2010 recruit to commit to Villanova. He is a 6'6 forward from Bishop Loughlin in Brooklyn. He joins James Bell and Marcus Kennedy.

Thanksgiving Tweets

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

Nova Soaks Penn 103-65

Drop 100+ points - Check
Six players score in double figures - Check
Shoot over 58% from the field and 52% from three - Check
Walk-on scores a basket - Check
Make Penn look like 5th graders playing against 8th graders - Check
Dominate a game from start to finish and play like you deserve a top-5 ranking- Check and Check

Corey Fisher - Continued to look like the best player on the floor. He ran the point with ease scoring 13 points and dishing out 8 assists.

Maalik Wayns - Led the team in scoring with 16 points, and he showed his range by hitting three 3-pointers. He's easily been the most impressive freshmen through the first two games.

Scottie Reynolds - Got back on track with a very solid game: 14 points, 5 assists. Most of his scoring came in a spurt in the middle of the second half.

Taylor King - Plays like a madman... I love it. He grabbed three rebounds in less than a minute after entering the game, then drained a three. He also made the Dwayne Anderson signature dive from behind steal. 14 points and 7 rebounds in the game... you can can see he's already turning into a crowd favorite.

Corey Stokes - "Only" made two 3-pointers for 14 points.

Antonio Pena - Got a legit double-double this time (12 points, 10 rebounds). He also had 2 blocks and and just 2 personal fouls. He's looked great, but the competition has been lacking. The true test will come in Puerto Rico.

Mouph Yarou - Fouled out in just 17 minutes, finishing with 4 points, 5 rebounds, and a block. He will probably continue to struggle with foul trouble early in the season as he adjusts to the college game.

Dominic Cheek - Had 7 points off the bench. He hit a pretty fade-away jumper with the shot clock winding down towards the end of the game.

Mo Sutton - Had 7 points, 5 rebounds, and a block in just 14 minutes. He flashed some nice post moves as well.

Russel Wooten - Scored the first two points of his career, thanks to an assist* from Armwood.

Isaiah Armwood - Got a little more playing time in this game (13 minutes), but failed to score.
* He shot an airball, which Wooten caught and put in for a lay up.

Jason Colenda - Picked up a steal, but let down the student section enormously when he missed the front end of a one-and-one.

What We've Got

With game one in the books, we have a clearer picture of what we've got with this team. The first two words that come to mind after watching the win over Farliegh Dickinson are youth and depth. All five freshmen played in the game, with Mouph Yarou, Dom Cheek, and Maalik Wayns logging major minutes. The youth showed early as the Wildcats had a rough time in the first half, trailing at times and leading by only one at halftime. However, Nova's depth overpowered FDU in the second half en route to the 84-61 blowout everyone was expecting. With a team that goes ten-deep (and eleven-deep when Redding returns) Jay Wright tinkered with several different lineups, including one with all three point guards playing together, a bigger lineup with one point guard and four players 6'5+ in height, and an all-freshman lineup. It's clear at this point that even Jay isn't entirely sure what he has with this team yet, and the lineups will continue to shuffle with frequency until he figures it out. Another thing to keep in mind is that preseason ranks mean nothing. Yes, Villanova is ranked very high in the polls and they have a lot of expectations, but Notre Dame was ranked in the preseason top ten last year and failed to even make the NCAA Tournament.

Without further adieu let's take a look at a player-by-player assessment of the first game...

The Starting Five
PG - Corey Fisher - Picked up right where he left off last season, and looked like the best player on the floor with a balanced game of 13 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds.
SG - Scottie Reynolds - Struggled mightily shooting the ball (2-10 fg, 0-4 3pt) and got himself into foul trouble. This is not the way he wanted to begin his senior campaign.
SF - Corey Stokes - Caught fire from downtown (5-10 3pt) in the second half to finish with a game-high 20 points.
PF - Antonio Pena - Had a near double-double (9 pts, 10 reb), dished out 3 assists, and picked up only one personal foul in 32 minutes. Pena's strong play might have been the most encouraging outcome of the game.
C - Mouphtaou Yarou - Looked like a man out there... wait, bad choice of words. 6 points, 3 rebounds and a block aren't the most overwhelming stats, but he showed a nice touch from the midrange. He's obviously still very raw, but with his size and athleticism his future looks promising.

First Subs
Taylor King - We knew he could shoot the ball, but King really impressed me with his rebounding (7) and tenacity. He actually reminded me of Dwayne Anderson, which is a pleasant surprise.
Dominic Cheek - He's certainly not shy to shoot. After missing the first shot of his college career, he came right back and made the next to lead the freshmen in scoring with 8.
Casiem Drummond - Looked like he lost a lot of weight this year-- what's that? Oh, right. That was Maalik Wayns sporting the #5 jersey. Wayns has that "Kyle Lowry-like" ability to drive to the basket. He had 6 points and a couple of assists.

Second Subs
Maurice Sutton - Looked better than I expected. He had a block and a monstrous put-back slam.
Isaiah Armwood - Was the odd man out of the rotation, only playing one minute.

2009-10 Season Preview

It’s been a while, but Nova News is back with an in-depth look at the upcoming 2009-2010 season.

Villanova shocked many by making the Final Four last March as a 3-seed, but expectations are sky-high this year, despite Villanova losing its top scorer and rebounder, Dante Cunningham, to the NBA. Nova was voted #1 preseason in the Big East coaches poll, #5 nationally in the AP poll, and #6 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. Villanova lost three other seniors including Shane Clark, Frank Tchuisi, and Dwayne Anderson, who was arguably the heart and soul of last year’s team. So why are expectations so high when the Wildcats are losing so much? Well, for one, Final Four hero Scottie Reynolds decided to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft and return for his senior year. The two Coreys (Fisher and Stokes) are returning from successful sophomore seasons and are poised to play even bigger roles this year. Finally, Villanova is bringing in the #3 recruiting class in the nation, composed of Dominic Cheek, Maalik Wayns, Mouphtaou Yarou, and Isaiah Armwood.

Let’s take a look at each player and what we can expect from them this season…

Scottie Reynolds – SR – PG/SG

2008-09 Stats: 32 min, 15.2 pts, 3.4 ast, 2.9 reb, 1.6 stl, 40% FG, 82% FT, 35% 3PT

The clear leader of the team, Scottie Reynolds is back for his senior year and has a chance to break some school records.

Freshman year: 1^st Round

Sophomore year: Sweet 16

Junior year: Final Four

Senior year: ?

Scottie Reynolds has seemingly done it all in his career at Villanova, and in his final year he will have his sights set on a National Championship. Scottie will probably play off the ball more this season, with Corey Fisher at the point. I see him being the leading scorer on the team (at around 17 points per game), but his stats won’t go up too much because the team has so many offensive weapons.

Corey Fisher – JR – PG

2008-09 Stats: 24 min, 10.8 pts, 2.8 ast, 2.3 reb, 1.2 stl, 43% FG, 78% FT, 32% 3PT

I think this is the year Jay Wright finally hands the keys to Corey Fisher and allows him to run free as the starting point guard. Fisher Price has been gifted offensively since the day he set foot on campus, but Jay Wright demands a lot from his guards defensively and Corey wasn’t quite ready on that end of the floor. Now Fisher is a complete two-way player, and as an upperclassman, he will now have to teach “Villanova Basketball” to his understudy Maalik Wayns. I see Fisher’s assists jumping up to around 4.5 a game and his scoring at about 13 ppg.

Corey Stokes – JR – SG/SF

2008-09 Stats: 23 min, 9.3 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.0 ast, 0.7 stl, 41% FG, 85% FT, 42% 3PT

I don’t know if Stokes will ever develop into the complete inside/outside swingman Villanova fans were hoping for when this former McDonald’s All-American joined the team. So far in his Wildcats career he has been strictly a perimeter scorer, a very good one at that, but his ball handling and inside scoring leave something to be desired. However, with Reynolds, Fisher, Wayns, and Cheek all capable at driving to the basket and with the post presence of Yarou and Pena, Stokes really won’t need to do much more than stand behind the arc and wait for someone to kick it to him for an open three. I think Stokes averages 11 ppg and shoots 50% from 3-point range.

Reggie Redding – SR – SG/SF

2008-09 Stats: 29 min, 7.1 pts, 4.9 reb, 3.1 ast, 1.1 stl, 0.5 blk, 44% FG, 71% FT, 30% 3PT

By now you’ve probably heard about Redding’s disappointing offseason; he was arrested on campus for marijuana possession back in August. He is suspended until December 19 and will be forced to miss the first ten games of the season. This isn’t the worst thing in the world. The schedule at the beginning of the season is relatively easy, and it will give the freshmen a chance for more playing time as they get acclimated to the college game. Then Redding will be back just in time for the start of Big East play, when the team will need him most. Reggie brings senior leadership and balanced contributions on both ends of the floor. He isn’t the most gifted scorer, but Jay Wright has called Redding his best defender and passer. (You might remember he threw the infamous full-court pass that almost cost Nova the game vs. Pitt in the Elite Eight, but he also threw the next inbounds pass that led to Reynolds’ game-winning shot.) I think his ‘09-10 stats will stay right in line with those of last season.

Antonio Pena – JR – PF/C

2008-09 Stats: 18 min, 5.1 pts, 4.2 reb, 1.0 ast, 0.5 blk, 48% FG, 69% FT

Pena’s playing time was inconsistent last season, as he primarily served as Dante Cunningham’s backup. On the rare occasion he was given extended minutes, he usually produced around 12 points and 8 rebounds. However, his biggest problem was avoiding foul trouble long enough to play meaningful minutes. As such, Jay Wright had little trust in ‘Tone when it mattered most, averaging only 6.4 minutes per game in the NCAA Tournament. This year Pena is the only experienced frontcourt player, and he will have to step up to play a bigger role by default. I think he will begin the season as the starting power forward/center, but if Yarou lives up to the hype early, he may push Pena back into more of a reserve role again. Pena’s numbers are tough to predict because it’s unclear what his role will be, but I’ll say 6 points and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes per game.

Taylor King – SO – SG/SF

2007-08 Stats (with Duke): 10 min, 5.5 pts, 2.0 reb, 41% FG, 38% 3PT

After sitting out all of last season due to transfer regulations, T-King is ready to make his Villanova debut. Much of what I said about Corey Stoke can be applied to King. He shoots the ball just as well from downtown, and it will be really fun to see them on the floor together. I expect TK to log major minutes from the get-go. He has NCAA experience with Duke and had all of last season to practice with the team and learn the system. The only thing holding him back is the deep backcourt. He’s a bit undersized at 6’6, but if he can play physical defense and rebound, Jay Wright may use him at power forward at times this season to get him on the court more often. I think you can expect a line of 9 points, 5 rebounds, 45% 3PT from King this year.

Maurice Sutton – FR – C

2007-08 Stats (high school): 18 pts, 13 reb, 9 blk

Like Taylor King, Sutton redshirted all of last season. He came into the program with height (6’11), but was thin as a rail. He’s had a full year to put on enough muscle to bang in the Big East. But does he have the skill? He still seems like more of a project at this point. I think he will play a role similar to Chris Charles of a few years ago: provide rebounding, blocks, and fouls in limited minutes off the bench. With Pena and Yarou the only other players on the team over 6’8, Sutton can provide some much needed size against bigger teams.

Dominic Cheek – FR – SG

2008-09 Stats (high school): 14.2 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast

Cheek has a frame and game that reminds many of former Villanova star Kerry Kittles. He was a big-time scorer for St. Anthony’s in Jersey City and was a McDonald’s All-American. He can handle the ball and score from the inside and out. I don’t see him starting out of the gates, but he will be a part of the regular rotation.

Mouphtaou Yarou – FR – PF/C

2008-09 Stats (high school): 20 pts, 12 reb, 3 blk

Villanova hasn’t had a F/C recruit this highly touted since Jason Fraser in 2002. At 6’10, 250 Mouph is a skilled big man with a soft touch. He is a native of Benin, Africa and didn’t pick up the game of basketball until five years ago. Yarou could be thrust into a starting role right away because of Nova’s lack of depth in the frontcourt. He may still be raw, but for someone with his size, skill set, and athleticism, the sky is the limit. Let’s just hope Mouph has a little more luck health-wise than Fraser.

Maalik Wayns – FR – PG

2008-09 Stats (high school): 19.2 pts, 5.5 ast, 5.1 reb

Could Wayns be the second coming of Kyle Lowry? As a 6’1 point guard from Philly and a fierce competitor, the similarities are endless. Like Lowry, he will probably come off the bench as the back up point guard to begin the season. During his freshman season, Lowry played so well that Jay Wright was forced to give him more minutes and eventually move him to the starting role midway through the season. Wayns will have a similar opportunity, and like Lowry’s teams from 2004-2006, we may see some 4-guard sets this year involving Maalik.

Isaiah Armwood – FR – SF/PF

2008-09 Stats (high school): 12 pts, 8 reb

Armwood is a former teammate of Kevin Durant and Mouph Yarou at Montrose Christian Academy in Maryland. He will be wearing the #34 jersey, last worn by Curtis Sumpter. Like Sumpter, Armwood is 6’7 with a versatile inside/out game. Again, because of the thin frontcourt, he will probably see minutes right away. If he contributes, he could see major minutes, maybe even earning the starting power forward position by season’s end.

The Walk-ons...

Russell Wooten – SR – SF

Jason Colenda – SR – PG/SG