tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364741612011-12-14T21:59:16.400-05:00A boisterous take on Villanova basketball.Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.comBlogger4411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-92050868665096321222011-10-20T03:09:00.001-04:002011-10-20T03:11:20.828-04:00

Let's Go Nova is no longer updated, but remains available in archive form.Go 'Cats!

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-19510211454634587922009-06-23T22:48:00.007-04:002009-06-23T22:55:00.073-04:00

[Let's Go Nova is on summer break, but we will continue to update for important breaking news.]According to an ESPN report, former Wildcat Randy Foye will be traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Washington Wizards in a deal that includes the 5th pick in Thursday's draft.Says ESPN:The Washington Wizards are close to a deal that would send the No. 5 pick in Thursday's draft, Oleksiy

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-5044333491676231262009-06-22T19:07:00.010-04:002009-06-22T19:42:47.344-04:00

[Let's Go Nova is on summer break, but we will continue to update for important breaking news.]At this point, the one-man Villanova video vanguard known cryptically as SeanDon needs no introduction.He also needs no second, supporting paragraph.His latest video, available below in the traditional embedded YouTube player, focuses on Villanova's Scottie Reynolds, he of the late-game NCAA tournament

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-5396899530234201992009-06-09T11:56:00.006-04:002009-06-09T15:59:41.397-04:00

[Let's Go Nova is on summer break, but we will continue to update for important breaking news.]Scottie Reynolds has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft and will return to Villanova for his senior season, according to a press release from campus today. Last season, Reynolds led Villanova to its first Final Four since 1985, and then decided to test the draft waters in April. After working out

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-10239808212284393012009-04-21T13:51:00.005-04:002009-04-21T14:34:00.727-04:00

Scottie Reynolds will enter his name to this year's NBA draft, according to a press release from Villanova University.Reynolds, a junior guard and arguably the Wildcats' most valuable player, does not plan to hire an agent, and thus his departure from the team is not yet certain.Reynolds will be able to attend draft workouts and gauge where he might be selected if he decides to remain in the NBA

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-66014356971638160092009-04-05T01:34:00.005-04:002009-04-06T02:19:27.341-04:00

North Carolina was simply the better team tonight.The Tarheels won easily, putting away the Wildcats by a score of 83-69Villanova, which trailed by nine at the half, was able to cut the lead down to five early in the second period. Carolina, however, responded instantly, with a quick 5-0 mini-run to put the lead back to double digits.After that, the Tarheels never looked back.If North Carolina is

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-20581882831518503892009-04-04T03:41:00.002-04:002009-04-04T03:42:35.042-04:00

#11 Villanova (30-7) vs. #2 North Carolina (32-4)8:47 p.m., 4 April 2009 at Ford Field.TV: CBSLine: UNC -7.5Game day has arrived.One week ago, Scottie Reynolds secured his place in history with a buzzer-beater to defeat Pittsburgh and send Villanova to the Final Four. It's been a fun week, looking forward to this game, Villanova's first Final Four since the 1985 championship season.North Carolina

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-41570428697135301422009-04-03T03:31:00.017-04:002009-04-03T16:34:44.296-04:00

Yesterday, the Rush the Court college basketball blog asked me to contribute a guest post to its site on how Villanova could win on Saturday.Make no mistake about it: Villanova is the underdog tomorrow. North Carolina is favored by 7.5 points in Vegas and by 4 points by KenPom (with a 66 percent chance of victory).More intuitively, common sense tells us the Tarheels are the superior team. North

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-27297654971605216612009-04-02T14:18:00.007-04:002009-04-03T13:09:03.947-04:00

Villanova's return to the Final Four, 24 years in the making, is now just over two days away.Game time is set for Saturday, April 4, at 8:47 p.m.Before we get into the more serious game previews tomorrow, allow me to give you that beloved mainstay of trashy MySpace sites everywhere, the blinged-out Flash countdown timer!See the top right sidebar for the high-tech countdown timer.Use this comment

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-69393257757169895392009-04-01T18:10:00.007-04:002009-04-01T19:48:14.221-04:00

Even though the 2009 season is gloriously still ongoing for Villanova, Wildcat fans can get a sneak peak at two of the team's best incoming players for next season in the annual McDonald's high school all-American game tonight.Guards Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek, both Villanova commitments, will play together on the East squad.The game airs live tonight at 8 p.m. from the University of Miami,

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-40029716581910154472009-04-01T02:00:00.017-04:002009-04-01T15:10:39.839-04:00

Bowing to pressure from an increasingly powerful gallery of anonymous commenters, the popular Villanova basketball blog Let's Go Nova will shut down immediately, according to the site's publisher.Though it would seem unusual to shutter the blog in the middle of a Villanova Final Four run, with site traffic setting new records every day, blog owner Pete @ LetsGoNova.com cited the sheer eloquence

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-33836699828927050952009-03-30T01:48:00.009-04:002009-03-30T02:15:01.421-04:00

Well, not really. Although Villanova's 2009 Final Four opponent, North Carolina, represents a loaded memory to most Wildcat fans, none of the current Villanova players were around for the 2005 team's Sweet 16 loss to the eventual national champion Tarheels.The 2005 loss is a particularly brutal memory for Villanova fans, because the game turned on a very questionable -- "phantom," even --

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-58111604603775859632009-03-29T03:25:00.016-04:002009-04-01T16:46:43.711-04:00

Villanova 78Pittsburgh 76(box score)[See end of post for video highlights.]Villanova defeated the top-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers tonight in Boston to earn a trip to the Final Four after one of the greatest, most epic, and most nerveracking games in Wildcat history.It was fitting that a game featuring a ridiculous 10 ties, 15 lead changes, and 66 AP photos would come down to two last-second shots

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-27098093025255608262009-03-28T13:01:00.004-04:002009-03-28T13:45:58.610-04:00

#11 Villanova (29-7) vs. #4 Pitt (31-4)7:05 p.m., 28 March 2009 at the TD Banknorth Garden.TV: CBSLine: Pitt -2Villanova 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

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-60324522428492247192009-03-27T04:51:00.013-04:002009-03-27T13:07:33.581-04:00

Villanova 77Duke 54(box score) #11 Villanova: 29-7 #6 Duke: 30-7Villanova put together another excellent 40 minutes of basketball on Thursday to absolutely dismantle the 2nd-seeded Duke Blue Devils in Boston. Villanova head coach Jay Wright thoroughly out-foxed the much-celebrated Coach K, whose Blue Devils had no answer for Villanova's high-pressure defense.The Wildcats advance to the Elite

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-63956156259151747042009-03-26T13:30:00.006-04:002009-03-26T15:05:14.877-04:00

#11 Villanova (28-7) vs. #6 Duke (30-6)9:57 p.m., 26 March 2009 at the TD Banknorth Garden.TV: CBSLine: Duke -2.5Villanova returns to the Sweet 16 this year with a game against the Duke Blue Devils in Boston.The game, scheduled for 9:57 p.m., is the last of the four match-ups tonight and will be the featured game by CBS.In an ESPN poll today, 54 percent of voters listed the Villanova-Duke game as

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com71tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-85954797436317720812009-03-26T00:54:00.010-04:002009-03-26T01:48:32.097-04:00

Well, this is not encouraging.The excellent Rush The Court blog attended Boston's open practice session today for all five mind-numbing hours, and files reports on each team's session.Though the nonpartisan Rush The Court blogger concedes that 'Nova's practice was "more intense" than the preceding Xavier session, it looks like that was mostly due to Scottie Reynolds, who initiated the team's

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-80236876867051006382009-03-23T02:19:00.005-04:002009-03-23T03:32:32.961-04:00

UCLA 69Villanova 89(box score) #18 UCLA: 26-9 #11 Villanova: 28-7Villanova fired on all cylinders on Saturday to blow out a very good UCLA team and march on to the Sweet 16 next weekend. Not only was the game never really close; The Wildcats uncharacteristically played well for a full 40 minutes, the first time this season we have seen both the consistent effort and the results from this team

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-80115149634156608472009-03-21T02:52:00.005-04:002009-03-21T21:21:39.964-04:00

#11 Villanova (27-7) vs. #18 UCLA (26-8)1:05 p.m., 21 March 2009 at the Wachovia CenterTV: CBSLine: Villanova -2Villanova returns to the Wachovia Center this afternoon to face UCLA for the right to go to the Sweet 16.UCLA has been to three consecutive Final Fours, but the Bruins appear to be a bit weaker this year, earning just a 6-seed and beating an upstart VCU by a single point on

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-60704030486160776902009-03-20T02:18:00.009-04:002009-03-24T04:25:46.868-04:00

Villanova 80American 67(box score) American: 24-8 #11 Villanova: 27-7Villanova used a furious second-half run and some very accommodating officiating to hold off an American team that looked for much of the game like it might pull off a major upset.The Wildcats opened up limp in the first half and trailed by 10 at the break. Villanova would fall behind by as many as 14 points in the second half

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-17483208317641166012009-03-19T03:23:00.005-04:002009-03-19T03:38:51.851-04:00

#11 Villanova (26-7) vs. American (24-7)7:20 p.m., 19 March 2009 at the Wachovia CenterTV: CBSLine: Villanova -17After a full season of resume building, RPI watching, bubble debating, seed calculating, and bracket plotting; of wishing, hoping, thinking, praying, planning, and dreaming, the NCAA tournament is finally here.Villanova, a 3-seed in the East region, draws the best possible geographic

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com142tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-11504393795718694412009-03-18T19:23:00.004-04:002009-03-18T19:50:47.798-04:00

Every March, Let's Go Nova's favorite college basketball writer Pat Forde pens his best and worst cases column, where he outlines the wildest dreams and worst nightmares for all 64 NCAA tournament teams.Forde hit the nail on the head for Villanova last year, when his best-case scenario of Villanova beating Clemson and Siena before losing in the Sweet 16 came true to the letter.This year, he sets

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-79786063927438105232009-03-17T01:28:00.018-04:002009-03-17T14:42:26.992-04:00

Sponsor: Calling all 'Nova fans! Watch ALL March Mayhem games at Buckhead Saloon. $2 U-call-its. Book a table for a FREE BEER TOWER. We have four projector screens and 15 plasmas. Call 215.925.8170.We've had a few days to digest the NCAA tournament bracket, and we can start to draw some conclusions about Villanova's draw to Detroit.At first, I was thrilled to find Villanova in the East

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-52758484690553823362009-03-15T23:06:00.006-04:002009-03-15T23:27:08.710-04:00

The NCAA has just released the official bracket with game times (PDF). Third-seeded Villanova plays its first-round game against 14-seed American at 7:20 p.m. (EDT) Thursday at the Wachovia Center.This was an expected time slot for the Wildcats, because it made sense for the NCAA to slate 'Nova podmate UCLA 30 minutes following Villanova, at about 9:50 p.m. Eastern, or just before 7 p.m. in Los

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-31258026455385771492009-03-15T18:46:00.003-04:002009-03-15T21:01:26.524-04:00

Villanova will play American University at the Wachovia Center on Thursday, March 19. Villanova, a 3-seed, faces the 14th-seeded American Eagles, champions of the Patriot League.Game time is yet to be determined, but since UCLA is from the West Coast, the Bruins will most likely get the 9:30 p.m. slot, leaving Villanova-American to start at 7 p.m.Villanova is in the East region (Boston), where

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-42418985436820578222009-03-15T18:45:00.001-04:002009-03-15T20:46:41.922-04:00

A small number of general admission tickets are available for the three sessions in Philadelphia on Thursday and Saturday.Villanova plays American in the #3 vs. #14 game in Philadelphia on Thursday night. Game time is yet to be determined, but it's likely Villanova will play in the early session to accommodate West Coast viewers watching UCLA in the other game. The tickets come with seats, but

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-78793455299202732982009-03-15T14:02:00.010-04:002009-03-15T14:38:05.633-04:00

The official NCAA tournament brackets are just a few hours away, but there's still time to make some quick predictions.First of all, I would be very surprised if Villanova is not a 3-seed in Philadelphia for the Thursday-Saturday games at the Wachovia Center. It's looking very likely the 'Cats will be sent to South Philadelphia to play a 14-seed on Thursday.My wild guess for Villanova's

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-76171118274914530662009-03-14T02:20:00.009-04:002009-03-14T13:34:02.111-04:00

Louisville 69Villanova 55(box score)#5 Louisville: 27-5 (18-2 BE)#10 Villanova: 26-7 (14-6 BE)Sometimes, it's just nice to watch a master at work -- even if the master is carving up your favorite basketball team like a sushi chef working on some rapidly spoiling fish.On Friday night, Rick Pitino was that master, and he made Jay Wright his unwilling apprentice. Once again, Pitino showed why he was

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-17329558431158629092009-03-13T02:43:00.000-04:002009-03-14T12:49:45.993-04:00

#10 Villanova (26-6) vs. #5 Marquette (26-5)7 p.m., 13 March 2009 at Madison Square GardenTV: ESPNLine: Louisville -4.5Villanova survived its scare with Marquette on Thursday to advance to the Big East tournament semifinal, where it will face the top-seeded Louisville Cardinals.While the Wildcats needed a buzzer-beating Dwayne Anderson layup on a broken play to get past Marquette, Louisville had

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-55836760292267883242009-03-13T02:40:00.000-04:002009-03-13T17:38:32.709-04:00

Villanova escaped Madison Square Garden on Wednesday with an unlikely one-point victory over Marquette, 76-75.The Wildcats won the game on a dramatic Dwayne Anderson layup that beat the buzzer, but not before rolling around the rim for a few revolutions after time expired. Villanova had led by 16 at the half before blowing that entire margin in the second period.With the win, Villanova goes a

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-84426136513319865992009-03-12T02:17:00.003-04:002009-03-12T11:28:10.406-04:00

#10 Villanova (25-6) vs. #21 Marquette (24-8)2:30 p.m., 12 March 2009 at Madison Square GardenTV: ESPNLine: Villanova - 2.5Villanova will play its third game of the season against Marquette today when the two teams meet in the quarterfinals of the Big East championship tournament.The Wildcats were seeded into the third round thanks to their top-four finish, while Marquette received just one bye.

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-59583691180311597092009-03-10T18:12:00.003-04:002009-03-10T18:36:22.454-04:00

All of the Big East Conference awards have now been announced, and Villanova did very well for itself, earning some nice accolades across a variety of categories.Villanova backup point guard Corey Fisher won the Big East's 6th Man award, which goes to the player who makes the greatest positive impact off the bench.This site has been saying for a long, long time that Fisher should get more minutes

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-7456283464406824562009-03-06T01:51:00.007-05:002009-03-06T12:14:21.215-05:00

Providence 80Villanova 97(box score)Providence: 18-12 (8-10 BE)#11 Villanova: 25-6 (13-5 BE)Villanova flexed its offensive muscles on Thursday night as the Wildcats exploded for 97 points to defeat Providence in the year's final game at the Pavilion.With the win, Villanova secured an all-important top-four finish in the Big East, and the two days of byes that go along with it. The Wildcats will

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-49774122684964788202009-03-05T11:55:00.014-05:002009-03-05T18:40:29.361-05:00

Villanova v. Providence live blog by LetsGoNova.com#11 Villanova (24-6) vs. Providence (18-11)7 p.m., 5 March 2009 at the Pavilion.TV: ESPN2Line: Villanova -10.5Join Let's Go Nova tonight at 7 p.m. for a special regular-season finale LIVE BLOG.Fire up your fake usernames and outlandish comments, Let's Go Nova nation, as it is time once again for a very special live weblog tonight. We begin at 7

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-41169447894411527482009-03-03T02:18:00.009-05:002009-03-03T04:22:55.417-05:00

Villanova 77Notre Dame 60(box score)#11 Villanova: 24-6 (12-5 BE)Notre Dame: 16-13 (7-10 BE)Villanova broke away in the second half on Monday night to soundly put away a Notre Dame team fighting for its post-season life.The Wildcats used an offense firing on all cylinders to scorch the Irish for 45 second-period points on the way to an easy win, despite a score knotted at 32 at the half.I

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-46697410872566428852009-03-02T00:05:00.007-05:002009-03-02T21:02:36.230-05:00

#11 Villanova (23-6) at Notre Dame (16-12)7:00 p.m., 2 March 2009 at the Joyce Center.TV: ESPNLine: Notre Dame -3.5The Wildcats travel to South Bend, Indiana today to play a very desperate Notre Dame team whose NCAA tournament chances are teetering on the brink of the abyss. Villanova, once among the hottest teams in the nation, opens the week in a bit of a slump, after losing two of its last

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com149tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-869554470735988812009-02-28T14:12:00.016-05:002009-06-26T15:16:58.269-04:00

If there were ever any question about how poor an end-game coach Jay Wright is, that question was answered today, and then some.Jay Wright made just about every possible end-game error in the final minutes of a close game against Georgetown.From right off the top of my head:Failing to make sure his team knew the shot clock was running down in a timeout huddle. What was he doing in there? What is

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-19471763733723394912009-02-28T03:26:00.005-05:002009-02-28T14:51:52.259-05:00

#10 Villanova (23-5) vs. Georgetown (14-12) 12:00 p.m., 28 February 2009 at the Wachovia Center.TV: ESPNLine: Villanova -5.5Villanova faces what may be its most unusual opponent of the season Saturday afternoon with a game against the mysterious Georgetown Hoyas.Georgetown comes into Philadelphia having dropped nine of its last 11 games, but none of these have been terrible losses. The Hoyas

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-6917090706174994382009-02-27T02:14:00.016-05:002009-02-27T04:03:48.548-05:00

GreyCat of Villanova by the Numbers has created an outstanding and informative post called Performance vs. Expectations, tracking Villanova's result in each game against the final margin predicted by Pomeroy.The results, provided in awesome-chart-form by Greycat, look a little bit like the stock market over the past few years. As in, not good.Below, I have modified GreyCat's chart in a highly

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-22230028763736468212009-02-26T20:55:00.006-05:002009-02-26T21:12:30.290-05:00

I have been receiving a lot of heat in the comments section for blasting Jay Wright's mismanagement of his lineup, especially regarding point guard Corey Fisher's playing time.After every single game, you could find here the drumbeat of criticism, charging that Fisher was receiving far too little playing time. My argument is that as the clearly best player on the team, Fisher should be leading

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-40728746446839673752009-02-26T01:14:00.035-05:002009-02-28T04:13:28.938-05:00

Villanova 74DePaul 72(box score)#12 Villanova: 23-5 (11-4 BE)DePaul: 8-20 (0-15 BE)Villanova once again played down to the level of its competition in an ugly two-point victory at DePaul Wednesday night.The Wildcats used a second-half run to build a solid lead, erasing an improbable half-time deficit, before collapsing yet again in the game's final minutes to allow a DePaul comeback.Despite Dar

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-1494017310513283782009-02-25T17:37:00.005-05:002009-02-25T20:05:34.587-05:00

#10 Villanova (22-5) at Depaul (8-19) 8:00 p.m., 25 February 2009 at Allstate Arena.TV: WPHL or online stream at Justin.tvLine: DePaul +13Villanova takes its #10 ranking on the road tonight for a Big East game against the winless DePaul Blue Demons. DePaul finds itself with a 0-14 conference record despite having some decent talent. Though Villanova is heavily favored, the game should not be

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com58tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-25066241454298201192009-02-25T15:43:00.005-05:002009-02-25T21:37:15.843-05:00

Villanova's ticket masters have just sent out a red-alert e-mail bulletin advising Nova Nation that a small number of tickets are now available for the sold-out Georgetown game this Saturday at the Wachovia Center.From the decrypted communique:Due to Villanova's Spring Break starting this Friday, the student ticket pick-up for this Saturday's Villanova vs. Georgetown game has been lower than

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-89435728115363769692009-02-24T00:24:00.026-05:002009-02-24T15:47:35.604-05:00

Villanova 89Syracuse 86(box score) #12 Villanova: 22-5 (10-4 BE)#24 Syracuse: 19-8 (7-7 BE)Well, it came down to the wire, but Villanova earned its best road victory of the season with a three-point win at Syracuse. The Orange, aided by a mini-collapse by Villanova, came back from down seven with half a minute remaining to hoist an open look at what would have been the game-tying three in the

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-7256599713745470082009-02-22T03:29:00.005-05:002009-02-22T04:00:35.111-05:00

#12 Villanova (21-5) at #24 Syracuse (19-7) 1:00 p.m., 22 February 2009 at the Carrier DomeTV: CBSLine: Syracuse -2.5If you didn't get a chance to read the Rutgers grades, which were recently posted, check them out here.Villanova travels north to the Carrier Dome for a rematch today with a dangerous Syracuse team. The Wildcats demolished the Orange two weeks ago at the Wachovia Center, and

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-87975751806579184012009-02-20T03:28:00.009-05:002009-02-22T05:46:46.411-05:00

Rutgers 72Villanova 82(box score) #13 Villanova: 21-5 (9-4 BE)Rutgers: 10-16 (1-12 BE)Villanova avoided what could have been a soul-crushing defeat on Thursday by barely closing out the hapless Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a game that was much closer than many predicted.Corey Fisher helped save the Wildcats with excellent bursts of play from off the bench, where he inexplicably spent most of his

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-80097675406467307102009-02-19T15:27:00.007-05:002009-02-19T16:00:28.408-05:00

Point guard Kyle Lowry, who was a major star at Villanova during the 2005 and 2006 tournament runs, has been traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Houston Rockets, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.At Houston, Lowry will get to play with superstars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, at least once McGrady recovers from knee surgery. Playing for the Rockets might also allow Lowry to make his first trip to

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-72952674282140337642009-02-19T13:38:00.006-05:002009-02-19T13:58:43.846-05:00

#12 Villanova (20-5) vs. Rutgers (10-15) 9:00 p.m., 19 February 2009 at the PavilionTV: ESPN2Line: Villanova -18Villanova returns to the Pavilion tonight to face a struggling Rutgers team in another Big East game. Though Rutgers blew out the Wildcats last year at the RAC, Villanova is strongly favored to win this one easily.It's senior night on campus, so expect a starting lineup of Dante

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-24439058143298351652009-02-18T23:24:00.004-05:002009-02-18T23:34:24.427-05:00

Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek were officially named McDonald's All-Americans tonight. Both have committed to play in Villanova's backcourt next season to headline a recruiting class considered by many to be the best in the country. Cheek and Wayns were unanimously ranked by recruiting touts as near the top of their respective positions of shooting guard and point guard, so their placement on the

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-69314539055782370222009-02-18T14:39:00.009-05:002009-02-18T15:14:32.053-05:00

In a long article in the Philadelphia Daily News today, Villanova coach Jay Wright is quoted at length regarding his position at the helm of Villanova basketball.Of particular interest to Let's Go Nova readers may be Wright's reference to his coaching decision in the West Virginia game to keep star forward Dante Cunningham on the bench in the first half with two fouls. Wright actually praises

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-67335371529939228172009-02-15T14:56:00.009-05:002009-02-22T01:31:21.199-05:00

Villanova 72West Virginia 93(box score) #13 Villanova: 20-5 (8-4 BE)West Virginia: 17-8 (6-6 BE)Villanova got knocked down to earth on Friday night with an absolute debacle of a performance against the hungry WVU Mountaineers.The Wildcats got blown out of the building, and still lack any kind of quality road win. The loss will hurt Villanova's NCAA tournament seeding, as a top-three seed now

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-49722397672039042722009-02-13T12:19:00.008-05:002009-02-13T13:37:20.131-05:00

#13 Villanova (20-4) at West Virginia (16-8) 9:00 p.m., 13 February 2009 at the WVU Coliseum TV: ESPNLine: WVU -4.5Villanova, a winner of six in a row, travels to Morgantown, W.V. tonight to face a desperate Mountaineers team. Despite the Wildcats' recent success, especially on the offensive end, West Virginia is favored by a field goal. [Update: now 4.5]This is an important game for Villanova,

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-75541643831419179222009-02-12T21:10:00.008-05:002009-02-12T21:26:19.274-05:00

The drive-time host Mike Francesa interviewed Villanova coach Jay Wright today on WFAN, New York's leading sports talk radio station.Jay came off very well in the 20-minute interview, and Francesa praised the team profusely.Wright covered several topics, including the team's recent hot stretch, the grueling Big East season, the upcoming NCAA tournament, his desire to win the Big East tournament,

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-16954539783834235792009-02-12T15:14:00.016-05:002009-02-17T04:28:06.213-05:00

With March madness just a few weeks away, it's time to start thinking about brackets and seeds.Enter Let's Go Nova's 2009 college basketball championship prediction contest for your chance to win our grand prize, two pieces of Villanova basketball post-season memorabilia.All you have to do is leave a comment in this post, and be the closest to predict the final four teams in the tournament, the

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-52514448443359199812009-02-11T22:43:00.027-05:002009-02-12T13:43:39.596-05:00

In the beginning, there was only the legend of Apollo Fraser, an oral tradition of stories passed down through generations. Grandfathers would recount tall tales of pump fakes in a conspiratorial whisper, while children sat in awed reverence, conjuring this mythical hero in their minds' eyes.Now, there is a photograph.The human form of Apollo "Jason" Fraser will take his pump-fake-themed act to

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-75775342510570892312009-02-11T19:55:00.006-05:002009-02-11T20:44:51.275-05:00

Marquette 84Villanova 102(box score)#10 Marquette: 20-4 (9-2 BE) #13 Villanova: 20-4 (8-3 BE)Villanova exploded for another 100-point game as the Wildcats won their sixth straight game last night with a decisive victory over #10 Marquette.With the win, Villanova puts itself in great position to earn a top-4 seed in the Big East tournament, and the crucial double-bye that goes along with it.If the

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-55800585167819972952009-02-10T22:19:00.008-05:002009-02-11T23:12:56.390-05:00

[Click here for the full recap and player grades]Villanova soundly beat an excellent Marquette team tonight, 102-84. The Wildcats were on fire on offense, especially in a scorching, 52-point second half.Starting senior forward Dwayne Anderson left the game at the start of the second after sustaining what appeared to be a knee injury. There are rumors of a knee hyper-extension, but no official

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-31314579530830069592009-02-10T19:00:00.002-05:002009-02-10T19:15:33.207-05:00

Villanova vs. Marquette live blog

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-13392492283466428112009-02-10T02:31:00.008-05:002009-02-10T14:26:20.519-05:00

#13 Villanova (19-4) vs. #10 Marquette (20-3) 7:30 p.m., 10 February 2009 at the PavilionTV: ESPN2Line: Villanova -4.5Join Let's Go Nova for a live blog tonight at 7:30 p.m. You know the drill. Bring your sarcastic nicknames, biting commentary, and a bowl of popcorn for one of the biggest live blogs of the season.The Wildcats face #10 Marquette tonight in a rematch of a Villanova loss on New

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-19900953506768589532009-02-09T01:54:00.009-05:002009-02-11T20:05:49.336-05:00

Syracuse 85Villanova 102(box score)(highlights)#20 Syracuse: 18-6 (6-5 BE) #17 Villanova: 19-4 (7-3 BE)Villanova extended its winning streak to five games on Saturday with a solid victory over the #20 Syracuse Orange. The Wildcats add another quality win to their resume, and can now aim for higher seeds in both the NCAA and Big East tournaments. Villanova overcame foul trouble throughout the game

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-83335952789976397242009-02-07T01:43:00.005-05:002009-02-07T01:54:07.601-05:00

#17 Villanova (18-4) vs. #20 Syracuse (18-5) 12 p.m., 7 February 2009 at the Wachovia CenterTV: ESPNLine: Villanova -5.5The Wildcats play one of their bigger games of the year today at a noon showdown with the #20 Syracuse Orange. Aside from being another test against a tough ranked team, the game has huge Big East Tournament seeding and bye implications.Kempom predicts a 7-point Villanova

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-42384275194249536392009-02-04T19:52:00.000-05:002009-02-04T19:53:15.973-05:00

Villanova-Providence live blog

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-34145066092782333772009-02-04T16:54:00.005-05:002009-02-04T17:57:49.166-05:00

Join Let's Go Nova for a hastily planned live blog tonight for the Providence game.The live blog will begin at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on MSG+ (NY) and WPHL (Phila.). The line is Villanova -1.5.

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-39272576671327512902009-02-02T19:13:00.004-05:002009-02-02T19:15:19.961-05:00

Villanova used a furious second-half effort to soundly defeat Cincinnati on Sunday, and the Wildcats were rewarded with a boost in the national top-25 polls.The new ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll rates Villanova at #16, and the updated AP poll ranks the 'Cats at #17.Next up for Villanova is a road game with a hot Providence team on Wednesday.

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-72018950701431183752009-01-31T14:42:00.003-05:002009-01-31T14:49:28.457-05:00

#21 Villanova (16-4) vs. Cincinnati (13-7) 12 p.m., 1 February 2009 at the PavilionTV: SNY (NY) / WPHL (Phila)Line: Villanova -TBDVillanova follows up its biggest win of the season on Wednesday with a home game against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincinnati is 13-7, fresh off a victory over Georgetown. Prior to that upset, the Bearcats' best win was an early December victory over UAB.While the

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-80409890248653232702009-01-29T03:17:00.012-05:002009-01-29T05:29:30.865-05:00

Pittsburgh 57Villanova 67(box score)#3 Pittsburgh: 18-2 (6-2 BE) #21 Villanova: 16-4 (4-3 BE)Eighteen-thousand people braved pouring rain, gusty winds, mountains of dirty slush, and a jam-packed parking lot to witness the final college basketball game at the Philadelphia Spectrum. The building was loud and hot and full of fans hoping for an upset. They weren't disappointed.Villanova defeated

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-7039374600599785052009-01-28T15:50:00.009-05:002009-01-28T16:19:23.642-05:00

#21 Villanova (15-4) vs. #3 Pittsburgh (18-1) 7 p.m., 28 January 2009 at the Wachovia SpectrumTV: ESPNU (Justin.tv likely will have the online stream of the game.)Line: Villanova +3.5Villanova returns to action tonight with a Wachovia Spectrum game against third-ranked Pittsburgh. The Wildcats are still looking for their first quality win on the season, and the Panthers would certainly qualify.I

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-34048114827016043252009-01-27T00:26:00.005-05:002009-01-27T12:52:20.326-05:00

Just a short post to address the latest rumor: Villanova commit Maalik Wayns, one of the top PGs in the nation, may have suffered a possibly serious knee injury. Details and official confirmation have not yet emerged, but if this is true, it could set back Wayns for much of his senior season. Hopefully, the injury is a minor one. This post will be updated when details are available.Update: As of

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-29700019834486901822009-01-24T01:35:00.008-05:002009-01-24T14:03:14.898-05:00

#20 Villanova (14-4) at South Florida (7-11) 12 p.m., 24 January 2009 at the USF Sun Dome.TV: SNY (New York) / WPHL (Philadelphia)Line: Villanova -6Villanova travels to Tampa, Fla, this weekend to face the South Florida Bulls at noon on Saturday. Villanova needs a win to get to .500 in league play and keep the Wildcats' NCAA hopes remotely alive.USF is trying to avoid a losing record for the

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-59472453462175184392009-01-21T16:19:00.002-05:002009-01-21T18:44:20.701-05:00

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-68346902021451757232009-01-21T00:01:00.003-05:002009-01-21T15:57:32.485-05:00

Get ready for the biggest live blog event of the Villanova basketball season tonight as the 'Cats face #3 UConn. Join us at 7 p.m., and have your snarky comments and snarkier fake usernames at the ready.#20 Villanova (14-3) at #3 Connecticut (16-1) 7 p.m., 21 January 2009 at the XL Center.TV: ESPNLine: Connecticut -9.5Facing hugely talented and third-ranked Connecticut, Villanova gets perhaps its

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-19536019342573987872009-01-19T14:02:00.004-05:002009-01-19T14:24:52.950-05:00

St. John's 57Villanova 76(box score)St. John's: 10-7 (1-4 BE) #20 Villanova: 14-3 (2-2 BE)Next game: at #3 Connecticut, 21 Jan. at the XL Center.Villanova played two solid halves to put away an outmatched St. John's team. Four starting Wildcats -- Dwayne Anderson, Dante Cunningham, Antonio Pena, and Corey Fisher -- scored double digits, and Scottie Reynolds finished with 9.I was not able to catch

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-53792937563636883592009-01-17T11:53:00.006-05:002009-01-17T14:54:18.620-05:00

#23 Villanova (13-3) vs. St. John's (10-6) 12 p.m. 18 January 2009 at the Pavilion.TV: SNY / WPHL/My17Line: Villanova -TBDVillanova basketball resumes tomorrow with a game against St. John's after an 8-day layoff. The Wildcats have lost two of three, and desperately need a win to get back to .500 in the Big East before the schedule really gets tough next week.The Red Storm will likely finish

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-81404249390301956372009-01-15T01:23:00.039-05:002009-02-11T23:07:55.502-05:00

Just when you thought the Jason Fraser saga couldn't get any stranger!When we last heard about Fraser, he had broken his finger on a solo practice dunk and was flying home to America. Before that, he was dominating the New Zealand basketball scene while playing for a parking garage branded with AOL-speak.Well that's all in the past! Jason Fraser is now back in the United States, and will join one

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-56452863009297170872009-01-12T14:35:00.009-05:002009-01-14T04:11:26.186-05:00

And the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll ranks Villanova at #22. Both these rankings come after a week when the Wildcats needed overtime to beat a bad Seton Hall team and then lost at home to Louisville, which shot 3-25 from the three-point line. I guess the AP voters and coaches are also not subtracting much for the residual effect of Marquette's complete domination of Villanova last week, dropping

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-8806363839701815852009-01-12T05:12:00.021-05:002009-02-07T17:48:28.510-05:00

Louisville 61Villanova 60(box score)#23 Louisville: 11-3 (2-0 BE) #18 Villanova: 13-3 (1-2 BE)Next game: vs. St. John's, 18 Jan. at the Pavilion.A dangerous but inconsistent Louisville team came into the Wachovia Center Saturday and shot colder than the swirling snow and sleet blanketing Philadelphia outside. The Cardinals were an astounding 24 for 62 from the field, and it was almost as bad from

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-72625847485885559272009-01-10T03:56:00.007-05:002009-01-10T13:10:46.056-05:00

#18 Villanova (13-2) vs. #23 Louisville (10-3) 12 p.m. 10 January 2009 at the Wachovia Center.TV: ESPNLine: Villanova -2As the Blizzard/White-Out/Light Freezing Rain storm of the century bears down on South Philadelphia, Villanova gears up for its latest test against a good team.The Wildcats now boast a 13-0 record against likely non-tournament participants, but are 0-2 against Texas and

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-18019609924182108292009-01-06T18:37:00.007-05:002009-01-06T18:43:32.409-05:00

The live blog will begin shortly before 8 p.m. Check out the post below to predict the game's final score.

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-88249945464566561172009-01-06T14:34:00.009-05:002009-01-06T14:50:33.684-05:00

As was pointed out in the last post by my dedicated commenter/stalker "anonymous," I was late with the Marquette grades. Rather than throw them together now and then post a haphazard SHU preview, I've decided to make it up to you with a SPECIAL "LIVE" BLOG for tonight's game against the Seton Hall pirates. #18 Villanova (12-2, 0-1 BE) at Seton Hall (9-4, 0-1 BE)8 p.m. at the Prudential Center (

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-49148434069253723312009-01-02T02:44:00.006-05:002009-01-03T03:27:45.326-05:00

Marquette wins, 79-72, in Villanova's second failed test of the season. Villanova falls to 0-1 in league play, and remains without a quality win on the year.Hopefully, I will have this post updated with a full recap and player grades by Friday night soon. Until then, check out the archive of my intermittent Twittering of thoughts and observations during the game.

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-52369076810809237442008-12-31T14:45:00.009-05:002008-12-31T16:25:00.932-05:00

#15 Villanova (12-1) at Marquette (11-2) 2:30 p.m., 1 January at the Bradley Center.TV: ESPNLine: TBDVillanova opens the new year with the start of conference play against a talented Marquette team in Milwaukee on Thursday. The Wildcats face one of the best backcourts in the conference, and will be hard-pressed to contain Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Wesley Matthews. McNeal, in particular, is

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-65868095969789119952008-12-30T02:21:00.007-05:002008-12-30T04:01:46.149-05:00

Temple 45Villanova 62(box score)Temple: 5-6 (0-0 A10, 0-1 B5) #15 Villanova: 12-1 (0-0 BE, 4-0 B5)Next game: at Marquette, 1 Jan. at the Bradley Center.Villanova, back in the top 15 this week thanks to losses ahead of the Wildcats, opened flat and lifeless in the Pavilion tonight against Big 5 rival Temple.The Wildcats were stagnant and ineffective on offense for most of the game, scoring just 24

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-30369931519171504862008-12-29T15:50:00.006-05:002008-12-29T18:52:00.438-05:00

#15 Villanova (11-1) vs. Temple (5-5) 7 p.m., 29 December at the Pavilion.TV: ESPNU or free online. [Fullscreen here].Line: Villanova -9Villanova looks to wrap up an undefeated Philadelphia Big 5 season and city series championship tonight with a home game against the Temple Owls.Temple has been struggling a bit, and brings a 5-5 record to the Pavilion. Villanova is favored by 9, but the Owls are

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-71037003917935798812008-12-24T02:49:00.010-05:002008-12-24T03:37:42.577-05:00

It's that time of year again. People walk with a bit more pep in their step. Children lay awake at night dreaming of what surprises tomorrow might bring. Pete at Let's Go Nova makes the exact same joke he made two years ago this day.That's right. December 24 marks the 47th anniversary of Villanova head coach Jerold Wright's birth. Let me speak for the rest of Nova Nation in wishing Jay a happy

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-44955758013966522032008-12-24T02:13:00.006-05:002008-12-24T03:49:38.625-05:00

Well, it shouldn't have been this exciting, but Villanova escaped with a win over a Navy team audacious enough to make 14 (mostly open) three-pointers. The Wildcats eked out a 78-68 victory that was much closer than the final score indicates.The game was not televised, and I was only able to follow along on the radio, so no player grades this time. Villanova's official PR machine was all over

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-89972167671273803102008-12-22T16:05:00.017-05:002008-12-22T19:57:11.279-05:00

#18 Villanova (10-1) vs. Navy (8-3) 7:30 p.m., 22 December at the Pavilion.TV: None. Video available online via "Nova Nation All-Access" or (hopefully) free Channelsurfing (not working at gametime, see radio link below)Audio: Here -- WMP for Windows or Mac required.Line: OFFVillanova returns from its longest layoff this season for a Christmas cupcake match against Navy at the Pavilion tonight.The

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-71878149153030934772008-12-15T01:36:00.007-05:002008-12-16T14:26:34.249-05:00

Villanova 70La Salle 59(box score) #18 Villanova: 10-1 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)La Salle: 4-4 (0-0 A10)Next game: vs. Navy, 22 Dec. at the Pavilion.Villanova moved to 2-1 on the week and 3-0 in the Philadelphia Big 5 with a win at La Salle. The Wildcats looked decent but not overpowering in the win, and it seems like the 3-spot drop in the latest AP rankings places Villanova correctly in the lower end of

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-72214755713035888292008-12-12T01:21:00.028-05:002008-12-12T12:37:20.369-05:00

College recruiting guru Adam Zagoria is reporting that super-hyper-mega recruit Dominic Cheek will announce his choice to attend Villanova at his press conference Friday:Dominic Cheek is expected to announce at a Friday press conference in Jersey City that he will play for Villanova and not Kansas, according to multiple sources close to the situation.Update: Sports Illustrated is now also

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-37957235229235760802008-12-11T20:44:00.003-05:002008-12-11T23:34:34.824-05:00

Well, I didn't expect this one to be a game, but St. Joe's is up at the half. This is pretty much a must-win for 'Nova, because with a loss here the Wildcats' OOC record will be atrocious come Tourney time.If anyone's around I will be live bloggin'.

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-80023279329062082042008-12-11T14:57:00.007-05:002008-12-11T20:10:52.796-05:00

#15 Villanova (8-1) vs. St. Joseph's (4-4) 8 p.m. at the PavilionTV: ESPN2Line: Villanova -11For the first time in several years, Villanova will face former "Rivalry Week" foe St. Joseph's before the new year. Villanova is fresh off its first loss of the season, coming up short in a physical battle against #6 Texas in the Garden two days ago.St. Joe's moved to 4-4 with a blowout win at Towson on

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-441402245717412272008-12-10T03:45:00.003-05:002008-12-10T03:50:14.636-05:00

Villanova was overmatched in a loss to #6 Texas, 67-58.Villanova's official Web site has the recap and a notebook feature on the game.We'll be posting our full recap with player grades Wednesday afternoon.Until then, feel free to discuss the game in the comment thread below.One more item: Reliable sources now confirm that hyper-recruit Dominic Cheek will make his college announcement 4:30 p.m. on

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-20559437200639142352008-12-09T01:56:00.010-05:002008-12-09T03:47:10.440-05:00

#15 Villanova (8-0) vs. #6 Texas (6-1) 9 p.m. at Madison Square Garden (New York)TV: ESPNLine: Villanova +2.5Villanova heads to New York today for the Jimmy V Classic nightcap against Texas, a battle of top-15 teams in Madison Square Garden.The game should be the first real test for undefeated Villanova. While the strongest opponent the 'Cats have faced is arguably a mediocre Rhode Island team,

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-51995020584266605332008-12-04T14:00:00.013-05:002008-12-04T19:52:31.998-05:00

#17 Villanova (7-0) vs. Houston Baptist (0-6) 7:30 p.m. at the PavilionTV: Channelsurfing or media player(NOT WORKING as of 7:40 p.m....)Audio: HBU radioLine: OFFVillanova returns to the Pavilion tonight for an easy on-campus tune-up before heading to New York next week for the Jimmy V Classic against Texas.Houston Baptist is a small school in southwest Houston playing its first full year of

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-92018505577981571182008-12-02T17:56:00.004-05:002008-12-02T18:00:25.048-05:00

Join Let's Go Nova for our first live blog of the new season tonight at 8 p.m. as Villanova opens the Big 5 season against Penn.Follow the action with us as you watch it on the CN8 network, or just keep track of the updates here. As always, your commentary is welcome, and the best comments will be published.See you at 8 p.m.

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-53876658649670722942008-12-02T14:08:00.004-05:002008-12-02T14:34:56.324-05:00

#17 Villanova (6-0) at Pennsylvania (1-4) 8 p.m., Tuesday, 2 December, at the PalestraTV: CN8 or onlineLine: Penn +13.5Just one day after losing junior center Casiem Drummond to transfer, Villanova travels back to the Palestra to face UPenn in the Wildcats' Philadelphia Big 5 opener.Penn's record is a deceptive 1-4. True, the Quakers have lost four of five games, but they did put in a respectable

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-40686914287277797342008-12-01T15:18:00.012-05:002008-12-01T16:52:58.864-05:00

Casiem Drummond, a junior and Villanova's only true center, has decided to pursue transfer opportunities, according to a press release from campus today.Drummond had been suspended for at least one game this season for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. Though Drummond had a history of injury, his development under the basket looked like it had been progressing nicely. Drummond's departure leaves

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-60438542158572881882008-12-01T01:42:00.006-05:002008-12-01T19:05:46.469-05:00

Rhode Island 65Villanova 78(box score) #20 Villanova: 6-0 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)Rhode Island: 5-2 (0-0 A10)[Youtube highlights]Next game: at Penn, 02 Dec. at the Palestra.Villanova won the Philly Hoop Group Classic on Friday with a victory over Rhode Island at the Palestra. With the win, the Wildcats improved to 6-0 and found themselves atop the Classic's "Independence" bracket, which was the higher

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-956002711819996942008-11-29T17:57:00.008-05:002008-11-29T18:04:51.737-05:00

#20 Villanova (5-0) vs. Rhode Island (5-1) 8:50 p.m., Saturday, 29 November, at the PalestraTV: CN8Line: Villanova -9Villanova put away Towson last night to advance to the "Independence Bracket" championship in the Philly Hoop Group Classic.The Wildcats will take on the 5-1 Rhode Island Rams of the Atlantic 10 tonight at the Palestra for the title. The game will be televised regionally on

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-70504255470535366012008-11-28T02:39:00.008-05:002008-11-28T14:06:38.424-05:00

#20 Villanova (4-0) vs. Towson (3-1) 8:30 p.m., Friday, 28 November, at the PalestraTV: NoneLine: OFFAfter cruising to a win against low-major Monmouth University earlier this week, Villanova opens bracket play in the Philly Hoop Group Classic with a matchup tonight against Towson.For Villanova, center Casiem Drummond should return from a one-game suspension for a disciplinary issue. Senior

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36474161.post-91080210172367423532008-11-25T16:24:00.002-05:002008-11-25T16:25:02.567-05:00

#20 Villanova (3-0) vs. Monmouth (0-4) 7:30 p.m., Tues., 25 November, at the PavilionTV: NoneLine: OFFVillanova plays its second preliminary game of the Philly Hoop Group Classic with a Pavilion game against low-major Monmouth University of New Jersey. Villanova last played Monmouth in the 1 vs. 16 game in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament at the Wachovia Center.I can't find a line for

Pete @ LetsGoNova.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04593441432802518714noreply@blogger.com6