Malcolm Grant: the Let's Go Nova interview

Malcolm Grant remains a popular player in Nova Nation even after his decision to transfer to Miami this spring.

After Grant's heroics on the basketball court last winter, questions about his benching and transfer have lingered to this day in the Villanova fan community.

Grant agreed to answer a series of questions for Let's Go Nova about his decision to attend Villanova, his season on the basketball court, his playing-time issues, and his transfer to Miami.

Grant's answers in this interview are overwhelmingly positive. There are clearly no hard feelings, and he remains a part of the Villanova basketball family. It's great to see Grant remain positive as he switches gears in his basketball career.

One of the biggest revelations below is Grant's confirmation that his benching had nothing to do with injuries, academics, or disciplinary reasons. Instead, says Grant, it was purely a basketball decision by Jay Wright.

Based on this offensive efficiency analysis by GreyCat showing Grant was by far the best offensive player of the four freshmen, I can only conclude that Wright's decision was flat-out wrong.

But that's water under the bridge. Villanova eventually found success, and Malcolm has found a welcoming new home at Miami and the ACC.

"Read more" below for the full interview. Thanks to Malcolm taking the time to participate and for his thoughtful answers

LGN: You prepped for a year to attend Villanova. What was it about the program and school that led you to wait a year to enroll rather than to play somewhere else immediately?

MG: I went to prep school because I was excited about the year 'Nova just had with Randy and those guys, so when I saw what I was becoming a part of, it was worth the wait.

LGN: Your performance in the 21-point comeback against LSU cemented your status as a Villanova fan favorite. When you checked into the game before the 8-minute timeout, what was on your mind? Trailing by 15 with under three minutes to play, did you still believe the team could come back? And was that last-second shot really a pass to Dante Cunningham to win the game, as others have speculated?

MG: Actually, when I checked in I said to myself we have nothing to lose, I'm going all out, and thanks to God I was able to have a spectacular performance. And no, the last shot wasn't a pass to Dante, actually I was fouled (smiling) but all joking aside, it was a great followup by Dante.

LGN: Did your mid-season benching have anything to do with injuries, academics, disciplinary reasons, or was it just a decision made by Jay Wright?

MG: My mid-season benching had nothing to do with injuries, academics. Nothing of that nature. It was a decision that Coach Wright made and he felt it was best for the team.

LGN: What was the catalyst that turned the team around, from its mid-winter struggles to its place on the NCAA bubble in March?

MG: I think it was when we had a meeting and everybody admitted their frustrations, and we were asked to sacrifice for the better of the team until the end of the season.

LGN: On Selection Sunday, how sure were you and your teammates that Villanova would make the field of 65? Was it a shock to be selected, or were you confident?

MG: I was confident, as well as others. I think some of the older guys were nervous that we weren't going to make it, but we proved we belonged once we started playing.

LGN: How did it feel to go to the Sweet Sixteen as a freshman? Were you thrilled just to be there, or were you a little disappointed you were not allowed to contribute more on the court, especially considering that without your performance in the LSU game, Villanova would have been in the NIT?

MG: It was a great experience to advance to the Sweet Sixteen as a freshman. I will never forget it. Just seeing that crowd and that arena and the media was crazy. [laughs].

LGN: After the season, you decided to transfer to Miami. Was playing time the only reason you left, or were there other disagreements? Did the coaching staff try to convince you to stay, or was it mutually agreed?

MG: The only reason I transferred was because of playing time, nothing else. I still love Villanova and the team and the coaching staff.

LGN: How do you like Miami so far? Do you think the ACC will be more suited to your run-and-gun style? How do you plan to keep focused as you wait another year to gain eligibility?

MG: I love Miami. It's beautiful down here -- really, really hot, and I have to get used to it, but other than that it's beautiful. I love it. I think the ACC will be a great fit for me. I can't wait to play again and show the world that I'm more than just a scorer. I'm going to work extremely hard, as I'm doing right now, so I'm really excited to get back out there.

LGN: Are you still in touch with any of the players or staff at Villanova? Will you follow the Wildcats' season?

MG: Yes, I still talk to almost everyone, except for a few. But I speak with Antonio a lot. Dwayne a.k.a. Weezy F [laughs], Reggie a.k.a. Double R, Shane, and some others. I still speak with the staff. Congrats to my man BG! [Ed. note: Villanova assistant coach Brett Gunning took a job with the Rockets.] Coach West e-mails me to check on me, and I saw Coach Chambers at an AAU tournament. So yeah, I stay in touch.

LGN: What are you goals for your career at Miami and beyond?

MG: My goals for Miami is to transform this school into a consistent elite team. I want to hopefully win a national championship and God willing, play in the NBA one day.

I just want to say thanks for the interview. I still love 'Nova to death. I will be rooting for you guys. All my friends, I love you guys. All the alumni and my teachers, I love y'all too. Peace!

LGN: Thank you, Malcolm.

Numbers prove Grant best of four freshmen

I know this post will bring out the "enough with Malcolm Grant" haters, but it's summer, news is slow, and Greycat of Villanova by the Numbers just posted his analysis of the four Wildcat freshmen and their progression throughout last season.

The numbers show what we've known around here all year: Malcolm Grant was the best performer of his much-touted freshman class, and it wasn't even close.

Greycat's chart shows the Pomeroy offensive efficiency rating for each of the four Villanova freshmen for each game of the season. The numbers do not take defense into account, but before you justify Grant's latter-season disappearance on defense, remember that Grant was at least as good a defender as Corey Fisher, and that is being quite generous to Fisher.

Grant showed a consistent level of offensive performance once conference play kicked in, maintaining a large separation above the other three freshmen. Corey Stokes improved his game greatly, while Fisher and Pena seemed to decline offensively as the season wore on.

We may never know the true story behind Grant's fall from grace, so I can't beat up Jay Wright about it more than I already have all season, but Greycat's chart serves as a stark reminder of how good Grant was, how much the team will miss him, and what a waste it was that Coach Wright could not keep him in a Wildcat uniform, for whatever reason.

Grant is on his way to Miami, and the Hurricanes will be Let's Go Nova's second-favorite college team in 2009-2010.

As for the three remaining freshmen, now rising sophomores, Corey Stokes is clearly a bright spot. If he continues his offensive development at the pace he improved last season, he could be a star in the Big East. Fisher and Pena need to work on being more consistent offensively, but we didn't need the chart to tell us that.

Keep on eye on the three sophomores and their offensive development in 2008-2009. And look for Malcolm Grant to crack the all-ACC squad the year after that.

Grant will transfer to Miami

Malcolm Grant has decided to transfer to the University of Miami, according to a post on Fox's college hoops blog.

Grant completed his freshman campaign at Villanova this season after prepping for a year to play for the Wildcats. He will have to sit out one full season before taking the court for the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC.

Taylor King to visit 'Nova

Taylor King, the 6'7" transferring forward from Duke University, will reportedly visit with Villanova and coach Jay Wright this weekend.

King played in every game in his freshman year, and was a McDonald's All-American at Mater Dei Highschool in Southern California. King was originally offered a scholarship from Villanova before committing to Duke. The other schools he is considering transferring to include USC, UCLA, and Gonzaga.

King saw time in every game last season for the Blue Devils, averaging 5 points and 2 rebounds. One of his strongest abilities is his ability to make shots from the perimeter. King shot an impressive 40 percent from three last season.

If King did choose to come to Villanova, he would have to sit out a year. However, we do have a scholarship for him (Malcolm Grant), and I think he would be an excellent fit for this program. Taylor King could very well be a nice gift that falls in Jay Wright's lap, if things go well this weekend.

Full Villanova-LSU game available to download

A Villanova fan by the handle of "Ray Foye Combo" has uploaded the entire Villanova-LSU game as an 800 MB Xvid file.

The quality on the video is decent. I would describe it as a few notches below VHS, but it is certainly watchable. If you are having trouble opening the video, download and install the VLC media player.

The December 6 game was one of the greatest comebacks in the history of college basketball, with Villanova overcoming a 21-point deficit with 8 minutes to play to win by one points. Villanova trailed by as many as 15 points with under 3 minutes on the clock in this incredible game.

The game is best remembered, however, for Malcolm Grant's unbelievable effort to bring the Wildcats back. Grant singlehandedly took over the game and willed Villanova to the win.

Unfortunately for Villanova fans, the university announced last week that it would release Grant to explore a transfer. Despite his heroics in the LSU, Rutgers, and Pittsburgh games, Grant found himself glued to the bench for the rest of the season by coach Jay Wright.

Grant's effort in the LSU game prevented Villanova from what would have been a horrendous semi-home loss, which would have certainly kept the 'Cats out of the NCAA tournament and the Sweet 16.

I was at the Wachovia Center for the game, and it was one of most memorable sports experiences of my life.

Grant released for transfer

Well, it's official. Villanova has given the freshman guard Malcolm Grant a release to pursue a transfer off the Main Line.

Grant is a talented scoring guard whose heroics in December's LSU game saved the Wildcats' season and allowed Villanova to gain one of the last at-large bids in the NCAA tournament. Villanova eventually reached the Sweet 16, but Grant only saw two minutes of floor time in Villanova's three games.

Grant also poured in 17 points in just over 2 minutes in Villanova's disastrous loss to Rutgers, leading several fans to wonder why he did not see the court earlier.

Grant's inexplicable lack of playing time has been a subject of consternation on this Web site the entire season.

While the future of Villanova's program looks bright, with megarecruit Tyreke Evans leaning towards the Main Line, I consider it nothing short of a failure on Jay Wright's part to have not utilized a player of Grant's tremendous talent and heart.

Wright's failure is further compounded by the fact that Grant chose to prep for a full year while waiting for a scholarship to become available at Villanova. Grant will have to sit out at least one more year before he can take the floor for a new team.

For his part, Jay Wright issued this statement on Grant's transfer release:

Malcolm is an integral part of our basketball family and a great young man. He has been exemplary as a student and a teammate at Villanova. However, he deserves starters' minutes. We are grateful for all that Malcolm has given to Villanova and support him in this decision.

If Grant deserves starters' minutes, why could he not see the floor at all during the Wildcats' hopeless loss to Kansas, when Villanova went long stretches without scoring?

Grant proved himself worthy of minutes all season, and yet Wright kept him glued to the bench. Something does not add up here, but we may never know the real story.

Grant's transfer will be a gigantic loss for Villanova and a black eye for Jay Wright's legacy here.

Expect Malcolm to do very well in his remaining three years of eligibility, no matter where he ends up.

'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).

IMPLOSION Wheels come off as Wildcats suffer 5th straight blow-out

St. Joseph's 77
Villanova 55
(box score)

St. Joseph's: 15-5 (6-1 A10, 3-0 B5)
Villanova: 13-8 (3-6 BE, 3-1 B5)

Next game: vs. Seton Hall, 02/09 at the Pavilion.

Something is rotten in the 'Nova Nation.

St. Joseph's handed Villanova its fifth consecutive loss tonight in a 22-point rout that was not even that close. The St. Joseph lead was actually a whopping 31 before coach Phil Martelli called off the dogs late in the second period.

Tonight's performance, however, was worse than just a blow-out loss. It was a signal that something is horribly amiss in the world of Villanova basketball, and most fans are at a loss themselves to figure out what it could be.

Villanova played laughable defense, allowing the Hawks to score 45 points in the first half. The Wildcat offense was tremendously bad, shooting just 21-51 -- and several of those field goals were meaningless garbage-time paddings.

Perhaps most troubling of all, however, were Jay Wright's baffling lineup and substitution decisions:

• Only 1 minute for Malcolm Grant in a game where the 'Cats were held to 26 and 29 points in the first and second halves, respectively?


• 24 minutes for Shane Clark, who has been and remains thoroughly ineffective on both ends of the court?


• 31 minutes for Reggie Redding, who scored tonight at the blistering pace of 1 point per 11 minutes of playing time? Is Redding's presence as a "defensive stopper" warranted when St. Joe's lit up the 'Cats from the field at a 55 percent clip in the first half?

Jay Wright's personnel decisions have been a major reason, in my opinion, that this team is playing well below its talent level.

What is going on with Malcolm Grant? Why has Wright not addressed this issue? Many fans are wondering, and many fans are angry. Why is he not seeing the floor?

There were rumors circulating online since Saturday of a locker-room altercation between two Villanova players. Since the rumors have not been confirmed by the team, I won't mention which players were supposedly involved -- but Grant was not listed as one of them. Why, then, does Grant seemed glued to the bench?

Villanova is losing to an Atlantic-10 team by 31 points and it's still not time to give Grant a try? One has to wonder whether this perceived injustice doesn't have the talented Grant weighing his options for the rest of his college career.

Jay Wright's offensive schemes -- or, shall I say, the lack thereof -- do not lend themselves to helping out a team that is struggling to score. Instead of creating the occasional easy bucket, Wright's "take-'em" philosophy worsens bad streaks. The take-'em offense certainly doesn't work as well without two starting-caliber NBA guards, either.

I don't even want to talk about the defensive woes. Wright played Shane Clark for 24 minutes in a man-to-man scheme in which Hawks ran over, under, around, and through him to the basket.

If "defense" is the reason keeping Grant on the bench -- hey, it's not working. The Wildcats are getting torched on defense; why not put another scorer out there? Besides, there is very little evidence, in my opinion, that Grant is any worse a defender than the other two point guards.

Perhaps the strongest criticism I have of Jay Wright's lineup calls is the large amount of time that only one of Grant, Fisher, and Reynolds is on the court. There should always be at least two of those three players out there at all times. Villanova has three good guards, so why would you ever want a situation where only one of them were on the court?

In my opinion, this is what the rotation should look like:

• At least 2, and sometimes 3 of Pena, Drummond, and Cunningham simultaneously.


• At least 2, and sometimes 3 of Grant, Reynolds, and Fisher simultaneously.


• Sometimes 1, sometimes none, but never more than 1 of Redding, Stokes, Clark, and Anderson simultaneously.


• Once a player starts or subs in, no taking him out in under five minutes unless there are extenuating circumstances (injuries, fouls, gross insubordination, the Rapture, etc.).

This mix would allow the Wildcats to always have quality shooters, scorers, ball handlers, defenders, and rebounders on the floor at once. It would also allow rhythm players like Fisher and Grant to get into a groove without being yanked out at Wright's inexplicable whim.

I think the core six players could handle the increased minutes in the above scenario. Note how any of the four swingmen could be substituted at will for any tired guard of forward for any length of time, if needed.

Follow that lineup mix, and I guarantee the team wouldn't get blown out by the likes of Rutgers and St. Joe's.

A little over a week ago, this team was ranked #18 in the nation. Obviously that ranking was artificially high, but the fact remains that the Wildcats are underachieving for their talent level.

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

Next up for Villanova are the visiting Seton Hall Pirates at the Pavilion on Saturday.

A lot of fans are wondering, hyperbolically, if the Wildcats will even win another game this year. I think they will. The roster is just too talented to sustain this poor play.

Villanova is still capable of knocking off pretty much anyone left on the schedule... O.K., maybe not Georgetown at the MCI Center.

In any event, the season is truly on the brink of destruction. Villanova must fight its way into the Big East Tournament and will likely have to claw into the NIT, as well.

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

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 33 min)

  With Grant on the bench and Fisher playing less than half the game, Reynolds was tasked with most of the scoring burden for the Villanova backcourt. He gave it an admirable shot, but came up short tonight. He scored 12 points on 3-12 shooting. His only field goals came from behind the three-point arc, where he shot 3-7. He was also 3-4 from the foul line. He handled the ball poorly, passing for no assists and committing 3 turnovers. Reynolds did manage to lead the team in steals, with 2. Scottie is a good player and has not regressed all that much as many fans are suggesting, but he can't handle 200 minutes' worth of scoring burden by himself every night.
  Grade: C-
  Syracuse grade:B-
  
  

• Reggie Redding (S, 31 min)

  Redding is a great "glue" guy who does a little bit of everything, but come on, 31 minutes? His defense wasn't that good, and he was not a factor on the offense. Redding shot 1-4 to score 3 points and missed 2 of his 3 foul shots. He grabbed 4 boards. He handled the ball well, turning the ball over just once and passing for 4 assists, four times more than anyone else on the team. His defense was nothing to write home about. I think Redding should be a major part of the rotation, but 31 minutes is a bit much for someone whose offense is not a threat.
  Grade: C+
  Syracuse grade: B
  
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 26 min)

  Cunningham scored 12 points tonight, tied for Reynolds for most on the team. He shot well from the field, 6-8, and pulled in 6 rebounds. He had 2 turnovers, no assists, no steals, and no blocks.
  Grade: C+
  Syracuse grade: C-
  
  

• Dwayne Anderson (25 min)

  Anderson played fairly well in the Wildcats' worst game of the year. He shot 4-5 to score 8 points. He grabbed 4 rebounds and had 2 turnovers. He lead the team in blocks, with 2, and notched 1 steal. He also seemed to hustle on the court, especially on a play where he futilely dived for a loose ball. Anderson is another great glue and energy player, but his offensive game is limited. Redding and Anderson should split time with Stokes at the swingman, in my opinion. In that scenario, Stokes, Redding, and Anderson each play about 12 minutes per game, but never alongside one another.
  Grade: C+
  Syracuse grade: D+
  
  

• Shane Clark (24 min)

  After not playing at all against 'Cuse, Clark was given 24 minutes tonight. He did not do all that much with them, in my opinion. Clark shot 2-5 from the field to score 8 points, which was the highlight of his performance, as his defense was very poor, in my opinion.
  Grade: D
  Syracuse grade: DNP
  
  

• Casiem Drummond (S, 20 min)

  Drummond returned to the starting lineup and logged some major minutes tonight, playing half the game. He shot 2-5 from the field and grabbed 4 boards in a less-than-dominating performance. He was also 2-4 from the line. He looked significantly better against Syracuse, but Drummond continues to improve after his serious ankle injury.
  Grade: D+
  Syracuse grade: B-
  
  
  

• Corey Fisher (S, 19 min)

  Fisher played fast and loose with the ball tonight, putting up some unlikely shots and committing a ridiculous 5 turnovers in just 19 minutes. Fisher shot 2-7 from the field, including 0-3 from the three-point line, to score just 4 points. He had 1 assist and 1 steal in perhaps his worst game so far this year. Fisher is a tremendous talent and should be allowed to play through poor stretches like this. You saw what he did against Syracuse.
  Grade: D
  Syracuse grade: A-
  
  

• Antonio Pena (13 min)

  Pena has seen his minutes plummet as of late, and despite a decline in production, I don't think Pena should be riding the bench as much as he is. Against St. Joe's, Pena shot 1-3, scoring 2, and did not grab any rebounds. He had 1 assist and 2 turnovers. Sure, it was a terrible game, but Pena is still emerging. I am not faulting Wright for not playing Pena during a bad performance, but hopefully Antonio sees a return to major minutes and major production soon.
  Grade: D-
  Syracuse grade: C
  
  
  

• Corey Stokes (8 min)

  Sometimes I have to remind myself that I have seen Corey Stokes hit 8 straight three pointers in warmups with my own eyes. In actual games, Stokes can't seem to hit a wide-open three at all. He was 0-2 from the field tonight, 2 missed open threes. Stokes grabbed 1 rebound and had 1 turnover. Where is the sharpshooter we heard so much about in high school?
  Grade: D-
  Syracuse grade: D
  
  
  
  

• Malcolm Grant (1 min)

  Jay Wright saw fit to play without Malcolm Grant for 39 minutes tonight, even as the Wildcats were getting blown away. I have no idea why.
  Grade: Incomplete
  Syracuse grade: C+
  
  

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

Grant rides pine as 'Nova drops 3rd straight

Pittsburgh 69
Villanova 57
(box score)
(ESPN video highlights)

#21 Pittsburgh: 17-4 (5-3 BE)
Villanova: 13-6 (3-5 BE, 3-0 B5)

Next game: vs. Syracuse, 02/02 at the Wachovia Center.

For an instant, six minutes into the second half, it seemed like Villanova was poised to finally get things back on track.

It seemed that perhaps Jay Wright had addressed the fans' growing concerns. After all, slumping junior Shane Clark did not appear in the starting lineup, and only received three minutes of playing time.

Sure, stellar freshman Malcolm Grant was still pinned to the bench, but at least Villanova had overcome its customary first-half deficit to take a 38-37 lead over the #21 Pitt Panthers, in Pittsburgh no less.

The hope was short-lived.

Villanova fans watched as the team fell apart before their eyes. Over the next 8.5 minutes, the Panthers outscored the Wildcats by a ridiculous 19-3 margin.

The Wildcats could not score. The Wildcats could not defend. And still, Malcolm Grant, arguably among the team's best scorers and defenders, languished on the bench.

Watching the game at a neighborhood watering hole (thanks, Comcast!), I sent the following text message to a friend, when the 'Cats trailed by seven and showed no signs of getting back in the game:

Can't wait till we get down 15, so Grant can legally come in.

It was supposed to be a joke, but it turned out prescient. Indeed, Jay Wright finally pulled the trigger on Grant the instant Villanova fell down by 15.

This is becoming a disturbing trend.

Let's play a hypothetical. Say your team is struggling to score in the second half of a crucial conference road game. Say you had a one-point lead, but watched it turn into a five-point deficit, and then a 10-point margin.

As the clock ticked down, under 10 minutes to play, and then under eight, would you sub in a player who torched your current opponents for 22 points, and led your team to victory against them just three weeks ago?

Apparently for Jay Wright, the answer is no. Wright did not turn to Grant until the 'Cats were down the full 15 and under five minutes to play.

Though it was by then far too late to make a difference in the game's outcome, Grant promptly drained a three pointer that gave Villanova fans just enough false hope to let the loss sting a bit extra.

Grant wound up playing just four minutes in each half, and the Wildcats were (yet again) blown out for their third straight loss. Villanova had not lost three straight in nearly four years.

The 'Cats have lost four of their last six, and are now in the preposterous danger of missing their own conference tournament after being nationally ranked for much of the season.

This site's drumbeat will continue: why is Malcolm Grant not getting minutes?

We exhausted all the familiar theories last time, and most of us remained unconvinced.

Tonight, LetsGoNova.com contributor NovaFan09 posted in a comment thread that he'd heard Grant was secretly injured after the Cincinnati game on Jan. 12.

A fan on Villanova's Rivals message board said he knew Grant had been injured at Cincinnati, but that the injury was no longer an issue and did not affect him for recent games.

This seems to make sense. After all, the DePaul rematch was just four days after Cincinnati, and Grant played 22 minutes in that game. Grant also looked just fine last week at Rutgers when he scored 17 points in just over two minutes, notching 18 minutes on the night.

After considering that evidence, and just by simply watching Grant run up and down the court, it seems unlikely Malcolm is bothered by a health problem.

Even so, if Grant is indeed saddled by a secret injury, Villanova should release it to the public, as it has with center Casiem Drummond.

At least that might quiet the cacophony of fan outrage over Grant's lack of playing time, a cauldron of concern that nearly spilled into outright fan mutiny this weekend, when students chanted for Grant's insertion into the Notre Dame game on Saturday.

Barring an unknown and unlikely disciplinary issue, the only other option, it would seem, is that Wright simply believes the team plays better with Grant on the bench.

The numbers, however, say otherwise.

In the last three losses, Villanova was outscored by a margin of 239-205, an average of 11.33 points per game. In those three games, Grant has played a total of 36 minutes. In those 36 minutes, Grant shot 9-19 from the field and scored 34 points.

Not bad for a single box score, but unfortunately for the 'Cats, those numbers were spread across three losses where Grant saw a paltry 12 minutes per game, on average.

Compare Grant's numbers to those of his freshman teammate, Corey Stokes. In the last three losses, Stokes played a total of 70 minutes. During that time, Stokes shot 7-22 to score 20 points.

You could argue that Wright played Stokes twice as much as Grant in that stretch for defense, or for chemistry, or for height, or because Stokes's horoscopes were more promising, or for any reason you'd like. The fact is, Villanova was blown out the past three games, so it hasn't worked.

I am not even saying that Stokes deserved fewer minutes. Stokes appears to be progressing, and 23 minutes per game seems reasonable, if not a little on the high side.

But at this time, right now, Stokes is nowhere nearly as skilled as Malcolm Grant in any facet of college basketball, and Grant should be getting double Stokes's minutes, not half.

Need some more numbers? Let's take a look at Grant's minutes in Villanova's eight conference games:

• Depaul: 15 min. LOSS


• Pittsburgh: 27 min. WIN


• Cincinnati: 8 min. LOSS


• DePaul: 22 min. WIN


• Syracuse: 10 min. WIN


• Rutgers: 18 min. LOSS


• Notre Dame: 10 min. LOSS


• Pittsburgh: 8 min. LOSS

Now, I am no statistician, but even I can see a pattern in those numbers. In Villanova's three conference wins, Grant has averaged 19.67 minutes per game. In the five losses, his minutes drop down to 11.8.

In fact, Malcolm has played 59 minutes total in all of Villanova's wins and all of Villanova's losses. The problem is, there are five losses and only three wins.

I am actually being conservative, too, by keeping this analysis inside conference play. If you look at the entire season, as was pointed out on a message board, Villanova is 7-0 when Grant plays at least 19 minutes, and is 6-6 when he does not.

If you'd like, you can even forget all of the statistics. Forget the numbers. Just look at how Grant has played. He single handedly pulled out miracles at home against LSU and Pittsburgh, and nearly completed the hat trick with his furious barrage at Rutgers.

It's pretty clear that while this Villanova team needs to improve in several areas, one of the biggest is for Malcoln Grant to see more minutes.

O.K., this signals an ends to tonight's Grant Rant, the longest yet. I reserve the right to be even longer winded should Villanova lose another game with Malcolm on the bench.

Congratulations to reader "Matadorm83" for most closely predicting the game's final score.

Next up for Villanova is a home rematch against the Syracuse Orange at the Wachovia Center on Saturday.

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

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 36 min)

  Reynolds looked to be back in form tonight, playing a spectacular game in the loss. Scottie scored a game-high 26 on good 9-15 shooting, including a decent 3-7 from the three. The one weakness in his offensive game tonight was a shaky 5-8 performance from the foul line, 62.5 percent. Reynolds led the team in assists, with 4. He was also good for 6 rebounds, second-best on the team. He committed 4 turnovers and had 1 steal. If Reynolds can keep up his hot hand on offense, the 'Cats might be able to break their losing streak against Syracuse.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Antonio Pena (S, 34 min)

  Pena has really emerged this season and now seems to be the Wildcats' best player underneath. He notched the minimum double-double tonight, leading the team in rebounds, with 10. Pena scored his 10 points on terrible 4-15 shooting, however. That is not a typo: he was 4-15 from the field, as a forward. His dominance of the glass is encouraging, and Pena usually shoots far better. He has been one of t he few bright spots for the 'Cats during this losing streak.
  Grade: C+
  
  
  

• Corey Fisher (S, 27 min)

  Fisher really could not find the basket tonight. He shot 2-10 from the field, including 0-3 from three-point land. Fisher could use a boost from the three lately, as his shot is better than recent results. Fisher finished with 4 points, 2 assists, 4 turnovers, and 2 steals. He did show some stretches of spectacular ball-handling, and his future looks bright on the Main Line.
  Grade: C-
  
  
  

• Dwayne Anderson (23 min)

  Anderson was given 23 minutes of court time after a lackluster performance against Notre Dame, and he really didn't deviate from that result tonight. Anderson scored 4 points on 2-5 shooting, and was 0-2 from the foul line. What's worse, his trip to the line was at a crucial junction, and neither free throw was even close. He rounded out his line with 3 boards, and 1 each of steals, turnovers, and blocks. It is a little disconcerting to see Anderson play 23 minutes at the wing and notch 0 assists.
  Grade: C-
  
  

• Corey Stokes (22 min)

  Stokes missed tonight. A lot. He missed from short, and he missed from long. He missed while he was covered too closely to even shoot, and he missed when he was wide open. Stokes was 0-5 from the field, and 0-3 from the three. He scored no points in 22 long minutes. He had 2 rebounds, an assist, a turnover, and a steal. The only thing saving the grade from an F is that he didn't shoot more, and he kept turnovers down. I may be being too kind, however, since Stokes was hopeless on offense.
  Grade: D-
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 22 min)

  Cunningham was ineffective tonight. It seems like the junior is regressing this year after a breakout season during his sophomore campaign. Dante scored 2 points on 1-3 shooting, and was a ghost down low, grabbing just 3 rebounds. He had no turnovers, no assists, 1 block, and 1 steal. Dante has got to get back to his early-season form, especially on the glass, if 'Nova is to break out of this slump.
  Grade: D-
  
  

• Reggie Redding (18 min)

  Redding got the starting nod tonight and put in a typically solid but not spectacular performance. He shot a good 3-6 from the field to score 6 points. He did not grab any rebounds, which is unusual for the tall, athletic Redding. He rounded out the night with 2 assists, 1 turnover, and 1 steal.
  Grade: C-
  
  

• Malcolm Grant (8 min)

  Grant needs to get more minutes. Period. Tonight he was 1-2 from the field to score 3 points in just 8 minutes of play, 4 per half. Why Jay Wright plays such an energetic, streaky guard in such a fractured manner is beyond me. Grant also found time to grab 1 rebound and make 1 spectacular assist. He had 1 turnover, but made up for it on the same play when he took a charge on the resultant fast break. I'll say it again: more minutes for Malcolm.
  Grade: B
  
  
  

• Casiem Drummond (7 min)

  Drummond returned to the Wildcat lineup after missing long stretches this year with an injured ankle. He did not look solid in his return. Drummond shot 1-2 from the field to score 2 points, and did not come up with any rebounds in his 7 minutes. He also picked up 3 quick fouls. Clearly Drummond is not all the way back from his injury and needs to work himself into his rhythm.
  Grade: D, with a grain of rehabilitation salt
  
  

• Incomplete grades: Shane Clark (3 min).



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

'Nova extends slide with home loss to Irish

Notre Dame 90
Villanova 80
(box score)
(ESPN video highlights)

Notre Dame: 14-4 (4-2 BE)
#18 Villanova: 13-5 (3-4 BE, 3-0 B5)

Next game: at Pittsburgh, 01/30 at the Petersen Events Center.

Villanova was beaten badly by Notre Dame at the Wachovia Center Saturday afternoon.

In a game where the Wildcats had hoped to rebound after a devastating loss to Rutgers, Villanova came out soft and listless, and never really competed with the Irish.

Sure, Villanova unleashed its now-traditional desperate comeback attempt at the end of the game, but it fell far short against the experienced Notre Dame team.

It almost seems like this is becoming Jay Wright's preferred gameday strategy: start out weak, fall behind due to poor defense, trail at the half, fall further behind in the first 10 minutes of the second period, then finally, with the 'Cats down 15 or so, put in Malcolm Grant and mount a furious comeback attempt.

O.K., obviously that is not Wright's ideal script for a basketball game. But it has played out just like this in more than a few Wildcat games this year, and the increasing frequency of the pattern has left many Villanova fans confused.

Why is Malcolm Grant riding the pine? The issue spilled from the halls of Villanova and the tubes of the Internet out into the open of the Wachovia Center on Saturday. Students and alumni alike repeatedly called for Grant in the face of Jay Wright's inexplicable refusal to play him.

Maybe I am forgetting past incidents, but in seven years of watching Jay Wright's Wildcats, I have never heard the student section so explicitly question Wright's substitution patterns with chants and screams during the game -- aside from calling for walk-on players to be inserted into the last minute of blow-out victories.

After serenading the team and Wright with actual booing in the second half, the fans and student section erupted with a chant of "we want Malcolm" until Wright finally called Grant's number in the middle of the second period. The Wildcats, of course, were down 16.

Grant, who scored 17 points in two minutes at the end of the Rutgers game, did not even see the Wachovia Center floor until the 5:44 mark of the first half. Wright yanked Grant from the game just two and a half minutes later, and he did not see the court again until 12:29 in the second half.

Grant also inexplicably lost his spot in the starting lineup Saturday afternoon, which was a real slap in the face to several 'Nova fans who blamed the Rutgers loss on Grant's absence from the court. Meanwhile, Shane Clark continues to start, though Wright did sub him out after three and a half minutes after Clark gave up two easy baskets with almost no defensive effort.

There are lots of theories floating around regarding Grant's lack of playing time, ranging from an emphasis on height or defense to an unknown team discipline issue.

To me, the height and defense arguments make little sense: what good is height when the team is trailing and can't score? It's also not as if the Wildcats' defense has been solid without Grant; in the past two games with Grant on the bench, Villanova's defense has been atrocious. Grant even looks to be the best defender of the three scoring point guards on the team, superior to Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher.

As for other reasons Grant might not be seeing the floor, this site does not deal in speculation. We do not have access to the inside of the huddle, so who knows why Jay Wright has decided to sit Malcolm until the team falls irrecoverably behind.

It's almost as if Let's Go Nova has become Let's Go Malcolm, with the amount of time and text we spend on the subject. But the issue is valid. It is a mistake for Grant to be sitting during these crucial stretches, and it appears that Wright hardly realizes it.

With the loss to Notre Dame, Villanova drops to 3-4 in the Big East and is squarely on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament.

Officially, (and now, humorously) the Wildcats are still ranked #18 until Monday afternoon when both polls come out.

Not only will Villanova plummet into the unranked abyss on Monday; if the Wildcats receive even a single vote for the top 25 this week, it will be because the voter hasn't been paying attention to the past week of basketball.

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

Next up for Villanova is a trip to Pittsburgh on Wednesday for a rematch with the Panthers as the 'Cats attempt to stave off a three-game losing streak.

The last time Villanova lost three games in a row was nearly four years ago, on Feb. 28, 2004, when the 'Cats dropped a heartbreaker by one point in overtime to UConn. The 2003-2004 Villanova team did not make the NCAA tournament and was beaten in the NIT by -- you guessed it -- Rutgers.

The Panthers are fresh off an upset loss themselves at home against Rutgers. The Panthers' loss was detrimental for Villanova; the Wildcats' (2008) loss to Rutgers now looks slightly more palatable, but the Jan. 6 win over Pittsburgh becomes much less impressive.

Comcast customers should stake out a chair at a sports bar, because the game is once again airing on that channel no one actually gets, ESPNU.

Let's move on to the player grades. "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis.

• Corey Fisher (S, 33 min)

  Fisher did not shoot the ball very well, but did score 13 points on 5-15 shooting. He was good from the three, going 2-3. The rest of Fisher's line in the box score was solid. He grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out 3 assists, and had 3 steals. He committed just 2 turnovers in 33 minutes, and generally handled the ball well. This was a huge bump in playing time for Fisher, who saw just 15 minutes in the loss for Rutgers. Fisher is one of the Wildcats' best players and should be seeing 25-30 minutes per game.
  Grade: B-
  
  

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 32 min)

  Reynolds played very well inside the three-point line, shooting 5-8 on 2-point field goals, and going 3-4 from the foul line. Unfortunately, Reynolds was 0-5 from beyond the three-point arc. He finished with 13 points on a reasonable 5-13 from the field. He had 2 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, and committed only 1 turnover. This was definitely an off-game for Reynolds from outside, as he just couldn't find twine from long-range. Obviously, Reynolds will not shoot 0-5 from the three in every game, so I don't think any adjustment is needed on the offensive end.
  Grade: B-
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 29 min)

  Cunningham played a below-average game, by his standards. He shot 3-8 to score 7 points, and he grabbed just 5 rebounds. He rounded out his line with 3 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 block, and 1 steal. Look for Dante to reassert himself in the paint if the 'Cats are to break out of this losing streak.
  Grade: C-
  
  

• Antonio Pena (S, 26 min)

  If there was one unqualified positive aspect of Saturday's debacle, it was Antonio Pena. Pena put forth a dominating inside performance, scoring a team-high 17 points on ultra-efficient 8-9 shooting. He just missed his double-double, collecting 9 rebounds, again tops on the team. He passed for 3 assists, committed 3 turnovers, and notched 1 block and 1 steal. If Pena can sustain this level of play while Cunningham and the guards find their marks, Villanova is going to be a dangerous team to defend.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Reggie Redding (25 min)

  Redding got huge chunks of playing time after a less-than-stellar performance at the RAC. He did better against the Irish on Saturday, but I am not sure if he deserved 250 percent of Malcolm Grant's minutes. Redding shot 3-6 from the field to score 7 points. Redding grabbed 6 rebounds, had 3 assists, and picked up 2 steals. He committed only 1 turnover. His defense was what ostensibly earned him his playing time, and I have no complaints on that end, as his minutes presumably came at the expense of Shane Clark, whose defense was much worse. But the problem is that Redding is not much of a threat on the offensive side. Redding is a decent defender and a good "glue" guy, grabbing loose balls and not committing many turnovers. On the offensive end of the court, however, Redding does not have to be guarded all that closely, and teams are free to roam away and harass Villanova's scoring threats, mainly Scottie Reynolds. I know Redding works diligently on his jump shot, and if that shot can ever go in reliably, there will be much less of an offense-defense trade-off with Redding.
  Grade: C+
  
  

• Corey Stokes (22 min)

  Wright continues to stick with Stokes as he has all season, and it appears to be paying a few dividends now. Stokes played another decent -- albeit imperfect -- game. He scored 11 points on 4-8 shooting, and he finally may have found his stroke from the three, where he went 3-6. He grabbed 4 rebounds and had 2 assists. He did struggle, however, with handling the ball, committing 2 turnovers and several "near misses." His defense was what I would classify as below average, which could be due to his ongoing learning of the system. Stokes also seems to lack a "clutch factor": he had a wide-open look at a three with 1:00 to go that would have put the surging 'Cats within 5, and I don't think I was the only one in the building who just "knew" it wasn't going to find the bottom of the rim. That said, Stokes is clearly improving, and I think he is now at the point to justify 20-plus minutes per game. Stokes's offense, when everything starts clicking, could be the missing piece the 'Cats needs to take some burden off the three scoring point-guard, especially when opponents key their defense against them.
  Grade: C+
  
  

• Shane Clark (S, 14 min)

  It's quite painful to chronicle Clark's descent into mediocrity, especially as a huge fan of Clark's athletic ability. Clark is, nonetheless, mired in a funk, and nothing changed Saturday. Clark was flat-out bad against the Irish, especially in the first half. Clark's first-period box score was as follows: 0-2 shooting, 0-1 from the three, 2 rebounds, and 2 turnovers. That doesn't even tell the story of his porous defense, either. Clark allowed the first two Irish baskets on plays where he was exceedingly slow on getting to his man. Clark did not do much better in the second half, either. He finished with 2 points on 1-4 shooting. He did have 5 rebounds, which was something of a plus, but it does not make up for his total breakdown on the defensive end and his complete ineffectiveness on offense. Playing just 14 minutes is a vast reduction in time for the starter Clark, but his minutes should probably be reduced even further, at least until he emerges from his shooting cold streak and repairs his frequent defensive lapses.
  Grade: F
  
  

• Malcolm Grant (10 min)

  Most of what I have to say about Grant has been said above and in previous posts. In my opinion, Grant is one of 'Nova's two best players, and playing him for just 10 minutes against the Irish is complete and utter folly. Grant managed to score 8 points on 2-7 shooting, despite playing only 10 minutes and despite being unceremoniously yanked from the game after playing just 2 minutes in the first half. Grant did not exactly replicate his usual heroics, scoring "only" 0.8 of a point per minute of playing time on Saturday, compared to 1.28 PPM against Rutgers and 1.13 vs. LSU. What do these numbers mean? I'll leave that up to the reader, but allow me to make a relevant connection with the ever-popular world of poker. As the "mad genius" Mike Caro says, if you're averaging a huge profit every time you call, you're not calling enough. Absurd point-per-minute totals like Grant has been putting up lately would not translate if he were given increased minutes, but that is exactly the idea. When you have a weapon like Grant, let him play in the minutes that matter, instead of just relying on him to overcome a hopeless situation at the end of the game. Again, I am not privy to any "inside knowledge" that might explain Wright's baffling benching of Grant, so to me it just appears to be an out-and-out coaching error.
  Grade: B
  
  

• Dwayne Anderson (9 min)

  Anderson played 9 minutes? I guess that I didn't notice at least means he wasn't burned on defense too many times. On the offensive end, Anderson was quiet. He shot 1-2 from the field to score 2 points. He had 3 rebounds, and no other impact on the box score. I am a fan of Anderson and believe he should be getting 5-10 minutes per game, but against Notre Dame he didn't do much of anything.
  Grade: D+
  
  

• Incomplete grades: None.



• Did not play: Casiem Drummond (ankle), Frank Tchuisi (CD), Jason Colenda (CD).

Feature: Grading freshman effectiveness

(Editor's note: First-time LetsGoNova.com contributor "Foye's Boy" penned this piece about freshman efficacy between the DePaul and Pittsburgh games.)

After a tough loss to DePaul on Thursday night, I found it important to offer my insight on the effectiveness of our freshman players, with respect to how many minutes they are being played. Let's first take a look at some of the stats of '07-'08 season to date (Not including Pitt game):

I will offer my personal effectiveness ratings for these five players, 10 being extremely effective and 1 having no effect at all.

"READ MORE" below for the freshman effectiveness blurbs.

Corey Fisher - Guard

Effectiveness: 9

MPG: 25

Corey Fisher, whom Jay Wright has dubbed as being the most "surprising" member in his freshman class, has really begun to show his potential stardom. Now a starter, he is the 'Cats' second-leading scorer, averaging about 13 points per game, including a solid 23 points in a losing effort against DePaul. He has the ability to create his own shot, often toying with defenders, and also has the ability to finish drives to the basket and shots from behind the arc (40 percent). More important, he takes away the ball-handling responsibilities from Scottie Reynolds, which should leave Reynolds with more opportunities to score. He has been making some careless passes and turnovers, but let's not forget that "Fisher Price" is still only a freshman. The potential is definitely there, and I look for Fisher to continue to produce and be very effective for the Wildcats, especially in the upcoming conference games. He gets a 9 for effectiveness because he is the star in this freshman class.

Corey Stokes - Guard

Effectiveness: 3

MPG: 14.8

Stokes, the high school McDonald's All-American guard, has yet to show his abilities that made him so highly touted coming into this year. Stokes has seemed to not be able to find his stroke from three (only 19 percent), despite being third on the team in 3-point attempts. (Only Reynolds and Fisher have more.) He lacks confidence, both offensively and defensively, and thus has not really been a threat to opponents. It seems that he is trying too hard to be perfect, and thus has been frequently out of position on defense. He also seems to be forcing untimely shots. Quite frankly, he has been disappointing so far, but the season is still very young and I believe (and certainly hope) that he can turn around.

Malcolm Grant - Guard

Effectiveness: 8

MPG: 15.5

Grant, the least-heralded of the freshman guards coming into this season, has been a pleasant surprise this year for Jay Wright. He provides an unbelievable amount of energy coming off the bench, and I believe he is the most defensively sound guard on the team. Grant has a tremendous stroke from the arc (18-31; 58 percent), can get it done at the line (80 percent), and rarely makes bad decisions. As we all know, he single-handedly was responsible for the amazing comeback against the LSU Tigers, when Grant scored 13 points in the last 3 minutes. I believe Wright needs to give Grant more minutes because he really can change the entire tempo of the game. I thought Grant should have played more late in the DePaul game to help spark a comeback like the LSU game, but he only played 12 minutes. He is quite effective when he comes off the bench, and needs to see more playing time.

Antonio Pena - Forward

Effectiveness: 6

MPG: 12.3

Pena, a red-shirt freshman, has helped to the fill the void left for a rebounding big man, since the sophomore center Casiem Drummond got hurt. Pena is a very athletic and strong forward, and has begun to gain confidence in Wright's system. He provides valuable minutes off the bench, especially when Dante and Shane are in need of a rest, or are in foul trouble. He needs to work on getting better defensively and avoiding cheap fouls, but I like what I see out of him offensively. He seems to lack a mid-to-long-range game, but he is able to get open down low, and can usually finish. He has been a great asset to this basketball team coming off the bench.

Andrew Ott - Forward

Effectiveness: 1

MPG: 4.3

Ott, who also red shirted last year, has only played in three games, and probably will not see many minutes due to the tough upcoming conference games. He is just not there offensively or defensively, and quite frankly lacks confidence. In my opinion, he is at least one to two years away from being a producer on this team. Therefore, I cannot say that he is effective at all, other than offering support and depth from the sidelines.

NOTE - This article was written before the Pitt game and does not include stats or minutes from that game. However, the Pitt game only furthered my feeling that Grant needs as many minutes as possible (he was remarkable), and that Fisher and Pena are tremendous assets to this team. The Pitt win was a perfect example of how effective this freshmen class has been, and hopefully will continue to be.

Feel free to offer comments, criticisms, and your own opinions, as this is my first post. Let me know what you guys think of the 'Nova class of 2011.

Crowds roar at Hoops Mania (full recap)

CNN.com-style "story highlights":

• Hoops Mania now extremely popular.


• Video messages from Vitale, ex-VU-stars thrill crowd.


• Men's basketball team performs dance numbers.


• Million-dollar prize nigh impossible to win.


• Blue-White scrimmage a serious affair; full-contact hits and tenacious defense.


• Corey Fisher: Kyle Lowry with a better shot?


• Rapper "Mims" explains why he is hot.


• Bill Raftery: "I regret nothing" about 2005 UNC-game broadcast (A-Ray travel call).

The annual "Hoops Mania" pep rally for Villanova basketball has come a long way in just a few years. Though five years ago it was a modest affair in the Jake Nevin Field House, the event now regularly fills the 6,500-seat Pavilion.

This year's revival of the growing tradition did not disappoint; the packed house was treated to a cavalcade of celebrity guests, dramatic highlight reels, and valuable prize giveaways, all before the main event: the Blue vs. White intra-squad scrimmage.

Anticipating something special after last year's surprise performance by the rapper 50-Cent, students lined up in steady rain three hours before the scheduled 7:30 p.m. start time. By the time doors opened at 6:30, the line had stretched from the Pavilion's entrance at the nadir of Ithan Avenue all the way up the hill, nearly to the Lancaster Avenue intersection.

When doors opened, the student-section in the South stands quickly spilled over with enthusiastic fans, and students streamed into the East and West chair-back seats. The North stands were closed, replaced by a giant projection video screen.

Several Villanova recruits were in attendance. I saw Dexter Strickland sitting a few rows behind me, and there were rumors that mega-recruit Tyreke Evans was also in the building.

Festivities got underway with a three-point contest between two teams each made up of one men's basketball player and one women's player. In the contest, Shane Clark shot 5 of 13, and Dwayne Anderson was 6 of 14 from behind the arc.

Following the three-point contest was a long, detailed video message from Dick Vitale played on the giant video screen. An amazing highlight reel was also shown, splicing scenes from the previous season with Rocky-like montage shots of the Wildcats working out. The entire video was set to Kanye West's "Stronger," which was played at four different points in the evening, incidentally.

The video also featured cameo messages by various Villanova athletics celebrities, including Kyle Lowry, Randy Foye, Ed Pinckney, and Brian Westbrook.

Next came the official introduction of the the team. By my ear, the loudest cheers were for Scottie Reynolds and Jay Wright, but each player received an enthusiastic ovation. The players made their way down the South stands and into a line near center-court.

Once the entire team had been introduced, the sound system started laying down some funky beats, and the entire basketball team began rhythmically gyrating in a manner reminiscent of the performance by the Villanova Dance Team just minutes earlier.

The team's performance, which lasted several songs, was one of the more disturbing things I've ever seen; perhaps befitting a night that would end for many with Halloween parties was the eerily frightening image of Andrew Ott shaking his pelvis suggestively in time with song.

Nevertheless, the dance performance was a hit with the students, and the proper dance team soon joined the players for the final song.

Throughout the event, many prizes were given away in various familiar "timeout contests," such as Villanova's takes on the Price is Right and Let's Make a Deal. One student won a guaranteed seat at every home game this year; another won tickets to the Eagles-Cowboys football showdown next week at Lincoln Financial Field.

The biggest prize of the night, however, was $1 million cash. The randomly selected student had to perform a feat that I would wager no one in the arena that night could come close to achieving: to win the million dollars, he had to make 5 three-point baskets in under 25 seconds, including at least 1 three pointer from each baseline and 1 at the top of the key. Furthermore, only ten shots could be attempted in total.

My quick analysis told me that this was basically an impossible contest. Earlier in the night, sharpshooters Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark made just 6 and 5 three-pointers, respectively, in more than twice the allotted time (60 seconds) and in more than the limit of 10 shots. What chance did this poor student have to thoroughly outperform Division-One athletes? Indeed, I would have only given Scottie Reynolds, perhaps the best three-point shooter in the Big East, a 1 in 20 chance of successfully completing the challenge.

Needless to say, the student failed to win the million, and in fact did not make a single three-point shot in the 25 seconds, as was to be expected. I must say that contest's rules seemed a little unfair to me considering how heavily the million-dollar contest had been promoted prior to the event. To be fair, the contestant was awarded an iPod Touch for his troubles.

Finally, it was time for the main event. But before the Blue-White scrimmage got underway, Jay Wright introduced the many "coaches" for the Blue and White teams, including the former Villanova forward Marcus "Big Dawg" Austin, the Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, and the National League MVP candidate Jimmy Rollins. The loudest cheers of the entire night, however, were reserved for Curtis Sumpter, who returned to the Pavilion to coach in the scrimmage.

For the scrimmage, the team was divided into two factions of roughly equal strength.

The White team featured guards Corey Fisher and Reggie Redding, forwards Dwayne Anderson and Dante Cunningham, and center Casiem Drummond. A new walk-on by the name of "Russell" wore the #44 jersey for the White team as well, but he has not yet been added to the official Villanova roster Web page.

The Blue team included guards Scottie Reynolds, Malcolm Grant, Jason Colenda and Corey Stokes; and forwards Shane Clark, Antonio Pena and Andrew Ott. Junior forward Frank Tchuisi was out with an arm injury.

Though past scrimmages at Hoops Mania have been alley-oop-fueled jam fests with defense taking a back seat, that was not the case at the Pavilion Friday. The two sides played a serious brand of basketball despite the four 4-minute quarters with a running clock.

Tough defense was played, and a few hard fouls were committed. The White team jumped out to an early lead and never relented, winning by a final score of 28-19.

Several players performed well in the scrimmage, including Dante Cunningham, who looked like a monster in the paint, and Scottie Reynolds, who was the clear leader on the court. Reggie Redding showed some improvement in his offensive game, and Dwayne Anderson impressed the fans and announcers Bill Raftery and Jay Wright with his domination of the glass.

By far the most impressive show, however, was put on by the freshman Corey Fisher, who looked like he was playing at a different speed than everyone else. Fisher drained a pair of threes and dished out several pretty assists. He demonstrated a ridiculous handle, and played lock-down defense on fellow freshman PG Malcolm Grant, who struggled.

Though he was running circles around his teammates, Fisher was also in perfect control for much of the scrimmage. On one broken play with the shot-clock winding down, Fisher rescued a loose ball directed to his general direction, quickly drove to the rack, and dished off to Dante Cunningham for a slam that brought down the house.

Fisher's all-out hustle and ridiculously quick first step immediately reminded me of Kyle Lowry. The one major difference between the two at this stage of development may be the jump shot: Fisher is a significantly better shooter than Lowry, who I consider to be the most talented guard in Villanova history. Whether Fisher's game will live up to Lowry's lofty standards remains to be seen, but it certainly is off to a good start.

After the Blue-White scrimmage, which left several players drenched in sweat, Jay Wright introduced the special musical guest for the evening, the New-York-born rapper Shawn Mims.

Mims performed a few songs, including his #1 hit "This is Why I'm Hot," much to the delight of the now-raucous crowd. Full video of Mims's 7-minute performance is available on YouTube.

Mims's dramatic exit to the Northeast corner of the Pavilion signaled the end of Hoops Mania.

As I made my way out of the East seats, I noticed that the commentator Bill Raftery was standing a few feet away. I said hello to Raftery, then jokingly asked him if he now regrets his on-air defense of Allan Ray's dubious traveling violation during the waning moments of the CBS broadcast of the 2005 Sweet-Sixteen NCAA Tournament game against the eventual champion UNC.

"I regret nothing," said Raftery. "But what a night to bring it up," he added, referring to the ongoing Villanova love-fest at the Pavilion.

"Hoops Mania" tips off Friday

Villanova fans will celebrate the upcoming basketball season this Friday at "Hoops Mania," the annual pep rally on campus at the Pavilion.

The free event, which seems to start earlier in the day each year, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m, and fans should arrive early to ensure admission, which is on a first-come, first-served basis. Last year's Hoops Mania proved so popular that fans were refused admittance well before the scheduled start of festivities.

In addition to the "games," "prizes," and "surprises," promised by the promotional poster, this year's mania will feature the annual Blue vs. White intra-squad scrimmage. In previous years, this scrimmage was sometimes held the morning of the homecoming football game. Fans who didn't travel to Canada last month will get their first look at the much-hyped freshman players: Corey Fisher, All-American Corey Stokes, Malcolm Grant, and redshirts Antonio Pena and Andrew Ott will make their Pavilion debut in the fun-filled, alley-oop-heavy exhibition.

Hoops Mania has been held in roughly its current incarnation since the beginning of the Jay Wright era in the fall of 2001, when fans excitedly chanted "horror, horror" in an effort to woo the highly touted Amityville, N.Y. prospect Jason Fraser, who was rumored to be in attendance.

Last year's festivities included a surprise visit by rapper 50 Cent, who delighted the packed house with an impromptu performance.

Though the details of the night's "surprises" are as yet unknown, Hoops Mania usually includes at least one celebrity guest to complement the spectacle of Jay Wright's traditionally spectacular entrance with his team.

How Wright will "top" his previous entrances, which have included riding onto the court in a stretch Hummer limousine, is the subject of rampant speculation leading up to the event.

Wright touts balance for 07-08

Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports published a few comments by Villanova head coach Jay Wright last week regarding his team's prospects for the upcoming season.

According to Wright, balance is the watchword for the year, with experienced big men complementing what should be one of the best backcourts in the country.

Villanova adds three highly touted guards next year, including All-Americans Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher. Point guard Malcolm Grant, New York City's player of the year in 2005, will also suit up for the Wildcats.

Returning forwards Shane Clark and Dante Cunningham, however, will be "the X factor" for the season, said Wright. "Along with Casiem Drummond, we’ve never had this kind of size and depth up front," Wright said.

Wright also praised his three incoming guards and noted the already sky-high expectations for the class:

We have more depth and balance, but we’re young. I never thought we’d have as highly touted guards as Allan (Ray), Randy (Foye) and Curt (Sumpter), but these three come in with even more accolades.

VU signee Fisher scores 37 in win over Mayo

Corey Fisher, who will arrive at Villanova's campus next fall, led nationally top-ranked St. Patrick (Elizabeth, NJ) to a 78-76 overtime win over prep superstar OJ Mayo and #6 Huntington of West Virginia.

Fisher, a dynamic point guard with a deadly outside shot, scored 37 points and had 6 assists to lead his team to the win. OJ Mayo, a USC-commitment and regarded by many as the best high school player in America, scored a phenomenal 47 points in the loss.

The game was played in West Virginia and was broadcast live nationwide on ESPN2.

Fisher is part of an outstanding recruiting class that includes standout small forward Corey Stokes and point guard Malcolm Grant, New York City's player of the year. With this year's top recruit Antonio Pena set to take off his redshirt next fall, Villanova could have one of the best classes of freshmen in the country.