How to watch the Penn game

On Saturday, Villanova takes on the University of Pennsylvania Quakers at 7 p.m. in the Pavilion. The game marks the opening of the Philadelphia Big Five city series for the Wildcats.

The last time Villanova lost in a Big-Five round-robin game was nearly three years ago, in a one-point defeat versus Temple in the Palestra on Dec. 4, 2004.

Satruday's game will be broadcast on the Web "network" ESPN360.

Only a select few Internet service providers subscribe to ESPN360, so if your ISP is not on the list, you will need to use a backdoor link to get in and see the broadcast. ESPN360 backdoor links are easily found on the Google.

The backdoor above works as of today on both Mac and PC.

As for the game itself, Villanova by the Numbers runs an especially lengthy preview.

You may also predict the final score of the Penn game in the comments section below for the ongoing LetsGoNova.com prognostication contest.

New video highlights 2007 and 1985 Villanova hoops

Sean Donovan unveiled today another one of his Villanova basketball highlight reels, the sixth in a series created by Donovan and Kyle Laskowski, his classmate.

The latest video, called "Welcome to Nova Nation," juxtaposes highlights from the Wildcats' 1985 national championship run with clips from last season, 2006-2007. The moving pictures are set to "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance.

The video, is very nicely done, and the production values seem to have gone a notch upward as Donovan further masters his medium.

You may view the video in the embedded YouTube player below. Donovan also maintains a highlight video homepage where you may download all six videos in iPod or WMV formats.

Bad call costs 'Nova Old Spice title

Villanova 68
N.C. State 69
(box score)

N.C. State: 4-1 (0-0 ACC)
#19 Villanova: 4-1 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)

Next game: vs. Pennsylvania, 12/1 at the Pavilion

Classic coach-speak says one bad call at the end never costs you a game, because it shouldn't have been that close to begin with. Tonight, one could cite the Wildcats' atrocious 8-18 free throw shooting, or their 11 turnovers as the "real reasons" Villanova fell short of the Old Spice championship in Orlando, Fla.

It's not true.

In reality, bad calls do costs teams games, because each team is trying its hardest to win at any given point. It's not like the Wildcats decided to miss 10 free throws because they thought it wouldn't affect the game's outcome. For 40 minutes, Villanova struggled to win the game, and the probable win was taken away from the 'Cats by a terrible foul called on Dante Cunningham with four-tenths of second on the clock.

With his team trailing by one, N.C. State's Gavin Grant heaved a desperation three-point attempt that had no chance to find the bottom of the net. Cunningham was defending him, and upon seeing Grant take the shot, Dante threw his arms straight up in the air, never touching Grant. A foul was called on Cunningham nonetheless, and Grant was given three free throws. He made two of them, and after Villanova's hail mary try with less than half a second left was an achingly near miss, N.C. State won the game and the Old Spice Classic championship.

To be fair, the officiating tonight was uniformly bad on both ends of the court. It just seems that Villanova was on the receiving end of the last and worst mistake made. Earlier in the game, the officials seemed to miss at least one obvious goaltending call, and several extremely questionable fouls were called at crucial moments on both sides.

It's hard to be positive when the phantom foul call cost Villanova not only the tournament, but a resume-building win over a power-conference opponent, not to mention the Wildcats' heretofore undefeated record. There were, however, several positives to take away from this game.

First, the Wildcats showed great determination, never quitting in the face of adversity, and responding to every punch the talented N.C. State team could throw. Villanova overcame several deficits at various points in the game to eventually take an apparently decisive 68-67 lead with 2.2 seconds on the clock. Even after the shocking foul call that left Villanova trailing with nearly no time remaining, the Wildcats managed to get off a decent shot that nearly found the rim.

The game also saw the emergence of Casiem Drummond as a force in the paint. Matched up against one of the most talented front-courts in the ACC, Drummond dominated the glass with a game-high 17 rebounds, more than double the number of boards by anyone else on either team. Drummond also shot well and played outstanding defense. If Drummond can keep up this excellent post play, the Wildcats will be a legitimate national championship contender this year.

Finally, the Old Spice final marked the moment when freshman Corey Fisher, just four games into his tenure as a Wildcat, unquestionably took over a game. With superstar Scottie Reynolds playing alongside him in the back-court, Fisher turned in a breakout performance that was Reynoldsesque.

The Wildcats now have two guards who are demonstrably capable of putting their whole team on their backs, and if you think that won't pay off in the post-season, you haven't seen enough college basketball.

Congratulations to reader Jon Ambrose for most closely predicting tonight's final score.

Next up for Villanova is the opening of Philadelphia Big Five play with a game against UPenn at the Pavilion on Saturday night.

On to the player grades. "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis.

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 35 min)

  Reynolds did not seem like himself tonight, especially in shooting the basketball. He scored 13, shooting 4-12 from the field, including 2-6 from the three. He also struggled from the foul line, going 3-6. He did, however, find other ways to help the team. He co-led the Wildcats in assists, with 4, and played an instrumental role in the team's early 1-2-2 press that forced several turnovers. The official line credits Reynolds with 2 steals, but he forced 2 or 3 more turnovers as well with his press defense. Reynolds did lead the Wildcats in turnovers, with 3, while splitting point duties with Fisher.
  Grade: B-
  
  

• Corey Fisher (32 min)

  Wow is all you can say. I would not be surprised if Old Spice officials took a close look at Fisher after the game, to make sure it was not Kyle Lowry in his jersey on the offensive side of the court. Fisher had a clear breakout night against N.C. State. He drove the ball to the basket at will, and finished with shots you'd swear were impossible to convert.
  
  Fisher led the team in scoring with 21, shooting 9-16 from the field. He did miss all 3 of his three-point attempts. Fisher also led the 'Cats in steals, with 3. The real significance of the game, however, can't be found in the box score. Fisher kept his team in the game in the second half, leading the Wildcats on both ends of the floor. If there were a concrete moment when Fisher went from a freshman to a leader of the team, it was tonight. I am not saying that Fisher won't make mistakes or have a regression in the future, but based on tonight's performance, Fisher's future looks bright.
  Grade: A




• Dante Cunningham (S, 31 min)

  Cunningham responded to the challenge of a difficult front-court assignment tonight by playing one of the best games of his career. Dante scored 16 points on 8-17 shooting, and pulled in 8 rebounds. He also scored what should have been the game-winning put-back with 2.2 seconds left. Cunningham has impeccable timing in following missed shots to put them back as layups or dunks. His defense was solid.
  
  The only knock on Cunningham's game tonight was his habit of continuing to take 17- and 18-foot jump shots that never seem to go in. I do not have access to the team's practice sessions, and it's very likely that the coaching staff wants Cunningham to be taking those shots. But they're not working, and they are costing the Wildcats key possessions. Since Dante is 18 feet from the basket, he can't help come up with any caroms on the low-percentage shot. If the idea is to force an opposing forward to come out of the paint to guard Cunningham out there, the shots have to start going in for it to work. On a team with six excellent jumpshooters in the rotation, the Wildcats cannot afford for their best post player to miss four or five 17-footers per game.
  Grade: B+




• Reggie Redding (S, 24 min)

  Redding played another efficient game, and has really emerged as yet another threat in the back-court for the 'Cats. Redding scored 7 on good 3-5 shooting, but did shoot only 1-3 from the foul line. He handled the ball well, and made some excellent passes to co-lead the team in assists with 4. I am now convinced that Redding is the team's best passer.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Casiem Drummond (S, 22 min)

  Drummond' turned in a monster performance tonight, grabbing a career-high 17 rebounds. He also shot well, scoring 9 points on 4-9 shooting from the field. His agility, passing, and defense were all outstanding. Drummond led the team in blocks, with 2, and also managed to dish out 3 assists and make 2 steals.
  Grade: A




• Corey Stokes (15 min)

  Stokes enjoyed more playing time tonight despite his continued shooting woes. Though he did not score in attempting two shots, Stokes did play well without the ball. His defense was passable, and he managed to grab a steal and 3 rebounds. Perhaps most important, it was Stokes who drove to the basket in the game's final seconds to put the ball near the rim, which allowed Cunningham to put in the go-ahead put-back. Stokes is too talented to be mired in this slump for too long, so watch out for a breakout game for Corey soon.
  Grade: C-





• Antonio Pena (14 min)

  Pena struggled on offense tonight, scoring 0 on 0-3 shooting from the field and 0-2 from the stripe. He did grab 2 boards and had 1 steal, but many fans expected more from the redshirt freshman at this point. Hopefully Pena will show improvement as the season continues, because he could become a valuable contributor to the Wildcats' shallow front-court.
  Grade: D




• Malcolm Grant (7 min)

  Grant struggled tonight after his nearly perfect game on Friday. He scored 0 on 0-1 shooting, and committed 2 turnovers in his 7 minutes. The performance tonight can be attributed to freshman inexperience. Look for a rebound game from Grant soon.
  Grade: D+




• Incomplete grades:
Shane Clark (S, 16 min)

Clark left the game late in the first half with a leg injury. He had been quiet before the injury, scoring 2 on 1-3 shooting. The early word around campus is that the injury is a strain, which sounds encouraging, but we need to wait for the official diagnosis this week. Losing Shane for any significant time would obviously be a huge blow to the team.



• Did not play:
  Andrew Ott (CD), Jason Colenda (CD), Frank Tchuisi (CD).

'Cats reach Old Spice final vs. N.C. State

Tonight, Villanova will take on the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the Old Spice Classic championship in Orlando, Fla.

The game will air live nationwide on ESPN2 at 6:30.

The match-up vs. N.C. State is an interesting one, as the Wolfpack are very talented down low, while Villanova looks to have by far the better backcourt.

GreyCat at Villanova By The Numbers pens his usual preview, and Chris at I Bleed Blue and White takes stock of his pre-game thoughts.

A win for the Wildcats tonight gives them another solid out-of-conference win for their NCAA resume. Taking home the Old Spice championship would almost certainly vault Villanova into the top 15 in both major polls, and likely even higher given some of the high profile losses this week.

If you'd like to take part in the official LetsGoNova.com prognostication contest, post your prediction for the game's final score in the comments section below. Your potential prize: your name in bold on this very Web site.

Villanova tops GMU to advance to Old Spice final

Villanova 84
George Mason 76
(box score)

George Mason: 4-1 (0-0 CAA)
#19 Villanova: 4-0 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)

Next game: vs. N.C. State, 11/25 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida (Old Spice Classic championship). Tip: 6:30 p.m. TV: ESPN2.

Villanova defeated a tough, experienced George Mason team Friday for the right to face N.C. State for the Old Spice championship. How do I know George Mason is experienced? Because television commentator Fran Fraschilla mentioned it about a dozen times.

He was correct, though: GMU is a well coached, savvy team full of veterans, and the game was an excellent test for the young Wildcats. Villanova suffered through a few scoring dry spells in the contest, but was buoyed by guards Malcolm Grant, Scottie Reynolds, and Reggie Redding.

The Wildcats' seemed to have success with an unusual lineup featuring Grant, Reynolds, and Fisher, the three point guards, on the floor simultaneously. The three racked up several minutes playing together, and their ballhandling and shooting abilities were obvious positives. With three excellent point guards, shooting guard Reggie Redding heating up, and the supremely talented All-American Corey Stokes waiting in the wing, "Guard U" is certainly back at Villanova in 2007.

Villanova overcame a spot of adversity in the win when star Scottie Reynolds fouled out with 2:19 remaining and the game's outcome still in question. The Wildcats' young players responded with enough maturity to put the game away, even against Jim Larranaga and his sparkling glass slippers.

Villanova coach Jay Wright tried to explain the stretches of play where the 'Cats had troubles on both ends of the floor in his remarks after the game:

Sometimes when you are a young team, your defense suffers when you don't make shots. I thought that happened to us in the first half. But Malkie came into the game and gave us energy. He made a few shots and got us going. We still aren't as organized as we hope to be but these games have been a great experience for us.

Sage words from Coach Wright...but does he really call Grant "Malkie"?

In any event, congratulations to reader "Michael" for most closely predicting tonight's final score.

Next up for Villanova is the ACC powerhouse North Carolina State in the championship game.

On to the player grades. "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis.

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 34 min)

  Reynolds struggled in the first half, shooting 1-5 from the field (0-3 from behind the arc) and 2-4 from the line for just 4 points. He heated up significantly in the second half, dropping 17 more points to lead the 'Cats in scoring with 21. After missing his first three 3-point attempts, Reynolds sank the next three. After shooting 1-5 in the first period, Reynolds sank 5 of his next 7 from the field. After missing the first two free throws of the game, Reynolds made his remaining 6 attempts from the stripe.
  
  The significance behind this 2nd-half turnaround is that Reynolds never gave up, and more important, never stopped shooting. Scottie plays with a lot of emotion on the court, and I am sure that helped him overcome his early shooting woes. Reynolds added 3 assists, 2 steals, and 3 rebounds to his line. He handled the ball well, committing just 2 turnovers. He looked solid at both the 1 and the 2.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 33 min)

  Cunningham, an essential cog in the Wilcats' success, seemed a little off against GMU. He shot 4-8 for 8 points, but once again took several 17 and 18-foot jump-shots that did not find nylon. Villanova has a 8-man rotation, and 6 of those players are excellent jumpshooters. Only Drummond and Cunningham have not shown that kind of range, so perhaps those shots should have gone elsewhere. Dante is much more valuable to the Wildcats fighting down low and running the fast break, both areas where he is the undisputed team leader. Cunningham had 4 rebounds, 1 block, and again led the team in turnovers, with 3.
  Grade: C-




• Shane Clark (S, 33 min)

  Clark's game this year seems to be a balanced one. His ideal role is doing a little bit of everything: scoring, rebounding, passing, ball handling, and creating turnovers. His line against GMU seems to reflect that. Though he struggled from the field (4-12) and from the three (1-4), he made up for it by grabbing 10 rebounds, dishing out 4 assists, and notching 2 steals.
  Grade: B




• Reggie Redding (S, 27 min)

  I have a feeling that Reggie Redding is going to look back fondly on his time in Orlando. Redding has put together quite a string of excellent games in this young season, and the GMU game was no exception. Redding scored 11 points in 27 minutes on perfect 3-3 shooting from the field (2-2 from the three), and was 3-4 from the line. He handled the ball extremely well yet again, committing just one turnover despite his large role in neutralizing the blistering Patriot full-court press. Redding added 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
  Grade: A
  
  

• Corey Fisher (26 min)

  After a breakout offensive performance against Central Florida, Fisher struggled with his shot against the Patriots. "Fisher Price," as Fraschilla has taken to calling him, was 2-9 from the field, including 2-7 from the behind the arc. More disturbing, however, was his 1-5 shooting from the free-throw line, which is absolutely unacceptable for a Big-East point guard. Aside from his shooting woes, Fisher played a decent game. He led the 'Cats in assists with 5, and committed no turnovers. His defense seems to be improving, but he did get beat off the bounce a few times. Expectations are high for Fisher, and I believe he will soon fulfill them, as his talent is ample.
  Grade: C-




• Casiem Drummond (S, 22 min)

  Drummond's improvement is obvious each game. He looks more agile and more decisive. Against GMU, Drummond was outstanding in the paint, shooting 4-5 and grabbing 10 boards. His defense is also steadily getting better. N.C. State's talented big men will be an important test for the sophomore center.
  Grade: B+




• Malcolm Grant (13 min)

  Grant basically played a perfect game Friday. He came in off the bench when the Wildcats were struggling on both ends of the floor, and immediately sparked a momentum change after drilling two 3-pointers and displaying his typical defensive intensity. Grant was 3-3 from the field, all from behind the arc. He was 4-4 from the foul line, and scored 1 point for every minute he played. Grant also added 2 assists, and played good defense. Surely we can find more than 13 minutes for Malcolm Grant; indeed the argument could be made to start Grant.
  Grade: A




• Corey Stokes (12 min)

  Stokes remains unable to find his shot. He was 1-6 from the field, and 1-5 from the three. He did not do much else in his 12 minutes, but when his stroke starts to heat up, watch out.
  Grade: D





• Incomplete grades: Antonio Pena (<1 min).
  
  
• Did not play:
  Dwayne Anderson CD, Andrew Ott (CD), Jason Colenda (CD), Frank Tchuisi (wrist).

'Cats to face GMU in Old Spice final four

Tonight, #19 Villanova will meet everyone's favorite Cinderella, George Mason, in the semifinals of the Old Spice Classic tournament in Orlando, Fla. Tip time is scheduled for 5 p.m., and the game will air live nationwide on ESPN2.

The experienced George Mason squad did not look like an underdog last night in dismantling the #20 Kansas State Wildcats, and I expect an extremely tough game for our Wildcats as well.

Villanova by the Numbers again previews the game better than I could, but check back in this space for an extensive recap afterwards.

As always, you may predict the game's final score in the comments below.

Wildcats move past UCF in Old Spice opener

Villanova 76
Central Florida 68
(box score)

Central Florida: 2-1 (0-0 CUSA)
#19 Villanova: 3-0 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)

Next game: vs. George Mason, 11/23 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida (Old Spice Classic round 2).

The Knights of Central Florida did enough to keep it close, but ultimately they could not stop Villanova from advancing in the first round of the 8-team Old Spice Classic tournament tonight in Orlando, Fla.

Villanova used a phalanx of guards to disarm the Knights. On a night when its two upperclassman forwards fouled out, Villanova turned to its five freshman and sophomore guards to put the game away.

Scottie Reynolds paced the 'Cats in scoring, with 19, but tonight was freshman Corey Fisher's coming-out party. Fisher, in his second game back from knee tendinitis, saw the first significant minutes of his career, and he did not disappoint.

Fisher looked fantastic running the point, freeing Reynolds to roam the perimeter as the 2 guard. Fisher used his speed, handle, and court awareness to carve apart the UCF defense. Fisher's game seems custom-made to complement Reynolds's, and both players will benefit from sharing court time.

Fisher and Reynolds were not the only story, however. The other three guards also saw quality minutes, especially Reggie Redding, who scored a new career-high 14 points in 23 efficient minutes.

As for the front court, Clark and Cunningham were quiet even as they racked up minutes and fouls. Casiem Drummond, the sophomore center, alternated between flashes of brilliance and the hallmarks of inexperience.

After Clark and Cunningham fouled out late in the game, Villanova switched to a very intriguing 4-guard lineup: Drummond, Reynolds, Fisher, Redding, and either of the other freshman guards, Malcolm Grant or Corey Stokes.

Still later in the game, 'Nova went fully 5-guard. Few teams could plausibly field five guards on the court for meaningful minutes, but Villanova is one of them. I look forward to Jay Wright employing this dynamic lineup at some point in the season, as needed.

What did all this fine guard play mean for the 'Cats tonight? Villanova pulled away from the Knights with huge margins in two areas: points in the paint (22-12), and fast-break points (7-0).

The 22 points in the paint were largely a result of excellent guard play, either in getting layups on run-outs, drives to the basket, drives and dishes, or quality entry passes into the post.

The 7-0 margin in fast-break points was due in no small part to a nifty little three-quarter court press employed from time to time by the 'Cats.

Villanova went legitimately nine deep tonight, which I think will be the regular rotation barring injury.

Congratulations to reader "Matt" for most closely predicting tonight's final score. Another reader, "Michael," predicted the final score exactly, but submitted his prognostication about 20 minutes after the game started.

Next up for Villanova is the extremely well-coached George Mason squad, which knocked off #20 Kansas State tonight. It will be an excellent test for the Wildcats to face such an experienced team that executes so precisely.

On to the player grades. As always, click "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis.

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 38 min)

  Reynolds led the team in points (19) and assists (5). He shot a mediocre percentage from the field (4-14), and all his field goals were three-pointers (4-11). Some of those threes, however, were huge momentum turners or boosters. Scottie was excellent from the free-throw line, sinking 7-8. He was a little sloppy at times with the ball, leading the team in turnovers with 4. For the 20 minutes or so that Fisher ran the point, Reynolds looked fantastic at the 2. Scottie's passing was also outstanding tonight. Even when he is not officially the point guard, make no mistake: Villanova's offense runs through Reynolds.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 34 min)

  Cunningham contributed 34 solid, quiet minutes tonight, and played his best on the defensive end of the court. Dante led the team in steals with 4, and blocked one shot. He led the team in rebounds, with 6. He seemed to struggle on offense, and shot 2-6 from the field, which for him is a very low percentage. In my opinion, Cunningham took a few shots from beyond the foul line that were ill-advised, considering how much more effective he is on the blocks. With so many talented guards, it is going to be crucial for Cunningham to stay healthy and out of foul trouble for extended runs this year.
  Grade: B-




• Shane Clark (S, 25 min)

  After leading the team in scoring the past 2 games, Clark was quiet tonight on offense. He scored just 6 points on 3-6 shooting, including 0-2 from three-point land. He was effective in other areas, however, turning in a balanced performance with 5 boards, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal.
  Grade: B-




• Reggie Redding (S, 23 min)

  Redding continues to improve by leaps and bounds, particularly on the offensive end. He notched a career high in scoring for the second consecutive game, putting in 14 on an efficient 5-8 from the field. Redding was also sharp from the three, shooting 2-3. As usual, he made excellent decisions with the ball, adding 3 assists and, more important, committing no turnovers. Redding is a good ballhandler, especially under pressure, when he has the distinct ability to keep his cool on the court.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Corey Fisher (23 min)

  Finally Villanova fans got to see the Corey Fisher they'd hoped for since he signed his letter of intention one year ago. Fisher looked like he was playing a step faster than anyone from UCF, and ran by and around defenders seemingly at will. His resemblance to former Villanova star Kyle Lowry is now approaching eerie, at least on the offensive end. (Lowry was admittedly a better defender). Fisher used his silly handle to get past double teams and traps, and he took advantage of his quickness and decisiveness to make good things happen once the defense broke down. He took care of the ball, committing no turnovers even while running the point for the majority of his court time. Fisher dished out 3 assists, including a ridiculous cross-key pass to Shane Clark for a layup that has already been immortalized as a Web gif. Fisher scored 18 points on efficient 6-13 shooting, including 4-8 from the three. According to Villanova coach Jay Wright's remarks after the game, "we're not even seeing him at 100 percent." It's scary to think of what "100 percent" will look like.
  Grade: A




• Casiem Drummond (S, 19 min)

  Drummond is slowly coming into his own as a legitimate Big-East big man. His talent is obvious, and his execution seems to be getting a bit more consistent. Drummond shined tonight on the offensive glass, grabbing a team-high 4 offensive rebounds. He shot 2-3 from the field for 7 points, and was 3-5 from the foul line. His defense was fairly solid, and he blocked two shots. If Drummomd can tap his talent and be a bit more decisive with the ball, his ceiling is very high.
  Grade: B




• Corey Stokes (14 min)

  Sharpshooter Stokes struggled tonight from behind the arc, shooting 1-5. He scored 5 points on 2-6 shooting overall, but did handle the ball well. He also grabbed 4 rebounds in a relatively short amount of playing time, and showed once again that his game is more than two-dimensional. A streak shooter like Stokes will always have off nights, and tonight was one of them. Still, Stokes is a player and will continue to improve with experience as he learns the Wildcats' system. For a player who missed several practices for a personal issue, Stokes already seems ahead of the curve.
  Grade: C-




• Antonio Pena (10 min)

  The athletic Pena's potential seems to be limitless, but he did not do much tonight in 10 minutes. He scored 2 points on 1-1 shooting, and primarily played on the wing. He grabbed 2 rebounds, but was 0-3 from the foul line. Hopefully we will see the development of Pena as the season progresses, because it's clear he has a lot of talent.
  Grade: D+




• Malcolm Grant (9 min)

  Grant is an excellent defender and ballhandler, and his contribution tonight, though brief, was valuable. He scored 1 point on 0-1 shooting from the field, and dished out 1 assist. Grant's biggest assets tonight was his ballhanding, but he is also able to score when asked, as we have seen earlier in this season.
  Grade: C




• Incomplete grades: None.
  
  
• Did not play:
  Dwayne Anderson CD, Andrew Ott (CD), Jason Colenda (CD), Frank Tchuisi (wrist).

'Nova vs. UCF: predict the final score

"Ahoy!"

Villanova will play in the first round of the Old Spice Classic tournament tonight in Orlando, Fla. against the University of Central Florida (Conference USA). The 7 p.m. game will be shown live nationwide on ESPN2.

GreyCat of VBTN provides a thorough UCF preview, as usual.

I Bleed Blue and White found the official university game-notes -- warning: PDF.

Should the Wildcats defeat UCF, they will advance to the next round to face the winner of George Mason vs. Kansas St. Friday night. A loss sends Villanova to the loser's side of the bracket, with the same two potential opponents.

Predict the final score of tonight's game in the comments below.

'Nova overcomes Bucknell

Villanova 70
Bucknell 64
(box score)

Next game: vs. Central Florida, 11/22 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida (Old Spice Classic round 1).

In a game where the opposition was firing on all cylinders and Villanova was sputtering along, leaving the Pavilion with a win was more than enough for the Wildcats.

Bucknell, a team famous for giving ranked opponents hard times, lived up to its reputation tonight as it took an 8-point-lead into the locker room against 24th-ranked Villanova.

Bucknell took advantage of savvy perimeter passing to sink a team-record 15 three-pointers against the Wildcats, including 9 in the first half.

Villanova coach Jay Wright made some defensive adjustments that likely saved the game for the Wildcats. Wright instructed guard Reggie Redding to shadow John Griffin, Redding's high-school teammate, who scorched Villanova with 17 first-half points. Griffin scored just 5 more points the rest of the game.

Sparked by Redding's defensive intensity, Villanova was able to outscore the Bison by 15 in the second half to win by 7, which is a more-than-respectable result against a team that executes as well as Bucknell.

Congratulations to Let'sGoNova reader "Gregg" for most closely predicting the final score.

Villanova freshman Corey Fisher made his long-awaited college debut after sitting out the first games of the season with knee tendinitis. Fisher and his All-American teammate Corey Stokes saw limited playing time Sunday, however. They may be still hurting from earlier injuries, or Jay Wright could have simply elected to go with a more experienced lineup.

On to the player grades. As always, click "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis.

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 38 min)

  Reynolds struggled a bit with the ball, committing 4 turnovers. He did, however, play solid defense, and he hit 3 huge three pointers to boost the Wildcats' offense. He scored 15 points on 4-12 shooting, and added 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal. Overall, it was a decent game for the Wildcats' star guard.
  Grade: B
  
  

• Reggie Redding (S, 38 min)

  Redding was called upon to lock down Bucknell's best scorer and responded well to the assignment. He also scored a career-high 12 points, but struggled a bit with shot selection. Redding was 0-5 from the three, and I can't help but think those shots may have fallen if he had taken a few steps closer in before shooting. Redding made good decisions with the ball, as usual, committing just 1 turnover in 38 minutes.
  Grade: B
  
  

• Shane Clark (S, 33 min)

  Clark led the team in scoring for the second straight game, netting 17 on 5-12 shooting. Clark is a streaky offensive player and his points seem to come in bunches. The 'Cats would greatly benefit if Clark could add a measure of consistency to his obvious offensive firepower. Clark also added 12 rebounds, co-leading the team.
  Grade: B




• Dante Cunningham (S, 27 min)

  Cunningham was a bit quiet tonight on the offensive end. He did turn in an efficient 12-point performance on 4-7 shooting, including a monster dunk. He added 5 rebounds, but led the team in turnovers, with 5.
  Grade: C-




• Casiem Drummond (S, 26 min)

  Drummond played in extended stretches tonight and used that time to score 8 points and pick up 12 rebounds. He shot an excellent 4-5 from the field, and is looking more and more comfortable down low in the paint. One area where Casiem dramatically needs improvement is his free-throw shooting (0-4 tonight): there is hardly an excuse for a player at this level of basketball being so poor from the line.
  Grade: B-




• Malcolm Grant (19 min)

  The speedy freshman guard looked solid handling point duties for half of the game. He could not maintain last game's hot hand on the offensive end, however, and scored just 4 points on 2-5 shooting, including 0-3 from the three. He did look excellent driving to the basket, and was fantastic in the few chances the Wildcats were able to run in transition. Grant is a solid defender and a good ball handler, and should play a major part in the Wildcat rotation.
  Grade: B-




• Incomplete grades:
  Corey Stokes (5 min), Antonio Pena (5 min), Dwayne Anderson (5 min), Corey Fisher (4 min).
  
  
• Did not play:
  Andrew Ott (CD), Jason Colenda (CD), Frank Tchuisi (wrist).

Radio for tonight

Video for tonight's game vs. Bucknell is only available for a fee from Villanova.com, but you can listen to the 'Cats and the Bison on the Web for free.

Internet radio for the 5 p.m. game is available for live streaming from WPEN Philadelphia. Update: As of 5:05 the Internet stream on WPEN is not playing the game. Try back or try the Bucknell link below.

The Bucknell radio broadcast is also available online, but I haven't been able to get the feed working in my pre-game tests.

Source: Fisher to play Sunday

According to a tip e-mailed to LetsGoNova.com, Corey Fisher will play Sunday at the Pavilion against Bucknell.

Fisher had been sidelined for the last two games with knee tendinitis. The freshman point guard was perhaps the highest-touted member of the recruiting class of 2007, and wowed fans with his dazzling performance at the Blue-White intra-squad scrimmage at Hoops Mania last month.

The 'Cats take on Bucknell in their second regular season game Sunday at 5 p.m.

Villanova tops Stony Brook

Villanova 84
Stony Brook 62
(box score)

Next game: vs. Bucknell, 11/18 at the Pavilion.

Villanova opened its regular season Friday night in the Pavilion with a win against a scrappy Stony Brook squad that put up a decent fight for most of the game.

The contest against the Seawolves was a far cry from the slaughter of Bloomsburg in last week's exhibition. Stony Brook was a good ball-handling team, committing just 13 turnovers in 40 minutes against a swarming Wildcats' defense.

Stony Brook also shot the ball reasonably well, making more than half its shots and sinking 43 percent of its three-point attempts.

The Villanova squad looked strong as it outclassed Stony Brook and eventually shrugged off the Seawolves' attempts to stay in the game.

Villanova went with a fairly large starting lineup of Scottie Reynolds, Reggie Redding, Shane Clark, Dante Cunningham, and Casiem Drummond. Just two years removed from the four-guard attack that made Jay Wright and his program known as "Guard U," Villanova went with a lineup featuring one guard, one guard/forward, two forwards, and a center.

Freshman guard Corey Fisher did not dress for the game due to knee tendinitis. With the Wildcats' excellent depth this year, do not be surprised to see Jay Wright keep Fisher off the floor until he is 100 percent healed. I would think Fisher is questionable for the Bucknell game, but check for more information as the game approaches.

Congratulations to reader "Matt" for most closely predicting the final score of the game. Matt's prediction of Villanova 84, Stony Brook 62 was just 4 points off the final score. Impressive.

On to the player grades. As always, click "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis.

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 33 min)

  Reynolds played well despite uncharacteristically struggling from beyond the arc. He scored 13 points on 5-11 shooting, including 0-4 from the three. Reynolds was relentless in attacking the rim, often driving to the basket and finishing with sheer willpower. Reynolds also displayed his passing prowess, leading the team in assists with 6. His court awareness and basketball instincts remain unparalleled on this team.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 32 min)

  Cunningham was a fairly large part of the offense, and led the team in shots taken. Dante scored 14 points on 6-13 shooting. Some of the shots seemed outside his comfort zone in the paint, but Cunningham also showed nice touch. He rounded out his effort with 6 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
  Grade: B




• Shane Clark (S, 29 min)

  Clark was on fire the entire night. He shot a blistering 8-11 from the field, including 4-5 from the three, to lead the team with 25 points. His unconscious shooting was complemented by an active presence on the glass; Clark led all rebounders with 7 boards. If Clark can keep up this scoring efficiency -- and remain injury free -- the Wildcat offense becomes that much less stoppable.
  Grade: A




• Reggie Redding (S, 27 min)

  Redding did not have much impact on the box score, and did not take a shot. He played solid basketball for his 27 minutes, but did suffer a few rare defensive lapses. It would be nice to see more offensive assertiveness from Redding, but he continues to get the job done.
  Grade: C+
  
  

• Malcolm Grant (27 min)

  After the Bloomsburg game, I wrote this about Malcolm Grant: "If he ever finds his long stroke, watch out." Well, it's time to watch out. Grant exploded for 16 points on 4-6 shooting, with all 4 field goals from beyond the arc, where he shot 4-5. But that's not the entire story. Grant was a fantastic defensive presence as well, and generally played with passion and hustle. Grant may also be the fastest Wildcat this year. Expect big things from Malcolm Grant.
  Grade: A




• Corey Stokes (15 min)

  After lighting up the Wachovia Center with his outside shot, Stokes was relatively quiet in his Pavilion debut. He shot 1-3 from the field, including 0-2 from the three, with one air ball. It just seemed like an off night for Stokes. I have no doubt he will quickly rebound from this quiet perfomance.
  Grade: C-




• Casiem Drummond (S, 15 min)

  Drummond was active underneath the rim, and had several nice put-backs. He scored 8 on 4-7 shooting. Sometimes it was clear he should have gone up stronger or more decisively to the rim. Drummond may need to spend a little bit more time in the weight room before Big East play.
  Grade: B-




• Antonio Pena (12 min)

  Pena is a gifted athlete who could develop into an outright game changer. He played some solid minutes in the first half before suffering from what appeared to be a back injury. If the injury is minor, expect Pena to continue to improve this fall.
  Grade: B




• Incomplete grades:
  Dwayne Anderson (5 min), Andrew Ott (3 min), Jason Colenda (2 min).



• Did not play:
  Corey Fisher (knee), Frank Tchuisi (wrist).

Predict tonight's final score

This year, I'd like to try something new to see which readers can best predict the scores of individual Villanova games.

To make your prediction for the Villanova-Stony Brook game, just post the scores in the comments section below.

The reader closest to the final score will receive a valuable prize -- her name (or handle) printed in a post on LetsGoNova.com!

My official prediction is Villanova 81, Stony Brook 59.

Predict away.

TV for tonight

Tonight's game vs. Stony Brook will be televised!

The game will air on Fox Sports Net (FSN) in the Atlantic region.

This means you will be able to see the game on basic cable on FSN if you live in the NY/NJ/PA area, or anywhere on digital cable if you get FSN-Atlantic. Check your local listings; the game is at 7 p.m. Villanova time.

Fisher may not play Friday

According to Dana Pennett O'Neill of the Philadelphia Daily News, Villanova coach Jay Wright said Corey Fisher missed Tuesday's exhibition with "severe tendinitis" and is only a 50 percent chance to play Friday at the Wildcats' season-opener against Stony Brook at the Pavilion.

Fisher, a freshman point guard, was arguably Villanova's highest-regarded recruit for the season, and fans who didn't make it to Canada this summer or Hoops Mania last month are anxious to get a first look at the potential star.

Shane Clark, the junior forward, also missed Tuesday's blowout of Bloomsburg, but only has a sprained thumb and should be able to play Friday, according to O'Neill.

As for the actual game, Villanova By The Numbers runs an in-depth preview. Check out his thoughts on the game before the 'Cats tip off against the Seawolves Friday night.

BET expands to all 16 teams next year

The Big East Conference announced today that its men's and women's conference championship tournaments will expand from 12 to all 16 teams, beginning next year for the 2008-2009 season.

The conference presidents met yesterday in Philadelphia to review the tournament format, said Big East Commissioner Michael Tranghese. “After extensive deliberation," he said, "it was decided that inviting all teams to participate would provide a special opportunity to every men’s and women’s basketball student-athlete.”

The expanded tournament requires a new seeding format. All 16 teams will be seeded, and teams 9-16 will play on the first day in Madison Square Garden: 9 v. 16, 10 v. 15, 11 v. 14, and 12. v. 13.

The winners of those games will advance to the second day, where they will meet seeds 5-8. The bracket will not be reseeded if there are upsets on day one, so the team seeded 8 will always get the 9/16 game winner. Seed 7 will get the 10/15 survivor, seed 6 will get the 11/14 winner, and seed 5 will play the winner of the 12/13 game.

The top four teams will be automatically seeded into the quarterfinals on day three. The #1 team will play either the 8, 9, or 16 seed in its first game. The #2 team will face either the 7, 10, or 15 seed. The #3 team gets the 6, 11, or 14 seed. The #4 team must play either the 5, 12, or 13 seed.

The expanded tournament will allow every Big East team the chance to make the NCAA tournament no matter what its regular-season record is, and should make for a more exciting conference tournament as well.

The larger bracket will also make it that much more imperative for teams to secure good seedings and lock up one or two byes:

• Seed 16: No bye. Must win five games.
  Path: 9 ⇒ 8 ⇒ 1 ⇒ 4, 5, 12, 13 ⇒ 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15.


• Seed 15: No bye. Must win five games.
  Path: 10 ⇒ 7 ⇒ 2 ⇒ 3, 6, 11, 14 ⇒ 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16.


• Seed 14: No bye. Must win five games.
  Path: 11 ⇒ 6 ⇒ 3 ⇒ 2, 7, 10, 15 ⇒ 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16.


• Seed 13: No bye. Must win five games.
  Path: 12 ⇒ 5 ⇒ 4 ⇒ 1, 8, 9, 16 ⇒ 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15.


• Seed 12: No bye. Must win five games.
  Path: 13 ⇒ 5 ⇒ 4 ⇒ 1, 8, 9, 16 ⇒ 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15.


• Seed 11: No bye. Must win five games.
  Path: 14 ⇒ 6 ⇒ 3 ⇒ 2, 7, 10, 15 ⇒ 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16.


• Seed 10: No bye. Must win five games.
  Path: 15 ⇒ 7 ⇒ 2 ⇒ 3, 6, 11, 14 ⇒ 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16.


• Seed 9: No bye. Must win five games.
  Path: 16 ⇒ 8 ⇒ 1 ⇒ 4, 5, 12, 13 ⇒ 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15.


• Seed 8: One bye. Must win four games.
  Path: bye ⇒ 9, 16 ⇒ 1 ⇒ 4, 5, 12, 13 ⇒ 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15.


• Seed 7: One bye. Must win four games.
  Path: bye ⇒ 10, 15 ⇒ 2 ⇒ 3, 6, 11, 14 ⇒ 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16.


• Seed 6: One bye. Must win four games.
  Path: bye ⇒ 11, 14 ⇒ 3 ⇒ 2, 7, 10, 15 ⇒ 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16.


• Seed 5: One bye. Must win four games.
  Path: bye ⇒ 12, 13 ⇒ 4 ⇒ 1, 8, 9, 16 ⇒ 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15.


• Seed 4: Two byes. Must win three games.
  Path: bye ⇒ bye ⇒ 8, 9, 16 ⇒ 4, 5, 12, 13 ⇒ 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15.


• Seed 3: Two byes. Must win three games.
  Path: bye ⇒ bye ⇒ 6, 11, 14 ⇒ 2, 7, 10, 15 ⇒ 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16.


• Seed 2: Two byes. Must win three games.
  Path: bye ⇒ bye ⇒ 7, 10, 15 ⇒ 3, 6, 11, 14 ⇒ 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16.


• Seed 1: Two byes. Must win three games.
  Path: bye ⇒ bye ⇒ 8, 9, 16 ⇒ 4, 5, 12, 13 ⇒ 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15.

The Big East Tournament for 2007-2008 will remain the same as recent years, with the top four teams earning byes, and the bottom four teams not invited to the tournament.

'Nova dismantles Bloomsburg in exhibition

Villanova 88
Bloomsburg 41
(box score)

Next game: vs. Stony Brook, 11/09 at the Pavilion.

Villanova opened its pre-season tonight at a mostly empty Wachovia Center with an exhibition against the hopelessly outmatched Division II Bloomsburg Huskies. While the game was well in hand after the opening minutes, the game gave Villanova a chance to take a long look at perhaps the deepest roster in recent years on the Main Line.

Starters Scottie Reynolds, Reggie Redding, Corey Stokes, Dante Cunningham, and Casiem Drummond led the early charge as Villanova quickly racked up an insurmountable lead. Bloomsburg had extreme problems handling the ball against the swarming Wildcat pressure defense, and crumpled under the three-quarter-court press occasionally employed by Jay Wright.

The Wildcats forced 26 turnovers, including 14 in steals, and used the Huskies' missteps to jump start a brutally efficient transition game. After blowing the game open with a 58-15 halftime lead, the 'Cats took the air out of the ball a bit in the second half, mercifully gunning for a slower pace.

The biggest story of the night for Villanova was its excellent backcourt play. Scottie Reynolds, now a combo guard and an early Big East Player of the Year candidate, scored 17 on excellent shooting.

Freshman sharpshooter Corey Stokes led all scorers with 18, and looked strong on the glass and on defense. Sophomore Reggie Redding led the team in court time, turning in 31 efficient minutes and scoring 11. Freshman guard Malcolm Grant looked solid handling point duties and on defense.

In the frontcourt, Dante Cunningham quickly asserted himself as the Wildcats' best post player. Center Casiem Drummond played some major minutes and looked to have improved his game since last season. Antonio Pena, the redshirt freshman, was all over the court tonight, displaying excellent athleticism and shooting touch. Though Pena seems to prefer playing on the perimeter, it looks like he will see most of his minutes at the 4 this year.

Fans did not get a look at junior forward Shane Clark or freshman guard Corey Fisher, as both sat with minor injuries. Both Clark and Fisher should be able to go Friday vs. Stony Brook, and both figure to play major parts in the Villanova rotation.

Though the Wildcats looked sensational in all aspects of the game tonight, one should keep in mind that the level of competition could not provide any real insight on just how good Villanova is. Next up for the Wildcats is Stony Brook on Friday, when the 'Cats will open their regular season at the Pavilion.

On to the player grades. As always, click "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis.

• Reggie Redding (S, 31 min)

  Redding's play last year was characterized by making smart decisions and playing good defense. Redding's game is still smoothly efficient, and now it seems his offensive firepower has been improved, as well. Redding scored 11 points on 5-7 shooting, including 1-2 from behind the 3-point arc. He co-led the team in steals, with 4, and added 5 assists and 5 rebounds in an excellent all-around performance. His defense was solid.
  Grade: A
  
  

• Corey Stokes (S, 29 min)

  Stokes wowed fans with his silky shooting stroke tonight at his Wachovia Center debut. Stokes drilled 4 three pointers in 9 attempts, not including a fifth made trey nullified by an unrelated offensive foul. Stokes led all scorers with 18 points on 7-12 shooting, and led all rebounders with 10. Stokes added 3 assists, 2 steals, and committed 0 turnovers. It's difficult to imagine a better debut for the All American. Though many have predicted that Stokes would begin his career as an offensive energy boost from the bench, he may just be too good not to start from the outset. I don't know what Jay Wright's decision will be, because in my mind Fisher, Reynolds, Redding, and Stokes are all worthy of starters' playing time. Could those four start with Cunningham, or will Wright employ a more traditional 5-guard rotation (with Grant) in a 3-guard set? Whatever the case may be, expect big things from Corey Stokes.
  Grade: A




• Scottie Reynolds (S, 26 min)

  Reynolds was unquestionably the best player on the court tonight. He scored 17 points on 7-11 shooting, including 2-4 from the three. His court awareness and defense were in mid-season form, and he gave the hapless Huskies fits with his 4 steals. Reynolds also led the team in assists, with 8. Though he looked good running the point to open the game, his talents appeared to be better served by roaming the perimeter as a combo guard once the freshman Malcolm Grant took over point duties. (This point guard role may eventually be handed to Corey Fisher.) Reynolds also sank some lay-ups tonight after making some ridiculous moves to the hole. One such drive to the basket completely fooled the Husky defender, who was tricked by Reynolds into lunging out towards the perimeter at the exact moment Scottie launched himself at the rim. Combine his offensive repertoire with his shooting prowess and defensive presence, and Reynolds is a viable Big East and national player of the year candidate.
  Grade: A




• Casiem Drummond (S, 25 min)

  Drummond looks to be in the best shape of his Villanova career. He used his size to his advantage tonight against the smaller Huskies, scoring 6 points on 2-4 shooting. He added 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and a swat in his 25 minutes. Though Drummond looked improved, he still needs to be more decisive with the basketball, especially around the rim, and more assertive on the glass.
  Grade: C




• Antonio Pena (25 min)

  Pena's talent and athleticism are unquestioned. He added significant firepower off the bench, scoring 15 on 7-10 shooting. Pena also notched 5 rebounds and a block, but co-led the team in turnovers, with 3. Pena seems to prefer to playing facing the basket, which may be an issue with the Wildcats' crowded perimeter. Pena's defense also looked a bit porous. Nonetheless, Pena is too talented to not find his way into Villanova's primary rotation, likely as an offensive spark plug off the bench.
  Grade: B-




• Dante Cunningham (S, 22 min)

  Cunningham looked strong on the blocks and spectacular in the running game, as usual. His defense was good, but he did get into some foul trouble. Cunningham is at his best on the inside and on the break; unfortunately tonight he dabbled in a few unlikely outside shots that do not seem suited to his game. Cunningham is so far ahead of every other post player on the team that I'd bet a large portion of the Wildcats' hopes for the season are pinned on his ability to stay healthy and effective, especially in grueling Big East play.
  Grade: B




• Malcolm Grant (22 min)

  Grant looked sharp handling the point from off the bench tonight. He is an excellent ballhandler and a good passer. His defense is quick and relentless. He scored 8 points tonight on 3-7 shooting, but was 0-2 from behind the arc. If he ever finds his long stroke, watch out. Grant will likely find his way into the Wildcat rotation, spelling Fisher or Reynolds to run the point off the bench.
  Grade: B-




• Dwayne Anderson (11 min)

  At times it's frustrating to consider the playing prospects for Dwayne Anderson. Anderson brings obvious talent and hustle to the table, but he may be stuck in line behind his younger teammates for playing time. It speaks to the great luxury the Wildcats have in the backcourt this year that a player of Anderson's caliber is likely the sixth option at guard. Tonight, Anderson played well, scoring 5 points on 2-2 shooting. He added 2 rebounds, 2 steals, a block, an assist, and no turnovers in his 11 minutes.
  Grade: B




• Andrew Ott (9 min)

  Ott seemed a little uncomfortable out there tonight, and played fairly tentatively even against the Huskies' nonexistent defense. Ott contributed a rebound and an assist in his 9 minutes and made no glaring errors, but he may not yet be ready for major playing time in the post.
  Grade: C-




• Incomplete grades:
  None.



• Did not play:
  Corey Fisher (minor injury), Shane Clark (minor injury), Frank Tchuisi, Jason Colenda (CD).

'Nova tips off tonight vs. Bloomsburg

Villanova officially opens its pre-season tonight at the Wachovia Center with an exhibition against Bloomsburg University at 7 p.m.

This game was part of the "Wach-Pack" ticket package, but individual tickets are still available. You might be better off just buying them at the door, though, to avoid the hassle and extra fees. Though Villanova basketball is now a major draw, I'd be quite surprised if this game sells out.

The game will not be televised.

As always, Let'sGoNova will have a full report after the game.