Bad call costs 'Nova Old Spice title

Villanova 68
N.C. State 69
(box score)

N.C. State: 4-1 (0-0 ACC)
#19 Villanova: 4-1 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)

Next game: vs. Pennsylvania, 12/1 at the Pavilion

Classic coach-speak says one bad call at the end never costs you a game, because it shouldn't have been that close to begin with. Tonight, one could cite the Wildcats' atrocious 8-18 free throw shooting, or their 11 turnovers as the "real reasons" Villanova fell short of the Old Spice championship in Orlando, Fla.

It's not true.

In reality, bad calls do costs teams games, because each team is trying its hardest to win at any given point. It's not like the Wildcats decided to miss 10 free throws because they thought it wouldn't affect the game's outcome. For 40 minutes, Villanova struggled to win the game, and the probable win was taken away from the 'Cats by a terrible foul called on Dante Cunningham with four-tenths of second on the clock.

With his team trailing by one, N.C. State's Gavin Grant heaved a desperation three-point attempt that had no chance to find the bottom of the net. Cunningham was defending him, and upon seeing Grant take the shot, Dante threw his arms straight up in the air, never touching Grant. A foul was called on Cunningham nonetheless, and Grant was given three free throws. He made two of them, and after Villanova's hail mary try with less than half a second left was an achingly near miss, N.C. State won the game and the Old Spice Classic championship.

To be fair, the officiating tonight was uniformly bad on both ends of the court. It just seems that Villanova was on the receiving end of the last and worst mistake made. Earlier in the game, the officials seemed to miss at least one obvious goaltending call, and several extremely questionable fouls were called at crucial moments on both sides.

It's hard to be positive when the phantom foul call cost Villanova not only the tournament, but a resume-building win over a power-conference opponent, not to mention the Wildcats' heretofore undefeated record. There were, however, several positives to take away from this game.

First, the Wildcats showed great determination, never quitting in the face of adversity, and responding to every punch the talented N.C. State team could throw. Villanova overcame several deficits at various points in the game to eventually take an apparently decisive 68-67 lead with 2.2 seconds on the clock. Even after the shocking foul call that left Villanova trailing with nearly no time remaining, the Wildcats managed to get off a decent shot that nearly found the rim.

The game also saw the emergence of Casiem Drummond as a force in the paint. Matched up against one of the most talented front-courts in the ACC, Drummond dominated the glass with a game-high 17 rebounds, more than double the number of boards by anyone else on either team. Drummond also shot well and played outstanding defense. If Drummond can keep up this excellent post play, the Wildcats will be a legitimate national championship contender this year.

Finally, the Old Spice final marked the moment when freshman Corey Fisher, just four games into his tenure as a Wildcat, unquestionably took over a game. With superstar Scottie Reynolds playing alongside him in the back-court, Fisher turned in a breakout performance that was Reynoldsesque.

The Wildcats now have two guards who are demonstrably capable of putting their whole team on their backs, and if you think that won't pay off in the post-season, you haven't seen enough college basketball.

Congratulations to reader Jon Ambrose for most closely predicting tonight's final score.

Next up for Villanova is the opening of Philadelphia Big Five play with a game against UPenn at the Pavilion on Saturday night.

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

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 35 min)

  Reynolds did not seem like himself tonight, especially in shooting the basketball. He scored 13, shooting 4-12 from the field, including 2-6 from the three. He also struggled from the foul line, going 3-6. He did, however, find other ways to help the team. He co-led the Wildcats in assists, with 4, and played an instrumental role in the team's early 1-2-2 press that forced several turnovers. The official line credits Reynolds with 2 steals, but he forced 2 or 3 more turnovers as well with his press defense. Reynolds did lead the Wildcats in turnovers, with 3, while splitting point duties with Fisher.
  Grade: B-
  
  

• Corey Fisher (32 min)

  Wow is all you can say. I would not be surprised if Old Spice officials took a close look at Fisher after the game, to make sure it was not Kyle Lowry in his jersey on the offensive side of the court. Fisher had a clear breakout night against N.C. State. He drove the ball to the basket at will, and finished with shots you'd swear were impossible to convert.
  
  Fisher led the team in scoring with 21, shooting 9-16 from the field. He did miss all 3 of his three-point attempts. Fisher also led the 'Cats in steals, with 3. The real significance of the game, however, can't be found in the box score. Fisher kept his team in the game in the second half, leading the Wildcats on both ends of the floor. If there were a concrete moment when Fisher went from a freshman to a leader of the team, it was tonight. I am not saying that Fisher won't make mistakes or have a regression in the future, but based on tonight's performance, Fisher's future looks bright.
  Grade: A




• Dante Cunningham (S, 31 min)

  Cunningham responded to the challenge of a difficult front-court assignment tonight by playing one of the best games of his career. Dante scored 16 points on 8-17 shooting, and pulled in 8 rebounds. He also scored what should have been the game-winning put-back with 2.2 seconds left. Cunningham has impeccable timing in following missed shots to put them back as layups or dunks. His defense was solid.
  
  The only knock on Cunningham's game tonight was his habit of continuing to take 17- and 18-foot jump shots that never seem to go in. I do not have access to the team's practice sessions, and it's very likely that the coaching staff wants Cunningham to be taking those shots. But they're not working, and they are costing the Wildcats key possessions. Since Dante is 18 feet from the basket, he can't help come up with any caroms on the low-percentage shot. If the idea is to force an opposing forward to come out of the paint to guard Cunningham out there, the shots have to start going in for it to work. On a team with six excellent jumpshooters in the rotation, the Wildcats cannot afford for their best post player to miss four or five 17-footers per game.
  Grade: B+




• Reggie Redding (S, 24 min)

  Redding played another efficient game, and has really emerged as yet another threat in the back-court for the 'Cats. Redding scored 7 on good 3-5 shooting, but did shoot only 1-3 from the foul line. He handled the ball well, and made some excellent passes to co-lead the team in assists with 4. I am now convinced that Redding is the team's best passer.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Casiem Drummond (S, 22 min)

  Drummond' turned in a monster performance tonight, grabbing a career-high 17 rebounds. He also shot well, scoring 9 points on 4-9 shooting from the field. His agility, passing, and defense were all outstanding. Drummond led the team in blocks, with 2, and also managed to dish out 3 assists and make 2 steals.
  Grade: A




• Corey Stokes (15 min)

  Stokes enjoyed more playing time tonight despite his continued shooting woes. Though he did not score in attempting two shots, Stokes did play well without the ball. His defense was passable, and he managed to grab a steal and 3 rebounds. Perhaps most important, it was Stokes who drove to the basket in the game's final seconds to put the ball near the rim, which allowed Cunningham to put in the go-ahead put-back. Stokes is too talented to be mired in this slump for too long, so watch out for a breakout game for Corey soon.
  Grade: C-





• Antonio Pena (14 min)

  Pena struggled on offense tonight, scoring 0 on 0-3 shooting from the field and 0-2 from the stripe. He did grab 2 boards and had 1 steal, but many fans expected more from the redshirt freshman at this point. Hopefully Pena will show improvement as the season continues, because he could become a valuable contributor to the Wildcats' shallow front-court.
  Grade: D




• Malcolm Grant (7 min)

  Grant struggled tonight after his nearly perfect game on Friday. He scored 0 on 0-1 shooting, and committed 2 turnovers in his 7 minutes. The performance tonight can be attributed to freshman inexperience. Look for a rebound game from Grant soon.
  Grade: D+




• Incomplete grades:
Shane Clark (S, 16 min)

Clark left the game late in the first half with a leg injury. He had been quiet before the injury, scoring 2 on 1-3 shooting. The early word around campus is that the injury is a strain, which sounds encouraging, but we need to wait for the official diagnosis this week. Losing Shane for any significant time would obviously be a huge blow to the team.



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

'Cats reach Old Spice final vs. N.C. State

Tonight, Villanova will take on the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the Old Spice Classic championship in Orlando, Fla.

The game will air live nationwide on ESPN2 at 6:30.

The match-up vs. N.C. State is an interesting one, as the Wolfpack are very talented down low, while Villanova looks to have by far the better backcourt.

GreyCat at Villanova By The Numbers pens his usual preview, and Chris at I Bleed Blue and White takes stock of his pre-game thoughts.

A win for the Wildcats tonight gives them another solid out-of-conference win for their NCAA resume. Taking home the Old Spice championship would almost certainly vault Villanova into the top 15 in both major polls, and likely even higher given some of the high profile losses this week.

If you'd like to take part in the official LetsGoNova.com prognostication contest, post your prediction for the game's final score in the comments section below. Your potential prize: your name in bold on this very Web site.

Villanova tops GMU to advance to Old Spice final

Villanova 84
George Mason 76
(box score)

George Mason: 4-1 (0-0 CAA)
#19 Villanova: 4-0 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)

Next game: vs. N.C. State, 11/25 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida (Old Spice Classic championship). Tip: 6:30 p.m. TV: ESPN2.

Villanova defeated a tough, experienced George Mason team Friday for the right to face N.C. State for the Old Spice championship. How do I know George Mason is experienced? Because television commentator Fran Fraschilla mentioned it about a dozen times.

He was correct, though: GMU is a well coached, savvy team full of veterans, and the game was an excellent test for the young Wildcats. Villanova suffered through a few scoring dry spells in the contest, but was buoyed by guards Malcolm Grant, Scottie Reynolds, and Reggie Redding.

The Wildcats' seemed to have success with an unusual lineup featuring Grant, Reynolds, and Fisher, the three point guards, on the floor simultaneously. The three racked up several minutes playing together, and their ballhandling and shooting abilities were obvious positives. With three excellent point guards, shooting guard Reggie Redding heating up, and the supremely talented All-American Corey Stokes waiting in the wing, "Guard U" is certainly back at Villanova in 2007.

Villanova overcame a spot of adversity in the win when star Scottie Reynolds fouled out with 2:19 remaining and the game's outcome still in question. The Wildcats' young players responded with enough maturity to put the game away, even against Jim Larranaga and his sparkling glass slippers.

Villanova coach Jay Wright tried to explain the stretches of play where the 'Cats had troubles on both ends of the floor in his remarks after the game:

Sometimes when you are a young team, your defense suffers when you don't make shots. I thought that happened to us in the first half. But Malkie came into the game and gave us energy. He made a few shots and got us going. We still aren't as organized as we hope to be but these games have been a great experience for us.

Sage words from Coach Wright...but does he really call Grant "Malkie"?

In any event, congratulations to reader "Michael" for most closely predicting tonight's final score.

Next up for Villanova is the ACC powerhouse North Carolina State in the championship game.

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

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 34 min)

  Reynolds struggled in the first half, shooting 1-5 from the field (0-3 from behind the arc) and 2-4 from the line for just 4 points. He heated up significantly in the second half, dropping 17 more points to lead the 'Cats in scoring with 21. After missing his first three 3-point attempts, Reynolds sank the next three. After shooting 1-5 in the first period, Reynolds sank 5 of his next 7 from the field. After missing the first two free throws of the game, Reynolds made his remaining 6 attempts from the stripe.
  
  The significance behind this 2nd-half turnaround is that Reynolds never gave up, and more important, never stopped shooting. Scottie plays with a lot of emotion on the court, and I am sure that helped him overcome his early shooting woes. Reynolds added 3 assists, 2 steals, and 3 rebounds to his line. He handled the ball well, committing just 2 turnovers. He looked solid at both the 1 and the 2.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 33 min)

  Cunningham, an essential cog in the Wilcats' success, seemed a little off against GMU. He shot 4-8 for 8 points, but once again took several 17 and 18-foot jump-shots that did not find nylon. Villanova has a 8-man rotation, and 6 of those players are excellent jumpshooters. Only Drummond and Cunningham have not shown that kind of range, so perhaps those shots should have gone elsewhere. Dante is much more valuable to the Wildcats fighting down low and running the fast break, both areas where he is the undisputed team leader. Cunningham had 4 rebounds, 1 block, and again led the team in turnovers, with 3.
  Grade: C-




• Shane Clark (S, 33 min)

  Clark's game this year seems to be a balanced one. His ideal role is doing a little bit of everything: scoring, rebounding, passing, ball handling, and creating turnovers. His line against GMU seems to reflect that. Though he struggled from the field (4-12) and from the three (1-4), he made up for it by grabbing 10 rebounds, dishing out 4 assists, and notching 2 steals.
  Grade: B




• Reggie Redding (S, 27 min)

  I have a feeling that Reggie Redding is going to look back fondly on his time in Orlando. Redding has put together quite a string of excellent games in this young season, and the GMU game was no exception. Redding scored 11 points in 27 minutes on perfect 3-3 shooting from the field (2-2 from the three), and was 3-4 from the line. He handled the ball extremely well yet again, committing just one turnover despite his large role in neutralizing the blistering Patriot full-court press. Redding added 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
  Grade: A
  
  

• Corey Fisher (26 min)

  After a breakout offensive performance against Central Florida, Fisher struggled with his shot against the Patriots. "Fisher Price," as Fraschilla has taken to calling him, was 2-9 from the field, including 2-7 from the behind the arc. More disturbing, however, was his 1-5 shooting from the free-throw line, which is absolutely unacceptable for a Big-East point guard. Aside from his shooting woes, Fisher played a decent game. He led the 'Cats in assists with 5, and committed no turnovers. His defense seems to be improving, but he did get beat off the bounce a few times. Expectations are high for Fisher, and I believe he will soon fulfill them, as his talent is ample.
  Grade: C-




• Casiem Drummond (S, 22 min)

  Drummond's improvement is obvious each game. He looks more agile and more decisive. Against GMU, Drummond was outstanding in the paint, shooting 4-5 and grabbing 10 boards. His defense is also steadily getting better. N.C. State's talented big men will be an important test for the sophomore center.
  Grade: B+




• Malcolm Grant (13 min)

  Grant basically played a perfect game Friday. He came in off the bench when the Wildcats were struggling on both ends of the floor, and immediately sparked a momentum change after drilling two 3-pointers and displaying his typical defensive intensity. Grant was 3-3 from the field, all from behind the arc. He was 4-4 from the foul line, and scored 1 point for every minute he played. Grant also added 2 assists, and played good defense. Surely we can find more than 13 minutes for Malcolm Grant; indeed the argument could be made to start Grant.
  Grade: A




• Corey Stokes (12 min)

  Stokes remains unable to find his shot. He was 1-6 from the field, and 1-5 from the three. He did not do much else in his 12 minutes, but when his stroke starts to heat up, watch out.
  Grade: D





• Incomplete grades: Antonio Pena (<1 min).
  
  
• Did not play:
  Dwayne Anderson CD, Andrew Ott (CD), Jason Colenda (CD), Frank Tchuisi (wrist).

'Cats to face GMU in Old Spice final four

Tonight, #19 Villanova will meet everyone's favorite Cinderella, George Mason, in the semifinals of the Old Spice Classic tournament in Orlando, Fla. Tip time is scheduled for 5 p.m., and the game will air live nationwide on ESPN2.

The experienced George Mason squad did not look like an underdog last night in dismantling the #20 Kansas State Wildcats, and I expect an extremely tough game for our Wildcats as well.

Villanova by the Numbers again previews the game better than I could, but check back in this space for an extensive recap afterwards.

As always, you may predict the game's final score in the comments below.

Wildcats move past UCF in Old Spice opener

Villanova 76
Central Florida 68
(box score)

Central Florida: 2-1 (0-0 CUSA)
#19 Villanova: 3-0 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)

Next game: vs. George Mason, 11/23 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida (Old Spice Classic round 2).

The Knights of Central Florida did enough to keep it close, but ultimately they could not stop Villanova from advancing in the first round of the 8-team Old Spice Classic tournament tonight in Orlando, Fla.

Villanova used a phalanx of guards to disarm the Knights. On a night when its two upperclassman forwards fouled out, Villanova turned to its five freshman and sophomore guards to put the game away.

Scottie Reynolds paced the 'Cats in scoring, with 19, but tonight was freshman Corey Fisher's coming-out party. Fisher, in his second game back from knee tendinitis, saw the first significant minutes of his career, and he did not disappoint.

Fisher looked fantastic running the point, freeing Reynolds to roam the perimeter as the 2 guard. Fisher used his speed, handle, and court awareness to carve apart the UCF defense. Fisher's game seems custom-made to complement Reynolds's, and both players will benefit from sharing court time.

Fisher and Reynolds were not the only story, however. The other three guards also saw quality minutes, especially Reggie Redding, who scored a new career-high 14 points in 23 efficient minutes.

As for the front court, Clark and Cunningham were quiet even as they racked up minutes and fouls. Casiem Drummond, the sophomore center, alternated between flashes of brilliance and the hallmarks of inexperience.

After Clark and Cunningham fouled out late in the game, Villanova switched to a very intriguing 4-guard lineup: Drummond, Reynolds, Fisher, Redding, and either of the other freshman guards, Malcolm Grant or Corey Stokes.

Still later in the game, 'Nova went fully 5-guard. Few teams could plausibly field five guards on the court for meaningful minutes, but Villanova is one of them. I look forward to Jay Wright employing this dynamic lineup at some point in the season, as needed.

What did all this fine guard play mean for the 'Cats tonight? Villanova pulled away from the Knights with huge margins in two areas: points in the paint (22-12), and fast-break points (7-0).

The 22 points in the paint were largely a result of excellent guard play, either in getting layups on run-outs, drives to the basket, drives and dishes, or quality entry passes into the post.

The 7-0 margin in fast-break points was due in no small part to a nifty little three-quarter court press employed from time to time by the 'Cats.

Villanova went legitimately nine deep tonight, which I think will be the regular rotation barring injury.

Congratulations to reader "Matt" for most closely predicting tonight's final score. Another reader, "Michael," predicted the final score exactly, but submitted his prognostication about 20 minutes after the game started.

Next up for Villanova is the extremely well-coached George Mason squad, which knocked off #20 Kansas State tonight. It will be an excellent test for the Wildcats to face such an experienced team that executes so precisely.

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

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 38 min)

  Reynolds led the team in points (19) and assists (5). He shot a mediocre percentage from the field (4-14), and all his field goals were three-pointers (4-11). Some of those threes, however, were huge momentum turners or boosters. Scottie was excellent from the free-throw line, sinking 7-8. He was a little sloppy at times with the ball, leading the team in turnovers with 4. For the 20 minutes or so that Fisher ran the point, Reynolds looked fantastic at the 2. Scottie's passing was also outstanding tonight. Even when he is not officially the point guard, make no mistake: Villanova's offense runs through Reynolds.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 34 min)

  Cunningham contributed 34 solid, quiet minutes tonight, and played his best on the defensive end of the court. Dante led the team in steals with 4, and blocked one shot. He led the team in rebounds, with 6. He seemed to struggle on offense, and shot 2-6 from the field, which for him is a very low percentage. In my opinion, Cunningham took a few shots from beyond the foul line that were ill-advised, considering how much more effective he is on the blocks. With so many talented guards, it is going to be crucial for Cunningham to stay healthy and out of foul trouble for extended runs this year.
  Grade: B-




• Shane Clark (S, 25 min)

  After leading the team in scoring the past 2 games, Clark was quiet tonight on offense. He scored just 6 points on 3-6 shooting, including 0-2 from three-point land. He was effective in other areas, however, turning in a balanced performance with 5 boards, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal.
  Grade: B-




• Reggie Redding (S, 23 min)

  Redding continues to improve by leaps and bounds, particularly on the offensive end. He notched a career high in scoring for the second consecutive game, putting in 14 on an efficient 5-8 from the field. Redding was also sharp from the three, shooting 2-3. As usual, he made excellent decisions with the ball, adding 3 assists and, more important, committing no turnovers. Redding is a good ballhandler, especially under pressure, when he has the distinct ability to keep his cool on the court.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Corey Fisher (23 min)

  Finally Villanova fans got to see the Corey Fisher they'd hoped for since he signed his letter of intention one year ago. Fisher looked like he was playing a step faster than anyone from UCF, and ran by and around defenders seemingly at will. His resemblance to former Villanova star Kyle Lowry is now approaching eerie, at least on the offensive end. (Lowry was admittedly a better defender). Fisher used his silly handle to get past double teams and traps, and he took advantage of his quickness and decisiveness to make good things happen once the defense broke down. He took care of the ball, committing no turnovers even while running the point for the majority of his court time. Fisher dished out 3 assists, including a ridiculous cross-key pass to Shane Clark for a layup that has already been immortalized as a Web gif. Fisher scored 18 points on efficient 6-13 shooting, including 4-8 from the three. According to Villanova coach Jay Wright's remarks after the game, "we're not even seeing him at 100 percent." It's scary to think of what "100 percent" will look like.
  Grade: A




• Casiem Drummond (S, 19 min)

  Drummond is slowly coming into his own as a legitimate Big-East big man. His talent is obvious, and his execution seems to be getting a bit more consistent. Drummond shined tonight on the offensive glass, grabbing a team-high 4 offensive rebounds. He shot 2-3 from the field for 7 points, and was 3-5 from the foul line. His defense was fairly solid, and he blocked two shots. If Drummomd can tap his talent and be a bit more decisive with the ball, his ceiling is very high.
  Grade: B




• Corey Stokes (14 min)

  Sharpshooter Stokes struggled tonight from behind the arc, shooting 1-5. He scored 5 points on 2-6 shooting overall, but did handle the ball well. He also grabbed 4 rebounds in a relatively short amount of playing time, and showed once again that his game is more than two-dimensional. A streak shooter like Stokes will always have off nights, and tonight was one of them. Still, Stokes is a player and will continue to improve with experience as he learns the Wildcats' system. For a player who missed several practices for a personal issue, Stokes already seems ahead of the curve.
  Grade: C-




• Antonio Pena (10 min)

  The athletic Pena's potential seems to be limitless, but he did not do much tonight in 10 minutes. He scored 2 points on 1-1 shooting, and primarily played on the wing. He grabbed 2 rebounds, but was 0-3 from the foul line. Hopefully we will see the development of Pena as the season progresses, because it's clear he has a lot of talent.
  Grade: D+




• Malcolm Grant (9 min)

  Grant is an excellent defender and ballhandler, and his contribution tonight, though brief, was valuable. He scored 1 point on 0-1 shooting from the field, and dished out 1 assist. Grant's biggest assets tonight was his ballhanding, but he is also able to score when asked, as we have seen earlier in this season.
  Grade: C




• Incomplete grades: None.
  
  
• Did not play:
  Dwayne Anderson CD, Andrew Ott (CD), Jason Colenda (CD), Frank Tchuisi (wrist).

'Nova vs. UCF: predict the final score

"Ahoy!"

Villanova will play in the first round of the Old Spice Classic tournament tonight in Orlando, Fla. against the University of Central Florida (Conference USA). The 7 p.m. game will be shown live nationwide on ESPN2.

GreyCat of VBTN provides a thorough UCF preview, as usual.

I Bleed Blue and White found the official university game-notes -- warning: PDF.

Should the Wildcats defeat UCF, they will advance to the next round to face the winner of George Mason vs. Kansas St. Friday night. A loss sends Villanova to the loser's side of the bracket, with the same two potential opponents.

Predict the final score of tonight's game in the comments below.

'Nova gets UCF in Old Spice opener

Villanova will face the University of Central Florida Knights of Conference USA in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic Thanksgiving tournament, according to the bracket recently updated by ESPN and tournament organizers.

The 8-team tournament also features NC State, Kansas State, South Carolina, George Mason, Penn State, and Rider University. All games in the 3-day tournament will be played in Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Florida.

Villanova will play the first game of day one's second session, and tip-time is slated for 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 22. Should Villanova defeat UCF in round one, the Wildcats will face the winner of Kansas State and George Mason in the semifinal round.

All championship bracket games will air on ESPN2, while consolation games will be shown on ESPNU.