Villanova duels Pitt for Final Four trip
posted by Pete @ LetsGoNova.com3/28/2009 01:01:00 PM
#11 Villanova (29-7) vs. #4 Pitt (31-4)
7:05 p.m., 28 March 2009 at the TD Banknorth Garden.
TV: CBS
Line: Pitt -2
Villanova clashes with a very familiar opponent today in Boston for a Final Four berth.
The top-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers have won 31 games, and were ranked #4 in the country in the last AP poll. But Villanova beat Pitt last time, and that was before the Wildcats began to look like a top-5 team during their recent tournament run.
There's not much to write about this game that hasn't already been said. Villanova and Pittsburgh are both tough, defense-oriented teams with penchants for physical play.
Unlike its last three games against American, UCLA, and Duke, Villanova will probably be at a disadvantage on the interior tonight, facing Big East player of the year Dejuan Blair.
The Wildcats will have to make up for Pitt's edge down low by using their superior scoring guards and athletic running game. A key player tonight will be Dwayne Anderson, and his ability to score whether or not his three-point shot is falling.
Corey Fisher will need to get to the rim, even if Blair is patrolling the key. Scottie Reynolds will need to bear some of the Wildcat scoring load. Dante Cunningham will have probably the toughest task of all, containing Blair on one end and scoring on the other.
Pittsburgh is a tall order and a legitimate top-5 team nationwide, but the Wildcats are arguably the hottest team in the NCAA tournament. While the Panthers have largely struggled their way to the Elite 8, Villanova has absolutely demolished its last two opponents, with slaughters of ranked UCLA and Duke.
KenPom predicts a 2-point victory for the Panthers, giving Villanova a 40 percent chance for the win.
Oddsmakers installed Pitt as a 2.5 favorite on Friday, but the line has dropped to 2 points as of Saturday afternoon.
Check out the other Villanova blogs linked at right for their previews, and then try to predict the game's final score in the comment thread below.
The winner of this game will take on the winner of North Carolina and Oklahoma in Detroit's national semifinal next Saturday.
7:05 p.m., 28 March 2009 at the TD Banknorth Garden.
TV: CBS
Line: Pitt -2
Villanova clashes with a very familiar opponent today in Boston for a Final Four berth.
The top-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers have won 31 games, and were ranked #4 in the country in the last AP poll. But Villanova beat Pitt last time, and that was before the Wildcats began to look like a top-5 team during their recent tournament run.
There's not much to write about this game that hasn't already been said. Villanova and Pittsburgh are both tough, defense-oriented teams with penchants for physical play.
Unlike its last three games against American, UCLA, and Duke, Villanova will probably be at a disadvantage on the interior tonight, facing Big East player of the year Dejuan Blair.
The Wildcats will have to make up for Pitt's edge down low by using their superior scoring guards and athletic running game. A key player tonight will be Dwayne Anderson, and his ability to score whether or not his three-point shot is falling.
Corey Fisher will need to get to the rim, even if Blair is patrolling the key. Scottie Reynolds will need to bear some of the Wildcat scoring load. Dante Cunningham will have probably the toughest task of all, containing Blair on one end and scoring on the other.
Pittsburgh is a tall order and a legitimate top-5 team nationwide, but the Wildcats are arguably the hottest team in the NCAA tournament. While the Panthers have largely struggled their way to the Elite 8, Villanova has absolutely demolished its last two opponents, with slaughters of ranked UCLA and Duke.
KenPom predicts a 2-point victory for the Panthers, giving Villanova a 40 percent chance for the win.
Oddsmakers installed Pitt as a 2.5 favorite on Friday, but the line has dropped to 2 points as of Saturday afternoon.
Check out the other Villanova blogs linked at right for their previews, and then try to predict the game's final score in the comment thread below.
The winner of this game will take on the winner of North Carolina and Oklahoma in Detroit's national semifinal next Saturday.
Labels: NCAA tournament, NCAAs, predictions, preview, villanova vs. pitt, villanova-pitt
12 Comments:
Villanova 66
Pitt 61
May the cheers tonight from Philly be heard from coast to coast
Nova 70
Pitt 65
JohnnyB1
Class of 1985
ONE MORE CLINIC!!!
Blair and Young refuse to miss.
What an amazing game.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOWWW
super proud of this program, this tradition, and our fans; what a game!!!!!!!!
JOHNNYB1
Best damn College Basketball game since Cats - Western Kentucky National Semis 1971.
Congratulation Nova fans! Your guys are playing great!
I love watching them.
From a Louisville fan
party like it's 1985- campus must be f#^%&*g bonkers by now...
johnnyb1
oh
my
god
johnny -- posted a link to video from campus in the next post, the recap & grades.
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