RFC -- better late than never. Especially for those of us (myself included) who weren’t able to watch the game live. Hubert Davis, God love ya, you need to find something else to say other than “Wow!” when ‘Nova makes a great play. Sit in on Bill Raftery for a while or something. I swear to God if he does another game of ours I may have to preemptively mute it.
By the way, I’ve now seen Isaiah Armwood take 2 shots. He’s drained both. Frosh, you’ve got free reign in my book.
Each week throughout the college basketball season, ESPN provides an in-depth analysis of the most recent top players and teams, key games to look forward to in the respective week, and much more. In the latest edition, Andy Katz mentions Villanova in a couple of different spots. Katz gives “shout-outs” to Miami (Malcolm Grant is noted), Seattle, and the Wildcats of Villanova. Katz says about Nova:
The Wildcats won the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic. They were tested quite a bit in three days and came through to show they can be an elite team. Those wins against Dayton and Ole Miss — maybe even the tight one versus George Mason — will look just fine in March.
Although Villanova did gut it out to post an impressive championship in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic, it was another Big East team that stood as the “team of the week.” As you may have guessed, it was Syracuse, who demolished California and North Carolina at Madison Square Garden in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Indeed, the Orange did look good in NYC, but it is too early to start crowing them Big East champions, which I have heard from some people.
The Cats get a nice break this week, with 5 full days of no games. Their next game is against an improved LaSalle team on Saturday at the Pavilion. Katz points this game out as one of his “headline destinations.” LaSalle would love nothing more than to give Villanova a blip on their current Big 5 dominance. Katz says about the matchup:
La Salle is supposed to be a sleeper team in the A-10. Villanova is off to a solid start after escaping against George Mason. If La Salle wants to be taken seriously in the Big Five this season, knocking off Nova would suffice. If the Explorers get smacked, it will be hard to take them too seriously.
I agree with Katz’s assessment that the Villanova victories in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic will be resume builders come tournament time. George Mason shoud contend for the CAA title, just like Dayton will be a threat in the A-10, and Ole Miss will be solid if they can improve their rebounding. This will probably be my last post until after Thanksgiving, so I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday.
For those of you who followed the game with me on Twitter yesterday, you know the sheer enjoyment I was getting out of listening to the Dayton Flyers Radio Network, and their impeccable broadcast team. I never actually caught their names, but if I had to guess they were probably JimBob and Cletus. Two of the biggest Southern accents I’ve ever heard, and the homerism to go with it.
Fisher was a FT warrior again.
I was initially disappointed to learn that I wouldn’t be able to watch the game (the internet feed was legitimately an hour behind), but these two hicks saved the day for me with their utter dissatisfaction whenever Villanova did anything positive and their shrieks of joy whenever Luke Fabrizius looked in their general direction. In fact, as I tweeted during the game, I’m pretty sure the color guy was fondling himself when Fabrizius grabbed a rebound a one point in the 2nd half.
Between them yelling out what plays Dayton should run, screaming at the players for leaving Taylor King open, and their catch-phrases (”Villanova is just walkin’ the dog, baby” killed me), these two helped make what turned out to be a close game feel like a walk in the park. I can only hope that somewhere in the future, we play Dayton again and I get to enjoy JimBob and Cletus’ expertise once more. I’ll be praying.
As for the game itself, I may be in the minority, but I’m extremely happy with the way the team performed. Dayton is a very talented and well-coached team. Corey Fisher rose to the occasion again, and once again was a monster at the stripe (10-12, including 4-4 down the stretch). The aforementioned King quickly dismissed his porous effort from the day before to turn in 14 points and 9 rebounds. He’s going to be a monster for us this year. And finally, Antonio Peña. As I listened to the game I didn’t think you did that much. But thinking back, you were huge. 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 5-8 from the stripe, including 2 enormous FT’s that had me panicking as you go to the line. Way to step up big fella.
Some more notes:
So now we’re on our way to the finals where we face Ole Miss on Sunday night. The game is at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be aired nationally by ESPN2! It’s about time I got to watch this team in HD.
As always, a quick refresher of the rules. Tell your friends to join in if you want. There are several current entrants who are 0-2, so it’s not like they are starting out way behind.
The official line for today’s game is Villanova -6. Fire away with your picks!
The Game: #5 Villanova (3-0) vs. #18 Dayton (2-0)
Location: The Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPNU
Brief Rundown: Villanova gave ‘Nova Nation a near heart attack with a scrappy, come-from-behind win over George Mason in the opening round. It took an Isaiah Armwood 3 to finally give Villanova a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Villanova was plagued by foul trouble and terrible shooting, both from the field and from the line. They’ll need to be much better if they want to get past Dayton and into the tournament finals.
The Flyers defeated Georgia Tech in the opening round, and like Villanova’s game, it wasn’t easy. Dayton relied on the strength of its young guards to lead them to victory against the strong inside game of Tech. Dayton held a 9-point lead at the half, but was down by 7 with about 4 1/2 minutes left. Their resilience proved strong, as they held off the Jackets in the game’s final moments.
What I Want To See: Well, I’ll tell you what I don’t want to see — more late-game drama. Villanova needs to come out and play with the fire and efficiency of the Penn game. I feel they will shoot the ball better, but the bigger concern may be taking care of the ball. Scottie Reynolds, and the team in general, cannot afford another performance like they had against George Mason.
Links:
Yesterday I was contacted by James O’Brien of The Blackburn Review. James wanted to gauge my interest in a Q&A for a possible Dayton-Villanova matchup on Friday. As he said, the turnaround would have to be fast, as we’d only have a matter of hours to exchange questions and answers. So naturally, I told him to write me as soon as Dayton advanced as I was sure ‘Nova would have no problem.
Yeah, not going to assume anything anymore. We all saw how that went today. So with that said, here are James’ answers to my questions in regards to Dayton. Make sure you go check out my answers to his questions at The Blackburn Review!
Chris (IBBW): So we both had some close calls today! I thought Puerto Rico was supposed to be a relaxing spot. You were up by 9 against Georgia Tech at the half, so what made it such a close game in the 2nd period?
James (BR): GT did something they should have done from the time the ball was tipped off. They attacked us at the post with Favors and Lawal and sagged into a zone that we couldn’t penetrate. On top of that, arguably our two best players Chris Wright (supposed first round pick…gag) and senior workhorse Marcus Johnson combined for 7 points and 5 rebounds. Coming out the half with a nine point lead and having forced 15 turnovers I was confident, but down 7 with 5 to play? Jesus, I haven’t been that shaken since I last checked my credit score. I’m just glad we got out of there with a win.
Chris (IBBW): Give me the one guy who will have ‘Nova fans sweating tomorrow.
James (BR): I wish I could point to one player and say he was our soul, but there just isn’t one. Our supposed 1st round pick scored 25 in our first game and 7 in the second. Our most experienced and well-rounded player was held scoreless this morning. I guess there’s one thing I can guarantee you, if we don’t get yet another big game from Chris Johnson, this game could get ugly because he’s turning into the player we can count on the most. Also, keep an eye on the Marcus Johnson vs. Scottie Reynolds matchup. Marcus really is a special talent on defense, and if he can’t contain Reynolds, ‘Nova will have a huge advantage.
Chris (IBBW): From the looks of it, you relied heavily on 3 young guys to get the win on Thursday. ‘Nova also has to rely on its youngsters to get the job done this year. Give me the rundown on your young guys and what they bring to the table.
James (BR): Coming into this season, we only really expected to “depend” on one of our sophomores and that was Chris Johnson. Now I use the word depend lightly because we play everybody short of the Dean. Anyway, let’s get to your question. Chris Johnson showed huge potential last season, coming in as an unknown recruit he showed a propensity to rebound in almost any situation while being only 6′6″. He’s easily developing into our most well-rounded player and crowd favorite. He demonstrated his range and versatility today, leading our team in points, rebounds, and steals. You’re’ not going to enjoy playing against him. Paul Williams, is still an unknown entity. He was our best recruit last season but spent half the year nursing a bad ankle. We were told he was a lock down defender who can hit any shot and today he demonstrated every bit of it. What will he show tomorrow? Who know. Finally, Luke Fabrizius, aka Pop-A-Shot. I’ve never seen him pass, rebound, or play defense. Once I sa him dribble, but I didn’t have my contacts in. He shoots every time he gets the ball, no matter what. Some days he goes 4-7 and is a hero, some days he goes 0-6 and I send a dead ferret to his dorm room. He has no conscious, and neither do I.
Chris (IBBW): When I think mid-major, Dayton is one of the names that comes to mind. Actually, the program has passed mid-major status in my opinion. How does the team deal with the added spotlight and not being able to sneak up on teams?
James (BR): This is a divisive issue among Dayton fans. We’re in the scheduling limbo where BCS teams don’t want to schedule us, especially on the road, but won’t be taken as a serious Top-25 team unless we can beat a few teams. We’re thought of as a good program, but not one good enough to lose to and expect your fan base to understand. I figure with another season or two of NCAA Tourney success we’ll be on the same level as our hate rival Xavier. Which means we’ll have just enough respect that people know what state our University is located. I’ve said before that Villanova is aprogram we strive to be like and I think this will be a huge litmus test for our season and program.
Chris (IBBW): How would you describe Dayton’s style of play?
James (BR): Dayton’ success is predicated on two things. Fresh legs and suffocating defense. Expect to see a pace of substititon that is only paralleled at an alumni hockey game and tight man to man defense. Dayton has yet to come across a back court that they couldn’t harass into multiple turnovers and easy break-a-ways. On the other hand, we haven’t seen a back court with Villanova’s talent and athleticism. Our style has worked great against hte mid-level Big East teams like Pitt and West Virginia, but I think we’ll be in a whole new level of shit against you fellas.
Chris (IBBW): Give me a prediction on tomorrow’s game.
James (BR): Unlike most self respecting journalists, I don’t have to be impartial. My gut says Dayton by twenty, but my gut is also filled with cheap Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Don’t judge me.
Dayton 69 Nova 63. See you on the beach!
Thanks to James for reaching out to me and getting this done! I especially like how he referred to Pitt and West Virginia as mid-level programs! But as I told him, when I say good luck to Dayton tomorrow, I don’t really mean it!
When it comes to the non-conference schedule, the drama and buzz aren’t always present, but tournaments early in the season can create some excitement. David Fox, college basketball staff writer for Rivals, listed and analyzed the important November/December tourneys for the upcoming hoops season. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off, which will be played November 19th, 20th, and 22nd, was featured on Fox’s list. With Georgia Tech, Dayton, Boston University, George Mason, Mississippi, Indiana, Kansas State, and Villanova representing the 8 participants, the matchup Fox wants to see in this bracket is Georgia Tech and Villanova in the 2nd round. Fox’s analysis of the tip-off is as follows:
The early rounds are loaded with juicy matchups. A first-round game matches Dayton, the A-10 favorite, and Georgia Tech, a potential top-25 team. The Yellow Jackets won only two ACC games last season, but should be a league contender with center Derrick Favors, the No. 3 prospect in the 2009 class, joining forward Gani Lawal and guard Iman Shumpert.
The Flyers have a star of their own in 6-8 junior Chris Wright. A strong defensive team, Dayton is poised for a breakout season. … A Final Four team a year ago, Villanova could draw either of those teams in the second round. Whether the Wildcats face Georgia Tech or Dayton, their frontcourt will need to answer for the loss of leading scorer Dante Cunningham.
Like Villanova, Ole Miss is a backcourt-heavy team when a healthy Chris Warren teams with Terrico White. … Indiana will have a chance to show how well Tom Crean’s rebuilding project is going. Ole Miss should contend in the SEC West, but the Rebels are hardly an NCAA tournament lock.
We’ll see if Georgetown transfer Jeremiah Rivers and a standout signing class led by forward Christian Watford can compete with Ole Miss. … Thanks to the guard tandem of Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, Kansas State could be a sleeper in this field. The Wildcats didn’t play an NCAA tournament team in their non-conference schedule last season. That could change if K-State wins a game or two in this tourney.
While Georgia Tech has had a rough go of it in recent years, look for them to be better this year with the addition of the highly touted Derrick Favors. Winning this tournament could prove to be huge down the stretch for the Wildcats.
Lots of good tourneys leading up to conference play. Which ones intrigue you the most?
ESPN continues their Summer ShootAround series with a look at the Big East. The article, which contains many aspects concerning Villanova, is a great read, so I highly suggest taking the time to sort through it as it really gives you a good feel of what to expect as the conference turns over a new leaf. Below are the Villanova highlights.
Jay Bilas on Villanova, who he ranks as the best team in the conference:
“The Wildcats are a bit younger, but very talented at every position. Jay Wright has guards that he encourages to make plays, and Villanova is versatile enough to attack mismatches on offense and switch every screen on defense. Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes form one of the nation’s strongest backcourts, and all can get into the lane and to the free-throw line. Freshmen Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns can play right away. But making up for Dante Cunningham and Dwayne Anderson will be a challenge.”
Dana O’Neil on Mouphtaou Yarou, who she believes is 1 of 10 key players in the conference:
“How far the Wildcats go may depend heavily on how quickly the rookie big man succeeds. Jay Wright always has been a guard’s coach, and Villanova has no shortage of backcourt talent again this year. But it is not a coincidence that when the Wildcats finally found a talented inside man — Dante Cunningham — they went to the Final Four. If Yarou, with the help of fellow freshman Isaiah Armwood, can make up for Cunningham’s loss, Nova might be busy on the final weekend of the season again.”
John Stovall on Mouphtaou Yarou and Dominic Cheek, both a part of 10 freshman to watch this season:
Yarou – “He’s big, strong and has solid skills. ‘Mouph’ should definitely have an immediate impact. He’s physically ready to play and skilled enough to have his presence felt right away in the Big East.”
Cheek – “He’s talented enough to be an all-conference player. He has to improve his motor, but once that happens he’ll be heading to the next level. Look for Villanova’s two other recruits — Maalik Wayns and Isaiah Armwood — to make an immediate impact as well.
Dana O’Neil on Villanova vs. Maryland, 1 of 10 non-conference games to watch:
“Two of the most exciting guards in the nation, Greivis Vasquez an Scottie Reynolds, square off in the nation’s capital. The Terps, who return just about everybody, are good enough to give Big East favorite Villanova a run for its money.”
Dana O’Neil on a potential Villanova/Georgia Tech matchup in Puerto Rico:
“This is a big if, because the Yellow Jackets would need to knock off A-10 favorite Dayton in the first round (and Nova has to beat always-pesky George Mason), but this semifinal matchup would feature some of the best freshmen in the country: Mouphtaou Yarou, Isaiah Armwood, Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek for Villanova; Derrick Favors and Mfon Udofia for Georgia Tech. Mix in the fact that Tech coach Paul Hewitt, like Jay Wright, is a Rollie Massimino disciple and you have the stuff for a high-level game in November.”
And finally, ESPN’s ‘quick take’ on Villanova:
“Jay Wright is at the point where he is reloading, not rebuilding. The Wildcats bring one of the top recruiting classes in the country, headlined by Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns, to go with the nucleus from the Final Four team. Senior guard Reggie Redding, arrested for marijuana possession, will be ineligible until mid-December. But with plenty of depth at the guard position, Villanova ought to survive without him.”
…The last part about reloading instead of rebuilding has really been a theme around Villanova’s program lately…I love it…I say it everyday but I really wish the start of the season was closer…
The Puerto Rico Tip-Off released their bracket for the November tournament today, and Villanova will be facing George Mason in the first round. That game is scheduled for Thursday, November 19th at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
The winner of that first game will play the winner of Dayton and Georgia Tech on November 20th, and the Championship game will be played on November 22nd.
According to the press release, Villanova will be the home team in each of its games, so expect to see the white jerseys.
If you are interested in attending this tournament, you can purchase Official Puerto Rico Tip-Off Spectator Packages, which include game tickets and official team hotel accommodations, by visiting www.AnthonyTravel.com (search Puerto Rico) or by calling 1-888-632-6951. Additional event information can be found at the event’s official Web site: www.PuertoRicoTipOff.com.
A couple of interesting items to point out from the last week or so. First, the Nova Notebook, written by Villanova’s director of media relations Mike Sheridan, has returned with a piece on Dante Cunningham. The entry discusses Cunningham’s excitement in working out for NBA scouts, but also his continuing role in helping out the younger Villanova basketball players.
Next, the field for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Tipoff, a tournament to be held in Puerto Rico next season, has been announced. The tipoff takes place Novemeber 19th-November 22nd, and the 8 teams in this mini-tournament include Boston University, Dayton, George Mason, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas State, Ole Miss and Villanova.
Lastly, with the departure of Patrick Chambers to Boston University, there is a coaching vacancy on the Villanova staff. It looks like University of New Mexico assistant coach Chris Walker, a former basketball player at Nova, is a leading candidate. He interviewed for the position this past Monday, but declined to comment if he is actually considering the opening.
These mini-tournaments early in the year have become a staple on Villanova’s schedule. While the teams in the field may not seem all that impressive, these games are very important, as you never know which team will end up having a great year. Nonconference wins, such as these, provide big opportunities early in the season to build the foundation for your NCAA tournament resume.
Also, if you notice, Boston U. is in this field. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see Chambers vs. Villanova? In terms of the coaching vacancy, I don’t know much about Chris Walker, but from what I read in the posted article, it sounds like he is a great recruiter, which can never hurt. I know Jay will pick a solid guy to fill the Chambers vacancy.
