Big, big, big game today. Really can’t overstate how excited I am. Or how excited I am for my ‘drink beer all day with my friends and watch hoops’ session that has already started. In any case, we WILL have Pick’em on this Saturday.

• On Game Day, I will post the official line we will be using for the game.
• In that thread, post your pick against-the-spread for the game that night.
• Make sure you use the same username for every pick (I know some of you are registered, if you aren’t this is a good reason to do so to make it easier). Also, make sure you provide your email so that I can contact the winner at the end of the year.
• Anonymous entries will not count.
• Entries posted after the game starts will not count.
• If you do not provide a pick for the game, it will be marked as a loss in the standings.
• If you are away and can’t make a pick in the thread, you can email me your pick. Email me at clane2787@gmail.com and I will try to email you back ASAP with the line (again, it must be emailed before the start of the game).
• The winner at the end of the year will win a prize (TBD) and I promise it will be something good. I’m not going to be lame like that. I’m searching eBay for cool Villanova stuff as we speak.
• In the event of a tie, the poster with the best BIG EAST record (regular season) wins. If still tied, the best Big 5 record wins. If still tied, the best OOC record wins. If still tied, we may have to do multiple prizes.

The line for tonight is Villanova +4.5. Fire away!

Got a nice little treat for everyone in anticipation of the big game with Syracuse tomorrow night. I chatted with Brian Harrison of Orange:44, who is one of my favorite (if that’s possible) Syracuse bloggers on the net. He’s a regular on Twitter like me, and although I think he’s developed a bit of an unhealthy Curling obsession of the past couple of weeks, he’s still knows his ‘Cuse hoops.

Make sure you head over to Orange:44 and check out my responses to his questions!

Chris (IBBW): Wes Johnson had the NBA hype before the season, but I don’t think anyone saw this type of impact right away. What has he meant for Syracuse’s unexpected stellar year and how healthy is he currently?

Brian (O44): Without a doubt Wes gets most of the hype headlines for the team. He is a very good player and everyone from fans to bloggers to the media agree he will enter the NBA Draft after this season. He was a consistent scorer and rebounder for Syracuse until he was injured against Providence in the Carrier Dome. Since then he’s been all over the map with his scoring, but he seems to have recovered finally and fully. On nights he has carried the team, and other nights he complements the team by passing first. Without a down he is a value in the zone and will burn you if you take him lightly.

Chris (IBBW): I’ve watched a few ‘Cuse games lately and it seems that without that Canuck Rautins on the floor the team struggles mightily. Is he the true floor general for this team? And how many tears did he cry when the Yanks laid the hurt on his boys Sunday?!

Brian (O44): For the record, Andy was born in Jamesville, NY and grew up in Toronto. He has dual citizenship, so that’s something right? He is most definitely the captain of the Good Ship Syracuse and it doesn’t even start with his shooting ability. He is the key component and first line of defense in the 2-3 Zone. He is one of the top earners of steals in the country. And then there is his shooting. Sometimes he is cold, but when he is on he is simply the best shooter in the nation. As for his Olympic watching I am not sure, but he does play basketball and not hockey so it probably didn’t sting that badly.

Chris (IBBW): While Syracuse undoubtedly has the better frontcourt, I think the same can be said for Villanova’s backcourt. What will Syracuse do to try and slow down ‘Nova’s guards, who have had success against this zone in recent years?

Brian (O44): Syracuse boasts the best 3 point field goal defense in the Big East, only allowing 30.4%. They will extend the zone and make it difficult for easy looks at the basket. Additionally our backcourt is so good at moving in the zone they will give contested looks to Villanova, but more importantly making penetration into the zone tough. The interesting question will be if the referees call a tight game or not.

Chris (IBBW): Shot clock is off, tie game. ‘Nova ball. What lengths are you going to to ensure that Scottie Reynolds does NOT break your heart?

Brian (O44): I’m guessing everything and the kitchen sink. Scottie Reynolds is a dream killer. The key is to not foul him, especially if he’s going to shoot a three pointer. Luckily Syracuse has been in similar situations like that this year, and their defense has held up. The rebounding is a bit more suspect, but in those situations they have boxed out well and come down with the game icing rebound and then free throws. If the game came down to that situation it could get interesting.

Chris (IBBW): Other than Wes and Andy, who is the one player that will have ‘Nova fans shouting at the TV on Saturday night?

Brian (O44): It will probably be Kris Joseph. He comes off the bench but could probably start for most teams in the Big East or any other team in the country. He has a really nice complete game as he can take the ball baseline, can throw down the rock, or can shoot a sweet mid range jump shot. Jim Boeheim trusted him to take the last shot for Syracuse against Georgetown and he delivered by splitting defenders and hitting a lay up. Then again, it could be Rick Jackson, coming off a career high 28 points at Providence.

Chris (IBBW): Outside of the the National Title run, is this Boeheim’s finest coaching job ever? How did he make this team so good when everyone expected a down year?

Brian (O44): This has to be. For a team that was just outside of the Top 25, to now be well entrenched in the top 5 and a legitimate threat to go to the Final Four. The difference is Jim Boeheim is coaching the zone defense better than ever based on the players he now has. Due to that, the offense has come along and Syracuse is able to kill a team in several ways. Oddly enough, Jim Boeheim has never won a national coach of the year award. I believe he should be the front runner for this year.

Chris (IBBW): Prediction time — How many pounds of gel will Rautins have in? Will Arinze Onuaku eat somebody? Oh yeah, and what actually happens in the game?

Brian (O44): Two and ½ pounds, no, and I’m guessing one of the best college basketball games of the regular season. Villanova plays the half court set well, and that can mess with Syracuse, a team that likes to push the tempo. But it will probably come down to Villanova’s three point shooting. If Villanova manages to hit a lot they will be in good shape to pull the upset. However they cannot be a one trick pony. Syracuse will continually feed the ball inside and probably will do it with ease against the smaller, multi-guard lineup that Jay Wright loves using. Villanova will have to drive to the basket to win this game. But for a game like this, with the higher rank, at home, and in front of a record crowd, I’m going with the Orange in this one. Although I think it will be a fairly close game and should be entertaining to everyone watching. I’ve been looking forward to this game since the Big East slate started.

Thanks again to Brian for the great Q&A! Have fun at The Dome tomorrow night, but I hope you leave with a strong case of beer tears!

Thanks to blog reader Katie for mentioning the story in the comments of the previous post.  Sure enough, Corey Stokes was cited for public urination last night on the Main Line.  The key here is that Stokes was not arrested, unlike Reggie Redding, who was arrested prior to the season and susbsequently suspended.  The article mentions that Stokes is likely to play against Syracuse on Saturday, but it will be interesting to see how Jay Wright handles this.  A second player in trouble with the law in a very short time frame does not look good for a premiere coach like Wright.   

Funny thing is I was at the same bar Stokes and some of his teammates were at last night.  Hopefully, this does not become a distraction, especially now heading into March.

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?

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).   

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. 

I shit you not. It was their exhibition game, so it won’t count against their record, but it certainly counts against their manhood. ‘Cuse, ranked #25 in the pre-season polls, was stunned at The Carrier Dome 82-79 by Division II LeMoyne.

“Le Moyne really outplayed us from the beginning of the game to the end,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. “They [the Orange] are very, very young mentally. They really have got to grow up. We couldn’t stop them on the dribble. That’s something we’ve been looking at in practice.”

That quote from Boeheim really bodes well for us this year. Can’t stop the dribble? Against LeMoyne? You play a freaking 2-3 zone. I’ve got you in my prayers Syracuse fans.

…No, I’m not nervous for Kutztown now…

The Big East Conference announced this afternoon that Villanova’s roadtrip to Syracuse on February 27th, 2010 will be the site of ESPN’s College GameDay.

The show will air live from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and again from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The game will then be played starting at 9:00 p.m., and will be shown on ESPN.

…I could be mistaken, but I believe that this is the first time that Villanova will feature on ‘GameDay’ so this is exciting news…I just wish it was a home game…

According to ZagsBlog, the relatively new Big East/SEC Invitational games have been set for next season.  Here are the matchups:

• UConn vs. Kentucky – Dec. 9th at Madison Square Garden
• St. John’s vs. Georgia - Dec. 9th at Madison Square Garden
• Syracuse vs. Florida – TBA in Tampa Bay, FL
  
• DePaul vs. Mississippi State – TBA in Tampa Bay, FL
  

These games are always fun to watch, and we can all remember former Villanova player Malcom Grant’s heroics against LSU two seasons ago in the Big East/SEC Invitational.  I can’t wait to see UConn vs. Kentucky too, as two great coaches in Calhoun and Calipari square off under the bright lights of MSG.

In response to Chris’ previous post regarding Scottie, I do not think he will leave for the NBA.  Of course, it’s possible he could enter his name and not hire an agent, but I don’t think he will even do that.  The chances of Scottie being drafted are minuscule, in my opinion, since he is not athletic enough, big enough, or skillful enough for the NBA.  It would shock me if he was not on the floor for Villanova next season.

On to the Big East news. Dar Tucker, the sensational sophomore guard from DePaul, has announced that he will enter the NBA draft and will hire an agent.  As a result, he cannot come back to DePaul.  This is more outstanding news for Villanova, as Tucker has torched the Wildcats for the last 2 years.  He continually got in the lane against Villanova, and made plays happen.  I think he could definitely be drafted as a point guard in the NBA, since he has solid size at 6′5″, and has excellent quickness and vision.

Also, although it was reported yesterday that Jonny Flynn would be leaving for the NBA, it seems like he may be having second thoughts, according to coach Jim Boeheim, who says that Flynn’s status is “kind of up in the air.”  This decision is huge for Villanova, since Flynn is a dynamic player who gives teams fits, as we all know.

Obviously, his decision will impact Syracuse greatly; if Flynn stays, I think they are a definite top 20, top 15 team, but if he leaves, they most likely will not be a large threat in the Big East next year.  Aside from the impacts Flynn’s decision has on Villanova and Syracuse and the rest of the basketball landscape, I think this indecisiveness truly shows that Flynn loves college basketball, and the NBA money may not be his top priority, like it is for so many others.  I ultimately think he will leave, but we shall see in the near future.