Iowa-game grades

Villanova 89
Iowa 60

Villanova: 2-1 (0-0)
Next game: Navy, 11/25 @ the Pavilion.

Sorry these grades are late. But better late than never.

Villanova secured third place in the Paradise Jam tournament Monday night with a convincing 89-60 blowout win against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

In a stark departure from the loss against Xavier, Jay Wright showcased the team's depth against Iowa, going eight deep in the rotation, and playing 12 players when all was said and done.

Onto the grades:

• Curtis Sumpter (30 min)

  It seemed Curtis could do no wrong in this game. Sumpter was on fire against the Hawkeyes, scoring 26 and shooting 7-10 from the field, including 4-6 from the three-point line. He also sank 8-10 free throws and had two swats. Grade: A




• Dante Cunningham (30 min)

  Dante had a great game in the post, which is quickly becoming his undisputed domain. Cunningham shot 50 percent from the field (4-8), and totaled 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Villanova's playmakers are finding that Dante is a convenient target in the lane to finish off a nifty sequence. Grade: B+




• Mike Nardi (26 min)

  Nardi looked active in the backcourt, and was stroking it nicely from behind the three-point line (4-7). Several of those threes were of the "dagger" variety, as well. Mike also provided a critical scoring burst early in the game when the 'Cats had not yet pulled away: 13 of his 16 points were in the first half. He had a bit of trouble with turnovers, committing 4, but otherwise it was a fantastic performance. Grade: B+




• Scottie Reynolds (25 min)

  Reynolds again looked good running the point, but I wish he could start contributing more offensively. Against Iowa, he was limited to only 1 point on 0-2 shooting. Still, his defense was great, and he committed no turnovers despite handling the ball for much of the game. He also led the team in assists, with 4, and had a sweet-looking block that cost Iowa a sure 2 points. Grade: B




• Will Sheridan (16 min)

  The rumor is that Will has been suffering from an undisclosed flu-like illness. Let'sGoNova.com wishes Bump the speediest of recoveries if he is indeed sick. Sheridan did not make much of an impact against Iowa, scoring just 2 points and pulling down 0 rebounds in 16 minutes of play. It was only when Jay subbed out Will that the team was able to assert itself defensively to create turnovers and transition offense. Grade: D+ (Or Incomplete if Will was sick.)




• Dwayne Anderson (22 min)

  The sophomore sensation is proving himself to be a viable scoring option for the 'Cats this year. Dwayne went off for 18 this time, stroking 4 three-pointers in 10 attempts. Dwayne looks like a streak-shooter: when he gets hot, watch out. He also co-led the team in rebounds, with 5. Grade: B+




• Shane Clark (17 min)

  Shane had a solid all-around game. Clark scored 6 points on two three-pointers, and also had 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and a team-high 2 steals. Shane's wingspan allows him to play bigger than he stands, and it showed last night against the Big-Ten's Iowa. Grade: B
  
  

• Bilal Benn (18 min)

  Benn is a defense-first player, so his contributions may not be reflected in the box score. Bilal is an excellent practitioner of Villanova Basketball, and may be the toughest guy on the team. Grade: B-
  
  

• Frank Tchuisi (2 min)

  Frank only played for two minutes, so his grade is incomplete, but I wanted to give Frank his own paragraph for getting the first 2 points of his Villanova career. Congratulations!




• Incomplete grades:
  Casiem Drummond (8 min), Reggie Redding (5 min), Ross Condon (1 min).



• Did not play:
  Andrew Ott (RS), Antonio Pena (RS)