I Bleed Blue and White

Before we talk about the road ahead, let’s put a bow on the Seton Hall game.  Unfortunately, I did not get to see the game last night, as I had a basketball game of my own, although I did listen to the second half on the radio.  Since I missed the Cats in action, I resorted to a bevy of internet sites to get me caught up on Nova hoops.  Below are some of the things I delved into. 

-Villanova vs. Seton Hall AP Recap

-Villanova vs. Seton Hall Box Score

-Villanova vs. Seton Hall Postgame Quotes

-Reynolds Scores 2,000th Point in Win

-Jay Wright and Adam Zagoria’s Bet

-Villanova Has Championship Feel

-CSN Philly Quick Villanova Basketball Clips  (this link takes you to the CSN Philly video page…click on the SPORTSNITE tab and there is 1 clip from January 31st discussing a possible #1 ranking and 1 clip from February 2nd relaying Scottie reaching 2,000 points)

9 Big East regular season games down, 9 to go.  A perfect start in conference has everyone salivating about what this team could accomplish, but as we all know by now, the second half of the schedule is much tougher than the first.  I never like to look too far ahead, much like the Cats always seem to focus on the “next game,” so I’ll only take a quick glance at a very important game in a few weeks.  The showdown with Syracuse should be a doozy, and the hype is already starting, as the Carrier Dome is sold out and an attendance record will be broken in the process.  But… 

Again, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, because over a 2 and a half day span this weekend into next week, Villanova will play road games against #7 Georgetown and #6 West Virginia.  As I ask in the title, is a loss on the horizon?  In my opinion (and I think I may take some heat about this from you Cat fans), I would be very content to come out of these next 2 games at 1-1.  Could the Cats win both?  Sure.  Could they lose both?  Easily.  In the end, coming out of this 2 game stretch with a win and a loss would be solid.  I want to hear what you think, though; would you be ok with 1-1 come Tuesday morning or is 2-0 the only option?

My apologies for the lack of posts.  Being in New York City really took a lot out of me, and the Jets lost, so I’m not in the greatest mood.  Anyways, here are some links to get the week started.

-Villanova vs. St. John’s Postgame Quotes

-Maalik Wayns Receives Big East Rookie of the Week Honors

-ESPN’s Weekly Watch

-Joe Lunardi’s Updated Bracketology

-Wildcats Climb in the New Polls

-Villanova Feels Right at Home in NYC

I will be at the game on Wednesday at the Wachovia Center, so let me know if you plan on attending.

I need to start off this post with some horrific news, as this is certainly much more important than anything I have ever blogged about.  Early Saturday morning, my friend and fellow May ‘09 graduate, Eddie Didonato, was shot six times after an altercation outside of a bar in Philadelphia.  Without getting into too many specifics, Eddie is at Jefferson University Hospital in Philly in the intensive care unit trying to recover from this unimaginable act.  Doctors remain optimistic that he will survive this battle, and in an amazing show of will, Eddie has been able to squeeze some of his closest friends’ hands.  Please keep Eddie and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Obviously, the rest of this post means basically nothing compared to the news above, but please feel free to read on.  I knew yesterday was going to be an intense day for myself, with Villanova-Georgetown at noon, Jets-Chargers at 4:30, and the season premiere of 24 at 9:00.  In terms of these 3 things, it couldn’t have gone much better.  A lot of alums were back for the Cats game at the Wachovia Center, even though the weather was less than stellar.  Below are a few of my thoughts on the hoops game yesterday.

-I thought Villanova looked real good in the first half, especially with the intensity of their press and trapping the Hoyas in certain situations.  Leading by double digits at halftime doesn’t hurt, but I received a text from one of my buddies at half.  It read, “what is your ibbw halftime analysis?”  To which I responded, “looking good, but gtown will make a run.”

-The Hoyas came out of the intermission pissed off and determined to make it a game.  Greg Monroe really took over, and the Cats did not shoot the ball particularly well.  The double digit lead dissipated to about 5, and there was still roughly 13 minutes left.

-When Georgetown tied it up with 4+ minutes left, I really thought the Cats were in trouble, because nobody could stop Monroe and Nova was ice cold.  In the end, though, did you really expect Scottie Reynolds to let the Cats lose?  It’s becoming like clock-work that when Villanova needs a big play, Scottie will be there to produce. 

-Four quick additional observations: 1. Wachovia Center was packed but not all that loud in my opinion…2. Our depth is unreal, as every player on the roster logged some minutes except Russell Wooten…3. Greg Monroe = lottery pick…4. What has happened to Corey Stokes this season?

Some links below to wrap up this Big East showdown:

-Villanova-Georgetown Box Score

-AP Recap 

-Postgame Quotes

-Scottie Named Big East and Big Five Player of the Week

-Nova Notebook: The Foye-Reynolds Relationship

-Jan. 18th Updated College Basketball Rankings

-ESPN Contributor Dana O’Neil on Scottie’s Maturation On and Off the Court

Again, please take a moment to pray for Eddie Didonato, a member of the Villanova community.  Thank you.

It doesn’t get much better than this-a 3 day weekend, the NFL Divisional Playoffs (huge game Sunday for my NY Jets), and two Big East college basketball showdowns (Syracuse at West Virginia and Georgetown at Villanova).  Both of these hoops games are featured on Rivals’ “Five games to watch this weekend” and ESPN’s “Weeklend Watch.”

Mike Huguenin, a Rivals’ editor, on the Hoyas-Cats contest: 

This is the first game in a four-game stretch in which the Hoyas play three times on the road: against ‘Nova, Pitt and Syracuse. Yikes. Villanova needs to be worried about stifling Georgetown big man Greg Monroe. Georgetown has two top-notch guards; Villanova has about, oh, 23 or 24.

Dana O’Neil, ESPN contributor, is also psyched up for the game at the Wachovia Center:

OK, I’ll be there, so I’m being selfish. But this classic Big East battle always is good entertainment, and with the way both teams are playing — Villanova won the foul fest at Louisville and the Hoyas topped Connecticut – I doubt it will disappoint this time around. Against the Wildcats’ deep backcourt, Austin Freeman is going to have a much more difficult time going for the unconscious 33 he put up against the Huskies, but Villanova will have its hands full contending with Greg Monroe.

Furthermore, Jay Bilas breaks down this matchup in depth in the ESPN “Weekend Watch,” so take a look at that for some additional opinion and analysis.  Lastly, Andy Katz spoke with Jay Wright in the latest edition of “Katz’s Korner,” but I can’t give you a preview of that since my computer at home is not working properly at the moment.  If someone gets to watch the video, please discuss it in the comments, so we all have an idea of what it’s about. 

I will be at the game on Sunday, and I believe Chris and Jamie will too.  Usually, the best ‘Nova tailgating goes down at the end of the Wachovia Center farthest away from Citizens Bank Park.  If you see us down there, come say hello and we can hype up the Cats while having a few beers.

You may have already seen this on ESPN, but the network did a great job of putting together a bevy of things to remember from college basketball in the last 10 years.  Brings back some great memories.

-Top Games

-Fondest Memories

-Witnessing the Classics

-Headlines

-Best Teams/Programs

-Best Players/Coaches

So hard to choose my #1 favorite memory of the decade.  For college basketball as a whole, it would either be George Mason’s run in 2006 or Stephen Curry’s heroics in 2008.  In terms of best Villanova basketball memory, the experience of a Final Four last year and seeing it in person is something I will never forget.  A close second is storming the court after beating UConn at the Wachovia Center. 

Happy New Year to everyone out there! And even though this news broke yesterday, I’m still excited, mainly because I forgot to put it up here!

Mouphtaou Yarou has been cleared to resume basketball activities, and even practiced with the team yesterday. Don’t expect to see the big man play against Marquette tomorrow, but I’d expect to see him back involved in the next couple of weeks.

This is huge news for Mouph, as he has battled this infection and gotten the okay to rejoin his friends and teammates! Congrats Mouph!

With the year coming to a close, it’s time to reminisce about some Villanova basketball things.  First, Jonathan Tannenwald, who writes a blog called “Soft Pretzel Logic” for the Philadelphia Inquirer, compiled a list of the top ten local college basketball games of 2009.  The #1 game is obvious, but see the other Villanova games that made Tannenwald’s list.

Obviously, the players made these games so special and memorable, but some players who we thought would be a part of these games were not.  I’m referring to those that transferred out of the Villanova basketball family.  Jay Wright has seen his fair share of transfers in recent years, so let’s take a look at how these players are doing at their respective universities.   

-Bilal Benn (transferred to Niagara University in May 2007): While on the Main Line, Benn represented what Villanova basketball is all about; toughness, hard work, defense, pride.  Unfortunately, he just could never get in a rhythm on the offensive end, as he couldn’t knock down shots and turned the ball over too much.  It also didn’t help that Scottie Reynolds was on the verge of becoming a freshman phenom, so Benn was put on the back burner so to speak.  At Niagara, though, he has become a star, averaging 15.6 points and 11 rebounds per game this season for an underrated team.  Benn has missed the last couple of games after undergoing minor knee surgery, but he should return in mid-January.

-Andrew Ott (transferred to Penn State University in January 2008): It’s usually tough to find big men on a Villanova roster, but at 6′ 8″, some thought Ott had the potential to be a low post threat for the Cats.  In all honesty, he just didn’t have the body to compete in the rugged Big East.  He logged some minutes when others were in foul trouble, but other than that, he was rarely used in games.  Thus, he departed to Penn State, where he hoped to be a more integral part of a team.  He has achieved that to a certain extent, playing in all 12 Nittany Lion games this year and averaging 10 minutes, 3.3 points, and 2.2 rebounds per game.  While not all that impressive, Ott is definitely more suited to play in the Big 10 as opposed to the Big East.

-Malcolm Grant (transferred to University of Miami in April 2008): Easily the most puzzling of transfers I can remember.  Everyone could see Grant had a ton of talent and potential, but he could not find consistent minutes at Villanova.  There were constant rumors that he was in Jay Wright’s doghouse, but no one ever admitted to this.  Nonetheless, he singlehandedly brought the Cats back to win one of the most exciting games in Villanova history.  Down 21 to LSU with 8 minutes to go at the Wachovia Center, Grant was inserted to spark a lackluster team, and he did just that, willing the Wildcats to victory.  Despite these heroics, he was still overshadowed by fellow recruits Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher, which may have played a hand in his decision to transfer.  In his first season with the Hurricanes now, Grant is one of the studs for a very solid 12-1 team.  He plays nearly 24 minutes a game, while averaging 11.4 points and almost 4 assists a game. 

-Casiem Drummond (transferred to Marist University in December 2008): Probably the biggest guy to put on a Villanova uniform in recent years, there were high expectations for Drummond.  With Villanova’s usual lack of size, Drummond was seen as the force that could fill the center position void.  In his sophomore year, he averaged 13 minutes, 5 points, and 5 rebounds per game.  Unfortunately, he struggled with weight issues throughout his time on the Main Line, and transferred early in the 2008-2009 season.  Transferring from Villanova to Marist, many assumed he could dominate for the Red Foxes in the MAAC.  Drummond just became eligible to play a few weeks ago, and then was declared academically ineligible, so he will not be on the basketball court any time soon.

Game ended right around 9pm eastern time.  Villanova Wildcats defeat Delaware Blue Hens 97-63.  Some notes on the game are below. 

-Villanova jumped out to a 10 point lead five minutes into the first half, but the Blue Hens pulled to within 24-22 with eleven minutes left.

-After that, the Cats took over and showed their muscle, especially Reggie Redding, who had double figures by intermission.

-Halftime score: Villanova 48 Delaware 32

-Delaware actually cut their 16 point deficit in half right out of the chute in the second half. 

-With only a 7 point lead and 14 minutes remaining, Villanova put the game away for good, extending the lead to a 20+ margin for the rest of the game. 

-Pretty much everyone played a solid game for the Cats, with the exception being Corey Stokes.  Sure, his defense is stellar, but we basically take that as a given now.  The offense for him is the puzzling part, as he just can’t find his stroke.  He finished with 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 turnovers.  No way anyone should be giving up on Stokes though, because this guy is due to find his shot at some point.  Flat out, the Cats will need Stokes in order to survive in the rugged Big East.   

-In terms of stats, Scottie Reynolds had 22 points and 6 assists, Reggie Redding scored 16 points and grabbed 6 boards, while Taylor King notched a double-double with 19 points (8-8 from the line) and 12 rebounds. 

-Give credit to Delaware.  They are a bad basketball team, but they did not give up at all.  They could have mailed it in halfway through the first half, but they made a few runs, and to cut Villanova’s lead to 7 in the second half is impressive for them.  Jawan Carter, who averages 38.5 minutes for the Blue Hens, played 40 minutes tonight, scoring 13 points. 

It’s on to the Big East finally.  The Cats get a nice 10 days off before their first conference game against Marquette.  I’m really pumped to see Big East basketball for the next 3 months.  Speaking of the Big East, Dana O’Neil, a writer for ESPN, wrote up an interesting review of the Big East conference up to this point in the season.  This will be my last post until after Christmas, so I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday. 

The first loss for any team is always tough, because it’s a new experience for that particular group.  As we hear many times in not only sports, but in life too, the true test is how you respond when you’re down.  For the 2009-2010 Villanova squad, they are currently dealing with their first failure.  How they respond will take place at the Izod Center on Saturday against the Fordham Rams.  Just like the pro-football team, the Rams are a very weak group this year; they have already fired their coach (their new coach was recruited by Jay Wright while Jay coached at Hofstra) and lost out on key recruits as a result. 

In the end, though, the opponent doesn’t matter.  Villanova will either come out lethargic and let the first loss linger on or they will show up energized and get back to Villanova basketball right away.  I think we will learn a lot about this squad in the first 8-12 minutes of the game on Saturday.  Are they moving the ball?  Are they diving for loose balls?  Are they crashing the boards?  Are they playing tough, physical defense?  These are all questions to take into account in the early part of the game this weekend.  Obviously, we want to see this all the time, but especially after a loss, it’s important to come out hitting on all cylinders.  Just because they are playing a subpar squad doesn’t mean the Cats will respond like the way we want them to.  Personally, I think Jay will have the team ready to go, but we shall see.  This Saturday may not seem like a big game, but it really is for a relatively young squad like these Wildcats.

One of my favorite things to do is read the quotes from the postgame press conferences following each game.  The script was not available for last night’s postgame press conference at the Palestra, but the following articles provide some reactions from both teams. 

• “Villanova outlasts Saint Joseph’s in Big 5 rivalry” by Mike Kern
• “Against Villanova, Saint Joseph’s hangs around, for 40 minutes” by Dick Jerardi
• “Reynolds, Villanova turn back Saint Joe’s” by Terry Toohey

By the way, there are 16 undefeated teams in Division I basketball currently.  Not surprisingly, 5 of these teams are from the Big East, including Villanova (9-0), Syracuse (8-0)-who is playing Florida right now, Seton Hall (7-0), Georgetown (7-0), and West Virginia (6-0).