I Bleed Blue and White

The Game: #5 Villanova (0-0) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (0-0)

Location: The Pavilion in Villanova, PA

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Broadcast: ‘Nova Nation All-Access (pray to your God that it works)

Brief Rundown: Villanova is breaking in a new crop of players this year after losing the most successful senior class in the school’s history. Up to 6 new faces could see their first action for ‘Nova, including a very heralded freshman quartet. Reggie Redding is suspended for the game, leaving Scottie Reynolds as the lone senior to lead this young, but talented team.

Fairleigh Dickinson went 7-24 last year, and was routinely blown out of the gym. The Knights will look to improve on that record this year behind new coach Greg Ventrone, and got off to a solid start by beating Molloy College in their exhibition game. Keep an eye on #30 Sean Baptiste tonight. The senior guard led the team in points, rebounds, and steals in their exhibition win after averaging 16.3 points per game and  5.9 rebounds per game last season. Alvin Mofunanya is their top returning big man after averaging 9.0 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game last season.

Common Opponents:

1. at Pittsburgh – Lost 86-63
2. at Seton Hall – Lost 101-70

What I Want To See: Defense. We know we can score with anyone in the country. We have weapons everywhere. But against Kutztown, the defense was borderline appalling. FDU should not get to 70 points, and frankly, a good defensive team would likely hold them below 60. We need to find our defensive identity if we want to see another Final Four run.

Links:

• Villanova By The Numbers
• Fact on Villanova Sports
  

…Lets Go Nova!…the start of another season is here…

The Game: #5 Villanova vs. Kutztown (Exhibition)

Location: The Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET

Broadcast: If anyone has anything please let us know

Brief Rundown: Villanova is coming off the school’s first Final Four appearance since they won it all in 1985. The most heralded senior class in school history is gone (Frank Tchuisi remains on the coaching staff) but a consensus Top-5 recruiting class has arrived. Villanova boasts one of the best and deepest backcourts in the country, but the frontcourt remains a mystery for the time being.

Kutztown is ranked 16th in the Division II preseason polls, and is coming off one of the best season’s in the school’s history as well. They won the PSAC East Championship, made the PSAC Finals, and made their first trip to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Final. They are led by pre-season All-American Stephen Dennis, who is currently third on Kutztown’s all-time scoring list.

3 Keys to Victory:

1. Find a stopper - With Reggie Redding out until late December, ‘Nova needs to find another defensive stopper. Corey Stokes has shown great strides in his defense the last two years, and he may have the mentality to be that guy. Dominic Cheek could also be a candidate. Stephen Dennis is as good a pre-season test as they could hope for.
2. Don’t pull a Syracuse – Seriously, I’ve been talking a lot of crap to my Syracuse friends.. Don’t make me regret that. Come out and play the game.
3. Enjoy it - For the freshman, this is your first taste of ‘Nova basketball. Make it worthwhile. For the seniors, this is the start of the season you’ve been working towards. Lead this team towards greatness.

Links:

• Bears can’t wait to face Villanova (Reading Eagle)

…Lets Go Nova!…let’s have some predictions on score, starting lineups, whatever you want in the comments section…

Game: #4 Villanova (6-1, 3-1) vs. Rhode Island (1-5, 0-3)

Location: Villanova Stadium in Villanova, PA

Time: 3:30 p.m.

Broadcast: 950-AM ESPN Radio

Brief Rundown: Villanova is coming off a solid bounceback win as they trounced James Madison 27-0 and spoiled their homecoming festivities last weekend. They remain one of the best teams in all of FCS.

On the other side, well, the Rams just aren’t very good. Their lone victory was against Fordham to start the year, and they’ve lost all of their games since. Defense has been the main issue, as the Rams are giving up nearly 34 points per outing. On paper, this one shouldn’t be very close.

3 Keys to Victory:

1. Smashmouth – Judging by the Rhode Island defensive statistics through 6 games, their defense employs the Matador style. Villanova’s offense is predicated around the run, and if they stick with that strategy they’ll have no issues on Saturday.
2. Suffocate them early - The longer Rhode Island hangs around, the tougher this will get. Villanova can’t be looking ahead to Richmond, or they could find themsevles in trouble.
3. Enjoy the atmosphere - The stadium will be packed this weekend as ‘Nova fans from all over the country descend on The Main Line for Homecoming. Make sure to soak up every minute of it.

Links:

• Villanova Game Notes (PDF)

…Lets Go Nova!…

The Game: #2 Villanova (5-0, 2-0) at #5 New Hampshire (4-0, 1-0)

Location: Cowell Stadium in Durham, New Hampshire

Time: 12:00 p.m.

Broadcast: 950-AM ESPN Radio

Brief Rundown: Villanova is coming off the 1st game of a brutal stretch, but they made it look relatively easy last week disposing of then #5 William & Mary at home. Villanova’s rushing attack didn’t live up to it’s season averages, but they made it count scoring 3 rushing touchdowns. Chris Whitney and the passing attack picked up the pace though, scoring on a long pass on the 1st offensive play of the game. ‘Nova’s defense continued it’s opportunistic ways, holding William & Mary under it’s season averages in points despite giving up huge chunks of yardage.

New Hampshire moves into the Top 5 after they remained undefeated last week by crushing Towson 57-7 on the road. New Hampshire hasn’t played the stiff competition that Villanova has thus far, but they are a solid program with a very good defense, which currently ranks 1st in all of FCS. Keep an eye on QB R.J. Toman, who is suffering from a bout with turf toe.

3 Keys to Victory:

1. May the best defense win - I’ve got a feeling this one isn’t going to be particularly high-scoring, despite both programs averaging over 30 points per game. New Hampshire has forced 18 turnovers on the year, and like Villanova, can get after the QB and force bad decisions. Whichever defense comes out and sets the tone for their team is probably going to be the difference in this game.
2. Stick with the run – It’s the strength of the team, with 5 guys capable of impacting the game with their legs (including both QB’s). It wasn’t the easiest time on the ground last week for Villanova, but that should only motivate the OL and RB’s to really bring it this week. Aaron Ball has been the main workhorse for ‘Nova.
3. Unity – This is the first conference road game of the year, and as Coach Andy Talley described it, a pseudo-playoff game. Rally around each other and scrape out a win. It isn’t supposed to be pretty on the road. Grind this one out and come home with a  win.

Links:

• Villanova Game Notes (PDF)
• New Hampshire Football Report
  

The Game: #2 Villanova (3-0, 0-0) vs. Northeastern (0-3, 0-1)

Location: Villanova Stadium in Villnova, PA

Time: 3:30 p.m.

Broadcast: The Comcast Network

Brief Rundown: Villanova is coming a a hard fought, but sloppily played 14-3 win over Penn last weekend. The Wildcat defense was superb again, sacking the Penn QB multiple times and forcing a couple of turnovers. There wasn’t much offense for ‘Nova, and QB Chris Whitney was replaced in the 3rd quarter by Antwon Young, who led the team to it’s only offensive touchdown of the night. Whitney will start, but Young will most likely see extended action this week.

Northeastern has started off the season 0-3, with their only competitive game being a 17-7 loss to Maine at home. They are averaging just 9.3 points per game while allowing over 36 per game, and their offensive averages in both rushing and passing are under 130 yards per outing.

Last year Villanova won the meeting 20-14. On paper, this should be a nice tune-up into the CAA season for Villanova, but as we saw last week, never overestimate an opponent.

Injury Report:

• RB Aaron Ball (hip pointer) – Probable
• NG Thomas Weaver (turf toe) – Probable
• OT Chidozie Ekweozor (high ankle sprain) – Questionable

3 Keys to Victory:

1. Defense sets the tone – Villanova’s defense is big, fast, and nasty. They’ve been adept at getting to the QB and causing turnovers, and must continue to do so against a woeful offensive opponent.
2. Use both Whitney/Young - Antwon Young has earned more playing time after he came to the rescue last week. He may not be starting, but he brings a new dimension to the offense with his running ability. Whitney must get hiss passing attack back on track after a dreadful outing against Penn.
3. Feed off the home crowd – It is Parents’ Weekend at ‘Nova, so the home crowd should be pretty full. Feed off the students and alumni and put this game away by the early 2nd half.

Links:

• Villanova Game Notes (PDF)
• Where has the rushing attack gone? (Philadelphia Inquirer)
  

(Yep, we’re doing football pregame posts now. I’ve gotten a few emails asking for more coverage, and it was kind of stupid to not do it in the first place. So, here’s the inaugural post!)

The Game: #3 Villanova (1-0) vs.  Lehigh (0-1)

Location: Villanova Stadium in Villanova, PA

Time: Saturday, 7:00 p.m.

Broadcast: WFMZ and FCS Atlantic

Brief Rundown: The Wildcats are coming off a shocking comeback win over FBS rival Temple in the opening week of the season. That was one of 3 FCS-over-FBS wins in the 1st week (conference foes Richmond and William & Mary notched the others). Lehigh, on the other hand, took a tough loss to Central Connecticut State on the first weekend, a game where they were dominated in time of possession and total yardage.

Senior LB Al Pierce and senior DT Phil Winnet are both out for Lehigh this week, but they are hoping that senior LB’s Heath Brickner and Troy Taylor can return after catching knocks in last week’s game. Being down 3 senior LB’s is not ideal for a team coming in as heavy underdogs already.

3 Keys to Victory:

1. Control the ball - Lehigh got taken to school last week by CCSU (my mother’s alma matter in fact) when they let the Blue Devils hold the ball for nearly 43 minutes. That doesn’t bode well facing a Villanova team that has a lot of options to run the ball. Expect a heavy dose Aaron Ball and Angelo Babbaro.
2. Force turnovers – Judging by last week’s game, the Lehigh offense hasn’t gelled yet and they’ll make some mistakes. ‘Nova has a veteran, ball-hawking defense. Get after QB JB Clark and force some mistakes. Osayi Osunde, that means you.
3. Don’t look ahead – This may be the most important. I get nervous (especially in football) when one team is such a big favorite. Plus, Lehigh pulled off the upset in 2006 on our home opener too. Don’t underestimate them.

Links:

• Official Villanova Game Notes (PDF)
• Lehigh Football Nation (a very good Lehigh football blog)
• The Morning Call
• Philadelphia Daily News
  

The Game: #3 Villanova (30-7, 13-5) vs. #1 North Carolina (32-4, 13-3)

Location: Ford Field in Detroit, MI

Time: 8:47 p.m. ET

Broadcast: CBS and CBSHD

Brief Rundown: Villanova came out on top in one of the most epic tournament games ever thanks to Scottie Reynolds’ heroics. Before that, they had escaped tiny American in the 1st round before destroying both UCLA and Duke. This is the Wildcats first trip to the Final Four since they won it all in 1985.

North Carolina made Oklahoma look awful last weekend, despite Blake Griffin’s great day. The Tarheels destroyed Radford in the opening round before a comfortable victory over LSU and a blout of Gonzaga.

The last time these two played was in 2005’s Sweet Sixteen. The Tarheels advanced on an awful traveling call on Allan Ray. The Wildcats want revenge.

3 Keys to Victory:

1. Slow down Lawson – Ty Lawson has been magnificent for UNC thus far. The uber-quick point guard has fueled the team’s run thus far, and nobody has had an answer for him. Shutting him down completely is crazy talk, but slowing him down and not allowing him to run wild will slow down the entire Tarheel attack.
2. Punch them in the mouth – UCLA and Duke, two teams from outside the rugged Big East, had no idea what to do with Villanova’s tenacity. It was if they’d never seen it. Well North Carolina hasn’t either. For all their talent, they are a very soft team. Make it known that we’re in the building and get them on their heels (no pun intended) early.
3. Shoot it well – This is something Villanova has not done at all in the tournament. They’ve been dreadful from the outside and that needs to change fast for ‘Nova to win. Reynolds, Fisher, Stokes and Anderson need to make some shots. And that in turn will open up the dribble-drive even more.

…Lets Go Nova…I’ll be in Detroit but ‘Nova Nation should be amped up for this wherever you are…let’s have some preGame chatter…

The Game: #3 Villanova (28-7, 13-5) vs. #2 Duke (30-6, 11-5)

Location: TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, MA

Time: 9:57 p.m. ET

Broadcast: CBS (regional coverage)

Brief Rundown: After struggling with American in the opening round, Villanova slaughtered UCLA en route to a headlining victory. Seniors Dante Cunningham and Dwayne Anderson have displayed the ‘refuse to lose’ attitude that we’re accustomed to as fans.

Duke blew out Binghamton before surviving vs. Texas in the 2nd round. The Blue Devils have been carried by Gerald Henderson, but don’t think he’s their only option. They are well coached and they play hard.

Many players from both ‘Nova and Duke know each other from high school. This should be a brawl.

3 Keys to Victory:

1. Guard the 3 – Outside of Henderson, Duke isn’t loaded with offensive talent who can get to the rim and score. They run a drive and kick offense, and ‘Nova needs to be alert. They have the shooters that can knock down open jumpers. Being lackadaisical at the 3-point line isn’t going to suffice.
2. Drive, but with caution – ‘Nova should have a distinct advantage with their guard play of getting to the hoop. Duke doesn’t have the defenders to match up with 1 on 1, but they are taught to step in and take charges. The refs will have a lot to do with this, but the ‘Nova guards need to be careful and stay in control.
3. Believe – Stealing a line here, but WE need to believe. The team needs to believe, and we as fans need to believe. ‘Nova fans will be there in the thousands tomorrow, I have no doubt about that. But we as a unit need to get it done. No excuses.

Links:

• Nova News
• VUHoops
• Villanova By The Numbers

…Lets Go Nova…let’s hear what you think about the game below…

The Game: #3 Villanova (27-7, 13-5) vs. #6 UCLA (26-8, 13-5)

Location: The Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA

Time: 1:05 p.m. ET

Broadcast: CBS (regional coverage)

Brief Rundown: Villanova struggled in the 1st half against American before finally taking control of the game and imposing their will. The second half performance is what Wildcat fans hope to see more of this Saturday, but they’ll face a much stiffer test.

UCLA had the game of the day with VCU, with VCU missing the final shot that would have given them the win. Josh Shipp led 5 Bruins in double digits. UCLA is a great defensive team, led by a great head coach in Ben Howland.

3 Keys to Victory:

1. Take care of the ball – ‘Nova continually coughed up the ball last night in the 1st half, enabling American to have extra possessions which they turned into points. UCLA is a much tougher and athletic team, and takes pride in it’s defense. Villanova will have to take great care of the ball.
2. Guard the perimeter – UCLA is one of the best shooting teams in the country by FG%. Josh Shipp, Darren Collison and Jrue Holiday can all stroke it from outside. The Bruins aren’t as imposing up front as they have been the past few years, so Villanova shouldn’t feel the need to play too much help defense down low.
3. Crowd needs to show up – What’s the point of having home court advantage if the fans are quiet? That was pretty much the story last night, as the ‘Nova fans were drowned out until late in the 2nd half. The ‘Nova faithful need to do their part. The players can say all they want about how it doesn’t matter to them, but trust me, it does.

The Game: #3 Villanova (26-7, 13-5) vs. #14 American (24-7, 13-1)

Location: The Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA

Time: 7:20 p.m. ET

Broadcast: CBS (regional coverage)

Brief Rundown: Villanova has had a nice long layoff after losing to eventual Big East champion Louisville. They’ll play in the cozy confines of the Wachovia Center in front of the home crowd. Many think that Villanova has a great draw and are a potential Final Four darkhorse.

American breezed through the Patriot League, only losing one game (Holy Cross) on their way to the title. They appear to be a classic Cinderella team – undersized, but scrappy. They believe they can pull the huge upset.

3 Keys to Victory:

1. Contain Carr and Mercer - Derrick Mercer is very little, but is a great ball handler and loves to get into the lane and find open teammates. Garrison Carr is also small, and loves to launch 3’s whenever he has a window. Reggie Redding will probably be on Carr, which means that Reynolds or Fisher is going to have to deny Mercer the alleys he’s seeking in the lane.
2. Don’t give them hope – The longer American is in this game, the more they’ll believe they can win it. An early knockout punch is will take the hope away from the team, as well as their fans.
3. Use your size – Villanova doesn’t have a size advantage on the frontline on paper, but everybody knows they play bigger than their listed height. Dante Cunningham, Shane Clark and Dwayne Anderson should be able to control the glass and get some buckets inside.

Links:

• VUHoops
• Villanova By The Numbers
• Nova News
• Lets Go Nova
• Marching Through March (American)