'Cats look for some luck of the Irish

vs.


#18 Villanova Wildcats (13-4, 3-3 BE) vs.
Notre Dame Fightin' Irish (13-4, 3-2 BE)

Date: Saturday, January 26, 2008
Location: Wachovia Center (Philadelphia, PA)
Time: 12:00 p.m. EST
Television: WPHL (Philadelphia), MSG (New York), and more regional channels

Notre Dame coverage: Black and Green || BE Basketball Report

Villanova looks to get back on track in a Saturday matinée at the Wachovia Center against Notre Dame, one of the Big East's toughest teams.

If anything, Coach Wright and fans alike are looking for consistency from the Wildcats, a team that no doubt has frustrated everyone following them this year at one point or another. Filled with talent and potential from top to bottom, 'Nova has shown flashes of brilliance, but only to time and time again fall to lesser opponents that managed to capitalize on the weaknesses and shortcomings of these young 'Cats.

I question how much the fans will be into the game tomorrow at the Wachovia Center. On one hand, I hope that having a marquee opponent come into the Wach will be enough to get the Sea of V amped up. As a student, however, I know that getting ready for a noon tip-off, combined with the memories of a thoroughly crushing loss against Rutgers, will make it hard for Villanova's "sixth man" to bring the energy.

I intended to make this game preview more about the state of 'Nova Nation than the game itself. It goes without saying that this Notre Dame team is a force to be reckoned with. With forwards Luke Harangody and Rob Kurz averaging a combined 32.3 points and 17.6 rebounds per game, this frontcourt is as strong as any the 'Cats have faced to date. Similarly, Kyle McAlarney and Tory Jackson shore up the backcourt, bringing with them leadership and superior ball control. This game will be a test for 'Nova's guards as much as for their big men.

Keys to the game

Defense: It is my assessment that the Wildcat guards are over-aggressive in their trap defense. If the ballhandler breaks a press or a trap by the 'Cats, more often than not, they are able to find an open man on the wing just salivating for his opportunity to sink a 3-pointer. I would like for the 'Cats to revert to a man-to-man defense at some point this season, but unfortunately the size of the Irish prevents Wright from making that switch. The guards must do their job and not try to do too much by themselves on defense, a defense which has an emphasis on team. If this happens, many more shots will be contested, and the defense will be better as a whole.

Rebounding: After a solid stretch of games, Antonio Pena's production has dropped off some. This game, it is imperative that one of Villanova's forwards get position in the paint to rebound. Harangody has been immovable inside thus far. Look for Cunningham to get on his man and stick with him while the guards try to strip the ball from Kurz when he brings it down low.

Crowd factor: As detailed above, the bandwagon nature of Villanova fans can be disastrous to a young team looking to build on and learn from their failures. 'Nova Nation must bring the noise and show this team it is behind the Wildcats, win or lose.

X-factor

Bounce-back effect: Count me among the believers that the younger a team is, the better chance the players have to bounce back and perform after a bad loss. I get the impression that the personalities of Villanova's stars won't allow the players to harp on their own mistakes. I think this team, more than any in years past, has the ability to forget about all the negative press and just go out and play basketball. That, more than anything, will guide the 'Cats to victory Saturday.

This is an important conference game for Villanova in more ways than one, and it will be exciting to see how the game plays out. If you're attending the game as a Villanova partisan, wear your 'Nova Nation shirts, and start the cheers early and often.

Remember to predict the final score and offer your own keys to the game in the comments section below.