Jay Wright blunders away key game

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:

1. 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 being discussed in timeouts if not the immediate tactical consideration of the current possession? Reynolds was forced to hoist a 30-footer upon realizing at the last second the shot clock was nearly down to zero. Horrendous tactical coaching.
   
   
2. Ridiculous "offense-defense" substitution, yanking both point guards for defense. On a crucial possession, Georgetown point guard Chris Wright was able to blow by Reggie Redding for an easy layup because there was no one quick enough to guard him. This is why point guards typically guard other point guards, especially ones as talented as Wright. Horrible coaching.
   
   
3. Down three with under a minute to go and coming off a timeout, Villanova's offense is routed through Reggie Redding? Is that serious? And Redding just throws the ball away. And this is off a timeout? That's the best you can do, Jay? Terrible coaching.
   
   
4. Down three with under 30 seconds left, Wright keeps Corey Fisher on the bench. Why? Fisher is the team's best penetrator. Clearly, in that situation, there is plenty of time left for a drive to the basket. Just score quickly. Instead, Villanova wastes 10-15 seconds, and Corey Stokes takes a horrible, off-balance, guarded three, which misses. Some of the worst coaching of the year.
   
   
5. Down by five with under 10 seconds to go, Stokes hits a long three to pull the 'Cats within two points with exactly 3.5 seconds left. Wright, properly, calls timeout, and then benches Reynolds and leaves Fisher out. Result? No one on Villanova can even catch Chris Wright to foul him, and the final 3.5 seconds (eternity in a basketball game) tick away with Villanova unable to even give a foul. Off a timeout! And, may I ask, what was Jay Wright's plan if, miraculously, his team was able to get a turnover? His two best scorers were on the bench! If we got a turnover with 2 seconds left in Georgetown's back-court, there was no one to shoot it but Stokes! Was Wright's plan to call a timeout there, with 1 second left? Horrible, horrible, horrible.

I would love to hear any argument that Jay Wright didn't cost the team this game. The five above points don't even go into how lazy, lackadaisical, and unmotivated the team seemed to play the entire game. Len Elmore, calling the game, even said the Wildcats seemed "content" out there while trailing, lacking any hunger to win the game. Embarrassing.

Villanova just lost a game where the winning team scored TWO field goals in the last 9:22 of the game. You read that correctly. It's quite an accomplishment, to lose such a game.

I have been saying for the entire year that Wright's poor end-game tactics would cost this team in a big spot. Well, it doesn't get much bigger than this. Villanova was in the absolute driver's seat for both a double-bye in the Big East tournament, with a double-bye all but guaranteed by winning out. The Wildcats also were in position to land the top-3 seed in the NCAA tournament likely needed to stay in the Wachovia Center.

A lot of good playing at home in the Wachovia Center did today. Thanks to Wright's tactical and strategic blunders, Villanova is now on the outside looking in for both a double-bye, which is unlikely now, and a top-3 seed for the NCAA tournament.

But neither of those tournaments will matter much to Villanova fans if Jay Wright continues to cost his team close games by end-game mismanagement that would make a grammar-school jayvee coach cringe. I know my grammar school coach would not have been happy watching this game.

And neither was I.

A traditional recap with player grades will be up by Sunday night. Forget the grades; you all know how I feel about this game, and most of you disagree with me. Let's move on with the Notre Dame preview.

Feel free to discuss the end-game situation in the comment thread.

Villanova faces slumping G'town

#10 Villanova (23-5) vs. Georgetown (14-12)
12:00 p.m., 28 February 2009 at the Wachovia Center.

TV: ESPN

Line: Villanova -5.5

Villanova 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 boast wins over two likely #1 seeds, with victories over UConn and Memphis, and a solid win over NCAA-bound Syracuse.

Georgetown has also beaten two NCAA bubble teams, Providence, and Maryland.

Despite all the good wins, Georgetown is not even in bubble consideration for the NCAA tournament, thanks to its recent losing ways. Georgetown has won just two of its last 11 games, beating Big East doormats Rutgers and South Florida.

None of the losses were that bad individually, but when taken in context of one another, they probably will spell N-I-T unless the Hoyas can make a ridiculous run in the Big East tournament, a la Syracuse in 2006.

KenPom predicts a four-point Villanova win, with a 68 percent chance of victory.

Check out the previews on the other 'Nova blogs (linked in the right sidebar), and then predict the game's final score in the comments below.

New tickets available for sold-out G'town Sat.

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 normal. Therefore, a limited number of lower level tickets have just been released for public sale. All tickets are in the lower level and are priced at $35. Tip-off for this game is set for 12:00 PM at the Wachovia Center.

You can buy the tickets from Comcast's online ticket office here. The sale is online only, and likely won't last long.

Live blog for G'town today

If you're stuck at work or school for one of the biggest Villanova games in recent memory, or simply watching from home, join Let's Go Nova at 12 noon today for a live blog of the Villanova-Georgetown game in the Big East Tournament.

After a huge win over Syracuse in the first round of the BET, Villanova faces the top-seeded Georgetown Hoyas in Madison Square Garden in New York.

Though the Syracuse victory may have already earned Villanova an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, a win over the Hoyas would remove all doubt, and would vault the Wildcats off the 12-seed line into more hospitable territory.

The game will air live on ESPN nationwide at 12 noon. Check this post for the live blog shortly before tip time.

'Cats trounce 'Cuse to reach top-seed Hoyas

vs.

Villanova Wildcats (20-11, 10-9 BE) vs.
#9 Georgetown Hoyas (25-4, 15-3 BE)

Date: Thursday, March 13, 2008
Location: Madison Square Garden (New York)
Time: 12:00 p.m. EST
Television: ESPN

Georgetown coverage: Van Buren Boys || Hoya Saxa

Following Villanova’s exciting win against Syracuse, the Wildcats return to action Wednesday at noon to face regular-season conference champion Georgetown. The last time these two teams met, the outcome of the game was marred with one of the worst foul calls in recent memory, as Corey Stokes was called for knocking Jonathan Wallace out of bounds with one tenth of a second remaining.

While it is definitely helpful that the ‘Cats have beaten another bubble team in Syracuse, ‘Nova fans have been salivating for the opportunity to face the Hoyas again. If the selection committee can look favorably at Villanova’s misfortune against the Hoyas last meeting, combined with a solid performance (win or lose) on Thursday, I feel that Villanova will have its name called on Selection Sunday.

Georgetown is led by Roy Hibbert, fueled by the stoic and stable guards Jonathan Wallace and Jessie Sapp, and has considerable contributions from freshman Austin Freeman and sophomore forward DaJuan Summers. Through and through, Georgetown is bigger and more experienced at nearly every position.

Keys to the game

Contain Hibbert: The Hoyas use Roy Hibbert in the same way the San Antonio Spurs employ Tim Duncan: the offense runs through the center position. Hibbert essentially acts as a second point guard for the Hoyas, because nearly every offensive possession starts with Hibbert getting the ball down low and either kicking it out to his guards or creating his own offense. While Jay Wright's in-game planning has been under attack recently, there is no denying that he can stop Hibbert, as 'Nova has harassed Hibbert in several meetings throughout his career.

Limit GU offensive sets: Under Coach John Thompson III, the Hoyas run a very deliberate offense. In order to beat Georgetown, Villanova must limit the amount of time the Hoyas are in their offensive sets. While the 'Cats had their own trouble on offense last meeting, Villanova no doubt gave the Hoyas problems of their own, and only by a miraculous foul call was Georgetown able to come away victorious.

Protect the ball: If Villanova is able to limit the Hoyas' offense, the game then comes down to Villanova's offensive capabilities. Limiting turnovers and taking quality shots are just some of the things the 'Nova coaching staff must emphasize throughout the game. Hopefully the hot shooting of Anderson, Reynolds, and Stokes will continue for another day.

X-factors

Frontcourt: Hibbert and Patrick Ewing Jr. make up one of the most formidable forward combinations in all of the Big East, and Villanova's frontcourt will be hard-pressed to limit the damage. As the nation's premiere low post player, Hibbert has an assortment of pump fakes and back-to-the-basket moves. Pena and Cunningham must be careful to not get into foul trouble and play solid defense. Ewing Jr., an explosive player, is more athletic and physically imposing than Cunningham, and is a defensive force as a rebounder and shot blocker. Look for the 'Nova guards to take it to him looking for contact.

Foul shooting: Every point is important, so the 'Cats must shoot better on the line than they did against Syracuse.

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

Nation agrees in landslide: call was bad

The Villanova-Georgetown "Debacle in D.C." has reached the front page of ESPN.com, where readers can vote in the SportsNation poll as to whether the foul at the end was called correctly.

You can view continually updated vote totals by state at ESPN's SportsNation map.

After more than 65,000 votes, all 50 states and international voters agree that the foul was an incorrect call in the admittedly non-scientific poll.

At the time the snapshot of the vote below was taken, 77 percent of total voters thought the call was incorrect.



After 65,000 votes, respondents in all 50 states said the call was incorrect by at least a 2-to-1 margin, and mostly by much more.

In Pennsylvania, 84 percent of voters did not like the call. In Maryland and Virginia, the states closest to Georgetown's District of Columbia, the online voters disliked the call to the tune of 72 and 73 percent, respectively.

The avalanche of press coverage resulting from the end of last night's game can only help Villanova's cause in terms of reaching the NCAA committee on Selection Sunday, if the 'Cats manage to play their way onto the bubble.

Media consensus: foul unjust

Last night's Villanova-Georgetown ending generated many impassioned reactions in the local and national media today.

The consensus in the media, which is giving the incident a lot of play, is that the call was not justified and unnecessarily altered the course of the game.

The Washington Post's "D.C. Sports Bog" does a great job of summarizing the ways the call was categorized in post-game reports. The post notes some alternative viewpoints, but most of the media reactions say that the call was unjust.

King Kaufman, Salon's national sports columnist, devoted his entire column today to the ugly finishes at Georgetown and in the women's Rutgers-Tennessee game. Kaufman, one of the smartest sportswriters in the field, said the foul should never have been called:

The game could have been wrapped in a bow and handed to the Hoyas, but that would have been more work for them than this was. They would have had to untie the bow.

Mike Francesca and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, the kingpins of sports-talk radio in New York, both agreed on their show today that the call was tremendously bad and cost Villanova the game. Russo said that the contact did not constitute a foul no matter what the situation, while Francesca thought that the foul should not have been called because of the game-situation and because Stokes's actions gained Villanova no unfair advantage. Francesa also said that if this ends up costing Villanova an NCAA bid, it would be a shame.

Mike and the Mad Dog brought on Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese, who defended the official Bob Donato's call. Tranghese said that since Wallace stepped out of bounds, the only options for Donato were to call a displacement foul on Stokes, giving Wallace two free throws, or to call Wallace out of bounds, giving Villanova the ball. Tranghese said that neither option was appealing to him, but that he stood behind Donato. Russo said that in his opinion, there was no foul on the play, and that even if there was, giving the ball back to Villanova with under half-a-second to play was "the lesser of two evils."

You can listen to the entire Tranghese interview in MP3 format. He discusses the women's game first before his more lengthy segment on the Villanova game.

Art Hyland, the Big East coordinator of officials for men's basketball, told ESPN's Andy Katz that Donato was within his right to make a judgment call and charge Stokes with the foul.

Finally, you can watch the ESPN highlights and post-game breakdown by Jay Bilas in the embedded player below. Bilas repeats some of the points he made on the air during the game.

All in all, the incident has been covered heavily in the sports world today, which may help Villanova's chances with the NCAA selection committee should the Wildcats work their way onto the bubble in March.

'Cats fall to Hoyas on dubious call

Georgetown 55
Villanova 53
(box score)
ESPN video recap

Villanova: 14-9 (4-7 BE, 3-1 B5)
Georgetown: 20-3 (10-2 BE)

Next game: at St. John's, 02/15 at Madison Square Garden.

The Wildcats struggled through one of their ugliest games of the year to find themselves in a position to knock off the #8 Georgetown Hoyas at the game's end, only to have their hopes dashed by perhaps the most questionable call by a referee I have ever seen in any sporting event.

With the game tied with 30 seconds to play, Villanova had the ball. Scottie Reynolds killed 20 seconds of clock and began his drive to the basket. On his way, he drew significant contact with the Hoya defenders, but no foul was called. As he attempted to pass the ball back out to the perimeter, the Hoyas got some hands on the pass and the ball rolled toward the sideline.

Georgetown's Jon Wallace finally gained possession with just a few seconds left and started dribbling along the sideline, 80 feet from the Villanova basket. After Wallace appeared to step out of bounds, the official Bob Donato threw up his hand and blew the whistle, calling a blocking foul on Corey Stokes with one-tenth of one second remaining on the clock.

With Villanova in the double-penalty, Wallace sank both free throws to ice the game for the Hoyas. (After me made the first free throw, he should have intentionally missed the second, which would have given the Wildcats even less of an impossible chance to win the game.)

The foul called on Stokes was definitely of the phantom variety. There was little to no contact, and any contact was initiated by Wallace's forearm as he pushed Stokes from his path. With under a second on the clock and Wallace's head down, 75 feet from the basket, there was no chance Georgetown could have scored without a foul called.

Another issue was why more time was not puck back on the clock, as Wallace either stepped out of bounds or the referee's whistle had blown with more time than 0.1 second remaining.

The call was instantly and persistently derided by all three of ESPN's announcers. As color man Jay Bilas pointed out, there was far, far more contact on Reynolds's drive to the basket than on Sapp's dribble along the sideline.

You can watch a video of the game's closing seconds below in the embedded YouTube player:



I would hope that Villanova would lodge an official protest with the Big East Conference regarding this foul call.

On the one hand, Villanova played a top-10 team to a draw on its home court, and was robbed of overtime and a possible victory by a foul call not one in a 100 referees would make. On the other hand, Villanova did not play especially well, and it was a miracle the 'Cats were even in the game at the end.

Villanova struggled immensely to score, especially in the second half. The Wildcats connected on just 14 field goals in the entire game, and missed 19 straight shots in the second period.

If you'd like to read more about the intricacies of the actual game, check out the Let's Go Nova live blog we ran during the contest.

Congratulations to reader "BPeach01" for most closely predicting the game's final score.

Next up for Villanova is a trip Saturday night to Madison Square Garden in New York to take on the struggling St. John's Red Storm.

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

• Malcolm Grant (DNP)

  The dramatic Malcolm Grant saga continues. The talented guard was dressed on the bench with the team, but once again saw no action whatsoever, for no known reason. If there is a good reason for his benching (and one would hope there is), Jay Wright needs to come out and say what the reason is. The silence, at this point, is not good for anyone. Despite rumors this weekend that Grant already decided to transfer, Grant was suited up and traveled with the team. That was the good news. The bad news for Wildcat fans is that the sharpshooting Grant was withheld from a game where Villanova missed 19 straight shots. Stay tuned this week as we hopefully learn more.
  Grade: DNP




• Scottie Reynolds (S, 39 min)

  Reynolds totally carried the Wildcats on his back Monday night, and if not for that horrendous call at the end, he may have even willed them to victory. Scottie scored 24 points on 6-13 shooting, including a decent 2-5 performance from behind the three-point arc. Reynolds was an excellent 10-13 from the foul line. It's really a shame that Reynolds had to account for 43 percent of the Wildcat field goals while playing less than 20 percent of the team's court minutes; someone else on the team needs to step up offensively when second-option Fisher is struggling. It was nice to see Reynolds get up for a dunk on a fast break tonight. If I am not mistaken, that was his first-ever dunk in a Villanova game.
  Grade: A




• Dante Cunningham (S, 29 min)

  Cunningham just missed a double-double, scoring 9 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against the Hoyas. He only managed one field goal, however. Cunningham picked up where he left off against Seton Hall at the foul line, shooting 7-8 from the stripe tonight. He seemed to hold his own in the paint on both ends of the floor, and in general it was an encouraging performance from Cunningham.
  Grade: B




• Corey Fisher (S, 27 min)

  Fisher turned in one of the all-time worst shooting performances I have ever seen in a single basketball game. You may want to sit down for this: Fisher shot an astonishing 1-16 from the field and 0-6 from the three. The fans they pull from the stands for halftime contests to win scholarships and car leases are more accurate than that. It was good to see Fisher, ever the gunslinger, try to shoot his way out of a slump, but sometimes enough is enough, especially when many of the shots were badly contested and of questionable discretion. Fisher also led the team in turnovers, with 3. His team-high 4 assists were the lone bright spot of Fisher's night and the only thing saving his grade from the dreaded "F." Fisher is a good player who will certainly improve upon his next outing, so look for a bounce back against the Red Storm in New York.
  Grade: D-




• Dwayne Anderson (S, 27 min)

  Anderson started his second straight game and showed why he has earned the increased minutes. His hustle was apparent in all aspects of the game, and he co-led the team in rebounds, with 10. Anderson also notched 1 assist and 1 steal and committed no turnovers. After scoring 13 points and hitting the game-winning three against Seton Hall on Saturday, Anderson cooled off significantly in Washington. Anderson shot 3-9, including 0-4 from the three, to score 9 points. Anderson is playing well, and his size and athleticism are useful for the Wildcats. If Anderson can turn himself into a bigger offensive weapon, he would bring the total package.
  Grade: B-




• Casiem Drummond (S, 21 min)

  Drummond struggled to put the ball in the hole, shooting 0-4 from the field and 1-2 from the line. He managed to grab 5 rebounds and did not get pushed around all that much by Hibbert.
  Grade: C-




• Antonio Pena (20 min)

  Pena shot 0-2 from the field to score just 2 points Monday night. What happened to the flashes of offensive firepower he showed earlier in the year? Pena grabbed 3 rebounds and committed 2 turnovers. He led the team in steals, with 2.
  Grade: C-





• Corey Stokes (18 min)

  Stokes started off strong with a couple of buckets, but his shooting struggles continue. If not for the dramatic Malcolm Grant plot, Stokes's woes from the three-point line would be the official mystery of the year. As the announcers mentioned on Monday, many scouts regarded Stokes as the best high-school shooter in the nation last year. Tonight, Stokes shot 3-7 from the field and 1-5 from behind the arc to score 7 points. He had 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers, and a steal. It was not a very good game from Stokes, but you can't fault him for the foul at the end, simply because that foul should never have been called.
  Grade: D+




• Shane Clark (14 min)

  Clark played 14 minutes and was totally ineffective. He was bad on offense, air-balling his only shot, a wide-open three point attempt at a crucial juncture in the game. He was even worse, however, on defense, allowing the Hoyas several easy looks. It's a shame to say this, considering Clark is an upperclassman and a captain, but he really should not be seeing the court at all these days.
  Grade: F





• Reggie Redding (5 min)

  Redding missed all 3 of his shots and contributed nothing else to the box score but a turnover. This team is really missing Grant on the floor.
  Grade: D-





• Incomplete grades: Frank Tchuisi (0+ min)



• Did not play: Malcolm Grant (CD), Jason Colenda (CD).

Live blog of 'Nova-GT tonight

Join Let's Go Nova for its first live blog of the season tonight at 7 p.m. for Villanova's game at #8 Georgetown.

The game will air at 7 p.m. on ESPN, and the live blog (below) should begin at tip time.

[Update] The live blog was a roaring success, but a bad call at the end of the game cost Villanova what would have been its biggest win in several years. If you missed the live blog and would like to take a look at it, you can read it in full below. (Just click the circular arrow.)

Feel free to also comment about the game and the call at the end in this thread until the recap and grades post is up much later tonight.

'Cats head to D.C. to renew rivalry

@

Villanova Wildcats (14-8, 4-6 BE) at
#6 Georgetown Hoyas (19-3, 9-2 BE)

Date: Monday, February 11, 2008
Location: The Verizon Center (Washington, D.C.)
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Television: ESPN

Official 'Nova coverage: game notes (PDF)
Georgetown coverage: Van Buren Boys || Hoya Saxa

Villanova travels down to Washington, D.C. as 13-point underdogs to the Big East's best team Monday, as the 'Cats look to push their record to 7-0 at the Verizon Center versus Georgetown.

The Hoyas are reeling after a loss to Louisville this past Sunday. Rick Pitino drew up an excellent game plan that limited Georgetown's offense.

After allowing nearly 81 points per game in their five game skid, the 'Cats limited Seton Hall to 28 percent shooting in the second half. Hopefully the 'Cats have turned the corner defensively just in time. Villanova is 12-2 when holding opponents under 75 points, and if Villanova can slow down GU by pressuring the guards in the backcourt, the game will slow down considerably.

Georgetown is led by Roy Hibbert, fueled by the stoic and stable guards Jonathan Wallace and Jessie Sapp, and has considerable contributions from freshman Austin Freeman and sophomore forward DaJuan Summers. Through and through, Georgetown is bigger and more experienced at nearly every position.

Keys to the game

Contain Hibbert: The Hoyas use Roy Hibbert in the same way the San Antonio Spurs employ Tim Duncan: the offense runs through the center position. Hibbert essentially acts as a second point guard for the Hoyas, because nearly every offensive possession starts with Hibbert getting the ball down low and either kicking it out to his guards or creating his own offense. While Jay Wright's in-game planning has been under attack recently, there is no denying that he can stop Hibbert, as 'Nova limited the projected lottery pick to one shot attempt in their first meeting last year.

Limit GU offensive sets: Under Coach John Thompson III, the Hoyas run a very deliberate offense. In order to beat Georgetown, Villanova must limit the amount of time the Hoyas are in their offensive sets. Last season Villanova had success in pressuring the Hoyas' inbounding passes, and once they got past half court and called a set, the shot clock was already down to 15-20 seconds. Saturday night, Rick Pitino employed an effective press, forcing GU into 15 turnovers en route to a Louisville victory.

Protect the ball: Villanova must play a nearly flawless game in order to come out of tonight victorious. If Villanova is able to limit the Hoyas' offense, the game then comes down to Villanova's offensive capabilities. Limiting turnovers and taking quality shots are just some of the things the 'Nova coaching staff must emphasize throughout the game.

X-factors

Frontcourt: Hibbert and Patrick Ewing Jr. make up one of the most formidable forward combinations in all of the Big East, and Villanova's frontcourt will be hard-pressed to limit the damage. As the nation's premiere low post player, Hibbert has an assortment of pump fakes and back-to-the-basket moves. Drummond, Pena, and Cunningham must be careful to not get into foul trouble and play solid defense. Ewing Jr., an explosive player, is more athletic and physically imposing than Cunningham, and is a defensive force as a rebounder and shot blocker. Look for the 'Nova guards to take it to him looking for contact.

Final thoughts

Villanova will have its hands full tonight, but this team has surprised me more than once this season. Look towards the bench during the game, to see if Malcolm Grant has traveled with the team, amidst speculation of a possible transfer. Grant has already lost one year at prep school, and if he were to transfer again he would likely sit out another season, making him a sophomore a full two years older than the rest of his peers. Here is to hoping these rumors are not true.

As always, you may predict the final score of the game in the comments section below. The author of the closest prediction will receive a mention in the game recap.

Watch the G'town game live

Good day, Villanova fans.

For those of you stuck without a television, here is a backdoor link to ESPN360's online broadcast of the game live. This link works with any internet service provider.

Here is the stream.

Enjoy.

#14 Georgetown out-duels 'Nova

Villanova 55
#14 Georgetown 58
(box score)

#14 Georgetown: 20-5 (10-2 BE)
Villanova: 17-8 (18-8, 6-6 BE, 4-0 B5)

Next game: at #12 Marquette , 02/19 @The Bradley Center.

The Wachovia Center was rocking today as Villanova looked to punch its NCAA dance card against the #14 Georgetown Hoyas. The first match-up between these two teams, a 56-52 Villanova win in D.C. on Jan. 8, was a drawn out slugfest, and nothing less was expected today as both teams looked to keep win streaks alive.

The game lived up to its expectations. Though Villanova jumped out to a small lead early, the Hoyas closed the gap right before the half. Once again, Villanova built up a small cushion in the opening minutes of the second half, only to squander it to a Georgetown run. From that point, it was two fighters standing in the center of the ring dishing out their best shots. The last possession would determine the last man standing, and that's what it came down to.

Georgetown made its shots in the clutch, and Villanova didn't. The two teams were evenly matched, and the ball just went in for the Hoyas at the end. If Shane Clark's three from the corner had gone down instead of rimming out with 10 seconds left, the result may have been different. The fact that Villanova got such a good look is one positive to take away from the game.

One thing I would like to defend is Jay Wright's coaching job today. Several fans I've talked to are placing the blame for the loss squarely on Jay's shoulders, but in my opinion they could not be more wrong.

I believe this was one of Jay Wright's finest coaching performances. He stuck to his game plan of pressing three-quarter-court and then settling into a match-up zone to front the Hoyas' far superior big men. That plan kept the Wildcats in the game even as the Hoyas' high-powered offense attacked relentlessly.

Jay also used his timeouts perfectly in terms of game strategy and flow. His decision to take the air out of the ball sitting on a small lead in the final three minutes was correct. In a situation like that, with Villanova up a basket but overmatched in the paint, the clock is your ally.

The fact that the 'Cats came home with the L spoiled one of the best coaching jobs and pre-game preparation all year. Hopefully a similarly effective plan can be hatched for Monday's match against #12 Marquette, who have lost three in a row and will be hungry for a victory at home.

A note on Villanova's NCAA Tournament hopes: a win today would have placed the team into the "lock" category. Now the situation is a little more murky. To be safe, three wins out of the next four games should get us into the field easily. If Villanova splits 2-2, it may come down to how that record was split. A win against Marquette on the road will certainly be worth more than the assumed easy win over Rutgers at the Pavilion. If Villanova goes 1-3 over its last 4 (or dare I even suggest it it, 0-4), the 'Cats will need at least one win at Madison Square Garden to get into the NCAAs.

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

• Shane Clark (S, 36 min)

  Clark led the team in minutes and had a quiet but decent game. His biggest contribution was his 2-3 performance from behind the arc; unfortunately that one miss was the potential game winner. He had 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 turnover. His defense was passable but he did commit 4 fouls.
  Grade: C
  
  

• Curtis Sumpter (S, 34 min)

  Sumpter scored 15 today on 4-11 shooting. He was not as effective from behind the arc, going only 1-5, but was a perfect 6-6 from the line. He also led the team in rebounds with 8, in blocks, with 2, and in turnovers, with 3. Though he hit some huge shots in the second half, Sumpter did not even get the ball in the closing moments. Still, this is exactly the kind of game we need from Sump in the post-season.
  Grade: B




• Mike Nardi (S, 34 min)

  After a string of good games, Nardi took several steps back today. He looked nervous and prone to forcing the issue, which is a deadly combination for a ball-handling guard in Jay Wright's system. Nardi scored just 2 points on 1-6 shooting, and was 0-2 from the three. He had 2 bad turnovers, and did not reach the foul line. He added 2 assists, 1 rebound, and a block. What won't show up the in box score, however, were the several missed opportunities he had. ESPN's College Gamenight even pointed out one in its highlight summary: at the end of the first half, Nardi forced a closely-guarded three with time left on the clock when teammate Reynolds was wide open to his immediate left. Had Nardi simply made the pass to the open shooter, there is no way that Georgetown's Jesse Sapp would have been able to launch his successful 65-foot three-pointer that proved to be the game's margin. On the other side of the court, Nardi's defense was fairly weak. Nardi fell hook, line, and sinker for Jeff Green's head-fake, allowing him to step up for an easy jumper that turned out to be the game-winner. Nardi is a senior and the team will need him to cut down on mistakes, step up up defensively, and make better decisions with the ball in the remaining games.
  Grade: D-




• Scottie Reynolds (S, 29 min)

  Reynolds was back in his mid-season scoring form today, leading the team with 18. He shot an excellent 7-14 from the floor, including 4-6 from the three. He also led the team in assists with 4, and co-led the team in steals with 2. Despite shouldering the point responsibilities for 29 minutes, he did not commit a single turnover. He also added 4 rebounds. You simply could not ask for anything more of Reynolds today. He was huge in the clutch. With the team down 1 with 19 seconds left, he was able to penetrate and drew contact that should have been a foul. Still down 1 and inbounding the ball with under 10 seconds left, he made what would have been the game-winning assist, had Shane Clark's three gone in. It was the perfect look off the inbounds play. Then, down 3 with just 3.6 seconds remaining, Reynolds took the inbounds pass and turned on the jets, covering the length of the floor to get a good look at a three that just didn't fall. As that three was in the air, I was convinced that we were going to overtime, but the shot did not go down. Reynolds was the ultimate competitor today, trying to will the team to victory. Even as he was relegated to the bench with 4 fouls late in the second half, he could not sit still while watching the action. When he came back into the game at the 3:46 mark, he promptly hit a huge three to give the 'Cats a 4-point lead. Though Villanova lost today, the play and spirit of Scottie Reynolds will help bring home many wins in the future.
  Grade: A




• Will Sheridan (S, 27 min)

  Sheridan played his best game in a while today. He excelled in his role as defensive stopper of the formidable Hoya front line. Thanks in part to Will's efforts, Roy Hibbert was limited to just 4 points. Sheridan was more involved offensively today, scoring 5 on 2-8 shooting. He had 6 rebounds, 2 assists, a block, a steal, and no turnovers. The block, in particular, was outstanding, as it occurred on a crucial defensive possession late in the game.
  Grade: B




• Dante Cunningham (24 min)

  Villanova needs to get Cunningham back into the starting lineup. Can he really still be suffering from bronchitis? Why have his minutes been cut back? Cunningham was not as effective today as he was in the past two games. Dante scored just 3 points on 1-4 shooting. He grabbed 5 rebounds and added an assist, a steal, and a turnover. His defense was good, but we need him more involved on the offense.
  Grade: C-




• Reggie Redding (16 min)

  Redding played his role well today, giving 16 solid minutes as Villanova went as shallow as possible in its rotation. Redding scored 6 on 1-2 shooting from the field, and was 4-6 from the foul line. He made some excellent passes but was not credited with an assist. His defense was generally good, and he co-led the team in steals with 2. He also did not commit any turnovers. I'll take this game from Reggie every time.
  Grade: B





• Incomplete grades:
  None



• Did not play:
  Bilal Benn (CD), Dwayne Anderson (CD), Casiem Drummond (CD), Frank Tchuisi (CD), Ross Condon (CD), Andrew Ott (RS), Antonio Pena (RS).

'Nova stuns G'Town

Villanova 56
Georgetown 52
(box score)

Georgetown: 11-4 (1-1 BE)
Villanova: 10-4 (11-4, 1-2 BE, 3-0 B5)

Next game: at Syracuse, 01/13 @ The Carrier Dome.

The experts didn't give Villanova much of a chance tonight. Jay Bilas said he would be quite surprised if the 'Cats pulled out the win. Statistics guru KenPom's model gave Villanova only a 21 percent chance of victory.

Georgetown had won 7 games in a row by an average of 25 points per game entering tonight's contest. Villanova, on the other hand, had lost 2 straight and was looking at an 0-3 conference start if Georgetown won like it was supposed to.

All that was rendered moot by some excellent play by the Wildcats. Though the offense still has some kinks to work out, with Villanoca shooting just 38 percent from the field, the defense was sublime.

Villanova forced 22 Georgetown turnovers (it would have been about 26 if the refs hadn't missed several 10-second calls), and generally wreaked havoc on The Hoyas' offensive plans. Indeed, leading Georgetown scorer and monster in the middle Roy Hibbert did not even take a shot from the field, and scored just 2 points on free throws.

Overall it was a fantastic win for Villanova, and should imbue the team with some much-needed confidence for this weekend's road trip to the Carrier Dome.

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

• Curtis Sumpter (S, 16 min)

  Sumpter got into foul trouble early tonight, which severely limited his minutes. A few of those fouls were bad decisions on Sumpter's part, however. Curtis shot only 25 percent from the field, 2-8, scoring just 5 points. He grabbed 2 rebounds and committed 3 turnovers. It should be noted that Villanova played better without Curtis tonight, making major runs when he was on the bench. Overall it was a tough game for Sumpter, but look for a big rebound against the Orange -- we will need his inside scoring.
  Grade: D




• Dante Cunningham (S, 27 min)

  Cunningham had a big game tonight. He took 6 shots, which is huge for him, sinking 4 and scoring 8 points. He also led the team in rebounds with 8. He looked great on the blocks, and even exploded for a huge dunk on the baseline. It was a decidedly above-average night for Dante. The 'Cats need to feed him more down low.
  Grade: B




• Scottie Reynolds (S, 36 min)

  Reynolds carried the team again tonight, willing the 'Cats to victory. He was by far our best player on the court tonight, and that fact is quickly becoming a trend for the team. Reynolds scored a team-high 16 on 6-14 shooting, but the real story was his defense. Scottie was an absolute terror in the pressure D, notching 4 steals. He also played a key role in denying the Hoyas a speedy exit from the backcourt, which severely disrupted John Thompson's offensive sets. Finally, Scottie led the team in assists with 3. It's an A-minus tonight instead of an A because of the 5 turnovers, which mainly consisted of freshman mistakes Scottie should quickly overcome.
  Grade: A-




• Will Sheridan (S, 33 min)

  Sheridan looked much-improved on the defensive end. He was responsible for Hibbert much of the night, and Hibbert did exactly nothing. Still, Will played 33 minutes and did exactly nothing himself on offense. He scored 4 points on 0-2 shooting, but was perfect at the foul line. He also pulled in 4 rebounds and made 3 steals. A solid night defensively, but too quiet on the offense.
  Grade: C+




• Mike Nardi (S, 36 min)

  Though Mike's shooting woes continue, Nardi played 36 minutes and the team had a huge win, that's the bottom line. Mike was 1-7 from the field, including 1-5 from beyond the arc, scoring just 3 points. He did not get to the foul line. He had 3 rebounds and 2 assists, but also committed 3 turnovers. The defense looked a tad better; no one Mike was covering lit up the 'Cats tonight. Still, he is taking a lot of bad shots, and even Jay Bilas pointed out the verbal lashing bestowed upon Nardi by Jay Wright during a time-out after one such ill-advised shot. A great heads-up play at the very end of the game when he saved a possession largely mitigates a terrible night.
  Grade: C-




• Shane Clark (28 min)

  Clark was very clutch tonight. He scored 14 points, second on the team, on 3-7 shooting and a fantastic 6-6 from the charity stripe. Clark also scored 'Nova's last 4 points, cooly icing the win at the line. Shane led the team in three-pointers, sinking 2-4. He also had 3 rebounds, an assist, and 2 steals, with 2 turnovers. Though he still looks a little awkward with the ball, especially when he tries to put it on the floor, Clark is definitely improving.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Casiem Drummond (13 min)

  Drummomd earned some major minutes tonight with his competent inside play. He shot an efficient 3-5 from the field, scoring 6, and grabbed 4 boards in his 13 minutes. He also managed to get a steal. His defense was solid. If Drummond does not manage to crack the starting lineup by the Big East Tournament (I think he will), he will at least be a major part of the rotation and possibly the first off the bench.
  Grade: B




• Dwayne Anderson (11 min)

  Dwayne's impact on the game is usually an immediate offensive spark. Though he did not do that tonight, he did play decent defense. He grabbed 2 rebounds and had 2 turnovers in his 11 minutes, and shot 0-1 from the floor, going scoreless. Still, he did not look bad out there, and should continue to see minutes in Big East play.
  Grade: C




• Incomplete grades:
  None.



• Did not play:
  Bilal Benn (CD), Reggie Redding (CD), Ross Condon (CD), Frank Tchuisi (CD), Andrew Ott (RS), Antonio Pena (RS)