Fisher, Cunningham, Wright win Big East honors

All of the Big East Conference awards have now been announced, and Villanova did very well for itself, earning some nice accolades across a variety of categories.

Villanova backup point guard Corey Fisher won the Big East's 6th Man award, which goes to the player who makes the greatest positive impact off the bench.

This site has been saying for a long, long time that Fisher should get more minutes, and this award seems to validate that position. Unless the player is a 6th-man specialist like Manu Ginobili, winning the 6th man award probably means the player should be starting!

Still, it's a nice honor for Fisher, whose improvement this year has brought Villanova much success.

Speaking of improvement, Villanova's senior forward Dante Cunningham was named the conference's Most-Improved Player on the year. Cunningham has stepped up his scoring output this season after playing a more limited offensive role his first three years.

Villanova's head coach Jay Wright earned Big East Coach of the Year honors. Although it is hard to see how Marquette's Buzz Williams did not win this award, Wright's COY honors are a nice acknowledgment of the team's success this year after a somewhat slow start.

Villanova opened the conference play by losing two of its first three games, but the season really picked up after the Wildcats were able to beat then #3 Pittsburgh in the last college basketball game ever at the Spectrum. Villanova now sits poised to earn a top-4 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

Wright's selection as coach of the year is not something I necessarily agree with, given the questionable substitution and end-game strategy decisions made this year, but it is still nice for Villanova to take home the award. Wright and Villanova last won Big East COY in 2005-2006, when Villanova earned a #1 seed in the NCAA torunament.

Dante Cunningham was also named to the All-Big-East second-team, and junior guard Scottie Reynolds earned a Big East Honorable Mention.

'Nova clinches double bye with Prov. win

Providence 80
Villanova 97
(box score)

Providence: 18-12 (8-10 BE)
#11 Villanova: 25-6 (13-5 BE)

Villanova flexed its offensive muscles on Thursday night as the Wildcats exploded for 97 points to defeat Providence in the year's final game at the Pavilion.

With the win, Villanova secured an all-important top-four finish in the Big East, and the two days of byes that go along with it. The Wildcats will now be seeded all the way into the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament on Thursday.

Villanova also maintains its position as a potential top-3 seed in the NCAA tournament, which is crucial if the Wildcats would like to play the first two rounds in their home-away-from-home at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

It was an excellent offensive game for the Wildcats, who scored 57 points in the second half and shot well overall. Scottie Reynolds, Dwayne Anderson, and Corey Fisher all played outstanding games for Villanova, and the 'Cats looked unstoppable when all their weapons were blazing.

Providence finishes the regular season with an 18-12 record, which normally might not earn a team an at-large invitation to the NCAA tournament. The Friars, however, are 10-8 in the country's best conference, and boast a premium win over then-#1 Pittsburgh.

Conventional bracketology wisdom suggests that Providence would have been a lock with a win over Villanova, but will now need to win one at Madison Square Garden to have a good chance on Selection Sunday.

Congratulations to reader "bosshoghazzard" for most closely predicting the final score.

Villanova now has a full week off to prepare for its post-season. After a grueling Big East season, I am sure the rest will be welcome.

According to the official bracket (PDF), Villanova will next take the court on Thursday at 2 p.m. In practice, however, the game always starts later than that, closer to 2:30.

Villanova will face the winner of the #5 vs. #12/#13 game, which will most likely be Marquette.


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

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 36 min)

  Reynolds continued his scorching shooting ways tonight, shooting an excellent 9-13 from the field. He also put in an outstanding performance from the three, hitting 5-9, or the equivalent of shooting 83% from the two. He did miss both his free throw attempts, which is a bit troubling, since his free throw shooting seems to be dropping off a bit lately. Reynolds added 4 steals, 4 assists, and just 2 turnovers. Let's hope Scottie can continue his hot streak through the entire month of March.
  Grade: A




• Dante Cunningham (S, 36 min)

  Positives tonight were 19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. The negatives, however, were substantial. Cunningham shot a dismal 8-17 to get those 19 points, including several missed jumpers that he probably should have passed on altogether. He missed 4 of his 7 free throw attempts, as well. Cunningham also led the team in turnovers, with 5, committing a whopping 71.4 percent of the team's turnovers despite playing 18 percent of the team's minutes. If you haven't surmised this already, I really hate turnovers, especially by forwards. Perhaps worst of all, however, was Cunningham's defense, which was uncharacteristically soft tonight. Cunningham allowed at least three uncontested lay-ups or dunks. All in all, the positives save this grade from the dreaded "F," but it was nonetheless one of the worst games for Cunningham of the season.
  Grade: D




• Reggie Redding (S, 31 min)

  Redding was Mr. Pass tonight, dishing out 11 of the Wildcats' 26 assists. Those assists definitely earned him 31 minutes, but Redding's normal reason for playing so much, defense, was lacking tonight. Redding was responsible much of the night for covering Weyinmi Efejuku, who lit up the Wildcats for 29 points. Redding was not fast enough to stay near Efejuku at all, which could bode ill for the Wildcats against teams with similar star players. Aside from his excellent passing night, Redding had little other statistical impact. He shot 1-3 to score 2 points, and added 0 turnovers, steals, or blocks. He grabbed 2 rebounds. Those 11 assists go a long way to make up for a terrible night defensively, but it still was not much better than average for Reggie.
  Grade: C+





• Corey Fisher (27 min)

  Twenty-seven minutes are more like it for Fisher, unquestionably the team's most potent sparkplug. I'd prefer his minutes get up to the mid-thirties, but I guess it's one step at a time for Wright. Fisher shot 3-9 from the field, including 1-3 from the three, to go with his excellent 6-6 performance from the foul line. He handled the ball perfectly, dishing out 6 assists while committing 0 turnovers. His defense was outstanding, and he grabbed 4 steals. He was quick enough to stay with anyone on the perimeter, as well. It was a nearly perfect game for Fisher aside from the slightly reduced scoring output of 13. Fisher showed tonight he could have an excellent impact on the game even while not making many baskets, and this should finally (hopefully?) earn Fisher some more minutes in the post-season.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Corey Stokes (21 min)

  Stokes was a major force in this game. He continued his hot shooting from the three, hitting 3-5. He also used his good height and strength to grab 4 rebounds and 1 block. He played decent defense, and added 1 steal. I think 21 minutes tonight was a big under-utilization of Stokes. Imagine how hard it will be for Villanova's opponents to contain the Wildcats with all four of Stokes, Fisher, Reynolds, and Cunningham firing on all cylinders. In order for this to happen, Stokes has got to get the minutes to heat up and stay effective.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Shane Clark (S, 20 min)

  Clark was not at all effective on offense (1-5 shooting, no foul attempts, no assists), but was a little better on the defensive end. Clark had 2 steals and 5 rebounds in his 20 minutes. I'd like to see 10 of his minutes go immediately to Stokes, but you have to admire Clark's hustle.
  Grade: C
  
  
  

• Dwayne Anderson (S, 17 min)

  Anderson, troubled by early fouls, still managed to score 19 points in 17 minutes, which is excellent. And he shot very well, 7-11, 3-5, and 2-2. Anderson, who had missed his 12 prior three-pointers before the game, is the ultimate streak shooter, and it's great to see him take those shots when he is hot. He also added 7 rebounds in just 17 minutes: compare that to Cunningham's 8 in 36. Anderson also added 3 assists, 1 block, and 4 steals in a phenomenal effort, playing half the game. If we extrapolate what his line would have looked like with 35 minutes, we get 39 points, 14 rebounds, 8 steals, 2 blocks, and 6 assists! Of course, it would have been difficult for him to maintain that pace, but what a game for Anderson despite the fouls.
  Grade: A





• Antonio Pena (9 min)

  Just 9 minutes, but a bit of a resurgence for Antonio Pena. He shot a good 2-4, showing intelligent awareness and spacing on the offensive end. He also was a perfect 2-2 from the foul line. He added 1 rebound, 2 blocks, and 1 steal in his very limited time.
  Grade: B





• Incomplete grades: Frank Tchuisi (1 min), Jason Colenda (1 min), Russell Wooten (1 min).



• Did not play: Maurice Sutton (RS).

Nova News agrees on Fisher PT

I have been receiving a lot of heat in the comments section for blasting Jay Wright's mismanagement of his lineup, especially regarding point guard Corey Fisher's playing time.

After every single game, you could find here the drumbeat of criticism, charging that Fisher was receiving far too little playing time. My argument is that as the clearly best player on the team, Fisher should be leading the team in minutes. But he isn't, and in fact, trails behind several far inferior Wildcats in playing time.

I've further argued that Fisher's increase in playing time should not come at the expense of Reynolds, because the team plays best when they are both in there together, and ballhandling requires at least one of the two point guards to be in at all times.

Tim, the Nova News blogger, weighed in on his site tonight in agreement.

In a nice, long piece called Something Smells Fishy, Tim questions Jay Wright's decision to keep Fisher in limited time despite the growing statistical evidence that he is among the most effective Wildcats on the court.

Tim admits that although winning eight of nine games is nice, Fisher still needs more playing time:

I don't necessarily believe that Fisher should get more time at the expense of Reynolds because frankly, they are the two best guards on the team. Neither do I believe it is imperative for Fisher to start because he is valuable as a sixth man. What I am simply saying is Fisher should be getting more playing time, period.

Tim wraps up his essay by saying "the bottom line is Corey Fisher is too good to be sitting on the bench for 12+ minutes a game."

Agreed. And Fisher certainly shouldn't be sitting for 16 minutes when the 'Cats struggle to defeat one of the worst teams in major-conference history by a measly two points.

Something smells fishy, indeed.

Of course, this isn't the first time that Wright has refused to play a talented point guard for seemingly no earthly reason, and we all know how that one turned out.

Here's hoping Wright can change his ways before it's too late.

Villanova survives Rutgers scare

Rutgers 72
Villanova 82
(box score)

#13 Villanova: 21-5 (9-4 BE)
Rutgers: 10-16 (1-12 BE)


Villanova avoided what could have been a soul-crushing defeat on Thursday by barely closing out the hapless Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a game that was much closer than many predicted.

Corey Fisher helped save the Wildcats with excellent bursts of play from off the bench, where he inexplicably spent most of his time during the game.

Maybe the Jay-Wright-apologists among our readers here can explain why Wright would -- for the majority of the game -- bench a player who had 14 points on 4-5 shooting, 3 assists, 0 turnovers in his limited and non-contiguous court time. Especially coming off a game in West Virginia where he was just about the only Wildcat to show up. I certainly have no idea.

To me, it seems like the opposite of what a coach would want to do.

Maybe if Wright spent less time worrying about whether his assistants' suits are tailored, and more time studying the game of basketball, Villanova wouldn't have been taken to the brink by a Rutgers team that lost by the same 10 points to a team called "Binghamton." At home, no less.

We'll have to hope GreyCat of Villanova by the Numbers generates some plus-minus data for this game, but I'd wager the numbers were heavily positive when Fisher was on the floor.

To me, giving Reggie Redding 28 minutes, and Shane Clark 23, while the best player on the team was glued to the bench is an insult not only to Fisher, but to Villanova fans watching the game.

The backlash against Wright's decisions is not only coming from my keyboard. Many posts on Rivals' Villanova message board also criticized Wright's playing-time allocations, some far more harshly than in the views expressed here.

Wright's stubborn and illogical coaching didn't cost Villanova the win -- this time. But when the Wildcats can't put away a truly awful Rutgers team in the Pavilion while Wright keeps his hottest player on bench, you know the team in its current incarnation is not ready for the Big East and NCAA tournaments.

Villanova is enjoying an excellent position right now, as the Wildcats are all but a lock for the NCAA tournament and are jockeying for a high seed. I just don't want to see it become all for nothing in March because the Wildcats' best talent is sitting on the bench.

When and how Wright's poor coaching will ultimately end Villanova's season is not yet known -- but trust me, unless something changes radically between now and next month, it surely will.

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

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

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 33 min)

  Reynolds led the team in scoring again, and along with Fisher and Stokes, totally bailed Villanova out of what could have been a disaster. He shot 5-11 from the field to score 21 points. He was a cold 1-4 from the three, but an outstanding 10-11 from the foul line. Being asked to handle the point for most of the game, he had 6 assists, but also committed 4 turnovers. He added 2 steals. I think Reynolds would be much better off playing the 2, but it's clear he is one of the best players in the Big East regardless.
  Grade: A-




• Dante Cunningham (S, 31 min)

  Seventeen shots is too many for Cunningham, even if he is trying to do his best Curtis Sumpter impression. Dante's game is efficient offense, power rebounding, menacing defense, and running the floor well. If he does play professional basketball, it will be for those reasons. It will not be because he has "developed" an unreliable jump-shot from 17 feet. Cunningham made 5 of the 17 shots, and rounded out his box score with 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 steal, and 1 block.
  Grade: C-




• Dwayne Anderson (S, 31 min)

  I am a big fan of Anderson's hustle game, but no way should he ever be shooting 3-11 from the field -- including a disastrous 0-4 from the three. The six rebounds were nice, but he should have been looking to pass a bit more often. In a perfect world, Villanova would start Cunningham, Anderson, Redding, Reynolds, and Fisher, and let opponents try to deal with the Wildcats' speed and scoring.
  Grade: C-




• Reggie Redding (28 min)

  Not Redding's best game. He shot 1-1 from the field, which was nice, but didn't do much of anything on offense. Is Redding's defense that much better than Fisher's, to sacrifice 28 minutes of offense? I don't think so. He added 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, and 2 steals. The 2 steals were nice, and I still think Redding should be starting. I just don't understand the rotation the way Wright has implemented it.
  Grade: C-




• Shane Clark (S, 23 min)

  Clark was not too much of a liability on the offensive end. He shot 3-5 to score 6 points and was generally quiet and ineffective. He only managed to get 2 rebounds in 23 minutes, or 1 more than Corey Fisher had in 19. He was bad on defense, a step slow and repeatedly in the wrong spot. I just don't see what he did to earn 3 minutes against RU, much less 23. But maybe we shouldn't question Wright's genius: after all, we did win the game.
  Grade: D+
  
  

• Corey Stokes (22 min)

  Stokes was scorching from the field, shooting 6-9 and 5-7 from the three to score 17 points. Why did he only get 22 minutes, when fellow swingmen Shane Clark and Reggie Redding both got more? Another Villanova playing time mystery! The only negative about Stokes's offensive game on Thursday was that he did not reach the foul line. But, man, what a shooting night he had. Stokes also had 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, and 2 steals. Villanova's future success looks very much tied to the Corey and Corey show -- if only they could get off the bench. It's telling that the two players who received "A" grades here managed to combine for just 41 minutes, when it should be more like 70.
  Grade: A





• Corey Fisher (19 min)

  See the main post above. Fisher was dominating in his brief appearance in the Rutgers game. He was unguardable, and the fastest player on the court by a significant margin. He brought explosiveness and unlimited upside to the offense. He handled the ball flawlessly. He was not -- unlike Clark and Redding -- a liability on defense. Fourteen points, 4-5 shooting, 4-4 from the line, 3 assists, 1 rebound, and ZERO turnovers -- what does this add up to? For Wright, it's 19 on-and-off minutes and a well-worn spot on the bench.
  Grade: A
  
  

• Antonio Pena (9 min)

  When I opened my fridge this morning, I saw Pena's face on a milk carton. The headline was "Missing: Have You Seen This Forward?"
  Grade: D+




• Frank Tchuisi (S, 2 min)

  Frank got the start on senior night, which was a nice gesture. I am sure he has worked very diligently in practice during his four years on the team, but it is a shame that Jay Wright could not teach Tchuisi enough not to be a complete disaster on the court after all these years. Tchuisi has size and appears reasonably athletic, so his total basketball incompetence speaks volumes about Wright's teaching skills, or lack thereof. Against Rutgers, Tchuisi committed two fouls in two minutes, and was promptly sent to the bench. Forget incomplete, I've seen enough for a grade.
  Grade: F





• Incomplete grades: Jason Colenda (1 min), Russell Wooten (1 min)



• Did not play: Maurice Sutton (RS).

Villanova rolls over Syracuse

Syracuse 85
Villanova 102
(box score)
(highlights)

#20 Syracuse: 18-6 (6-5 BE)
#17 Villanova: 19-4 (7-3 BE)

Villanova extended its winning streak to five games on Saturday with a solid victory over the #20 Syracuse Orange. The Wildcats add another quality win to their resume, and can now aim for higher seeds in both the NCAA and Big East tournaments.

Villanova overcame foul trouble throughout the game with an offensive explosion. The Wildcats, led by Dante Cunningham and an emergent Corey Fisher, jetted to 53 first-half points on their way to a 102-point output. Unlike its last game against Providence, Villanova also avoided any late-game collapse, and outscored Syracuse in both periods.

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

Next up for the Wildcats is a home remtach against #8 Marquette, a team Villanova has struggled with greatly in recent years. The talented Golden Eagles will be an excellent test for the surging Wildcats.

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

• Dante Cunningham (S, 35 min)

  Cunningham had a monster game, tying his career high with 31 points on excellent 12-15 shooting. He was 7-12 at the foul line, which could be improved a bit. He missed a double-double by 1 rebound, grabbing all 9 on the defensive end. He blocked 1 shot, grabbed 2 steals, and passed for 3 assists. The only thing preventing an "A" grade for Cunningham was his sloppy ball-handling: Cunningham committed a whopping 7 turnovers. While that figure is mitigated somewhat by the high number of possessions in the game, it's still way too many, especially for a power forward. Otherwise, an insanely good game by Cunningham.
  Grade: B+




• Shane Clark (S, 27 min)

  Clark played one of his best games as a Wildcat on Saturday. He put in 14 points on good 6-9 shooting, but remained ineffective from the foul line (2-4) and the three (0-2). Historically, Clark shoots among the lowest three-point percentages on the team, and really shouldn't be taking those shots. Clark led the team in rebounds, with 10, including 7 offensive boards, his speciality. He dished out 3 assists, notched 2 blocks, and committed 1 turnover. I still don't agree that Clark should be starting, but Wright seems loyal to his seniors, and Clark played a solid game. Let's hope he can keep it up.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Corey Stokes (27 min)

  Stokes looked more aggressive on the offensive end, and reached the foul line 8 times, making 7. He scored 16 points overall, shooting 3-9 from the field. Aside from attempts nullified by fouls, Stokes only tried one two-point shot, and all his points came from behind the line or the arc. He had a great rebounding game, grabbing 8. He notched 3 assists and 3 turnovers.
  Grade: B+




• Reggie Redding (S, 26 min)

  The most important thing about Redding's performance Saturday is that he got over his turnover woes from the last game. Redding scored 8 points on good 3-5 shooting, including a wild, step-back NBA three that came out of nowhere. He rounded out his line with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 turnover.
  Grade: B-
  
  
  

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 26 min)

  Reynolds struggled with foul trouble but still managed to score 10 points, albeit on 3-11 shooting. He finished with 3 assists and 1 steal, and handled the ball well, committing just 1 turnover.
  Grade: B-




• Dwayne Anderson (S, 26 min)

  Anderson also was plagued by early fouls. One positive from recent games is that Anderson is taking more initiative to score. On Saturday, Anderson scored 7 on 3-6 shooting, with nearly all good shot attempts. He had a well-rounded line with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, and 2 turnovers.
  Grade: B




• Corey Fisher (23 min)

  Fisher played an electrifying game, with excellent pressure defense and perfect ballhandling. Fisher makes his teammates better and gives the offense a dynamic flow. The fact that Wright still won't start Fisher and play him more minutes remains a baffling and frustrating mystery to me. Fisher scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting, but missed all 3 three-point attempts. He grabbed 4 rebounds, not bad for a 6-foot point guard in half a game. He dished out a team-high 6 assists, many of which were dazzling plays that would have been inaccessible to any other Wildcat. He co-led the team with 3 steals, leading to valuable fast breaks. Most important, however, was that in 23 minutes of handling the point, Fisher turned it over zero times. Not once. Get Fisher more minutes -- he should be leading the team in minutes. Get Fisher in the starting lineup -- it would set the tone for the offense the entire game. And most of all, get Fisher in there with Reynolds more often -- it would free Reynolds to play the 2, and give the 'Cats excellent ballhandling and scoring threats on the perimeter. This will be especially important against Marquette and its three all-conference guards.
  Grade: A
  
  

• Antonio Pena (9 min)

  Pena was very quiet, but I still think he deserves more than a paltry 9 minutes. He did, however, get in foul trouble early, which explains most of it. He scored 2 points, had 3 rebounds, and committed 1 turnover in his limited action.
  Grade: C-




• Incomplete grades: Frank Tchuisi (1 min), Jason Colenda (0+ min), Russell Wooten (0+ min).



• Did not play: Maurice Sutton (RS).

Fisher lifts 'Nova past Temple

Temple 45
Villanova 62
(box score)

Temple: 5-6 (0-0 A10, 0-1 B5)
#15 Villanova: 12-1 (0-0 BE, 4-0 B5)

Next game: at Marquette, 1 Jan. at the Bradley Center.

Villanova, back in the top 15 this week thanks to losses ahead of the Wildcats, opened flat and lifeless in the Pavilion tonight against Big 5 rival Temple.

The Wildcats were stagnant and ineffective on offense for most of the game, scoring just 24 points in the first 25 minutes. At the 14:34 mark in the second half, Temple was up by 8, a lead that represented fully 33 percent of the Wildcats' offensive output to that point. The game, while not yet over, looked like it was getting there fast.

Villanova was able to turn the game around quickly, however, once "reserve" point guard Corey Fisher began calling his own number. After a Scottie Reynolds three that pushed the 'Cats to within 5, Fisher accounted for the next 11 Villanova points, scoring 8.

Fisher wound up dropping 19 points in the game's final 14 minutes to tie his career high of 23 points in the game. Fisher's performance energized what had been a listless Villanova team, and proved that the prolific high-school scorer could put up points in college, too.

Fisher's performance aside, there is no question that Villanova got a tad lucky with this win. Villanova was totally confused on offense in the game's first 26 minutes, and likely would have remained that way had Fisher not heated up. The Wildcats got few open shots, and most of Fisher's 7 field goals were contested.

Meanwhile, Temple cooled off tremendously. Villanova should be commended for keeping Dionte Christmas, the Owls' leading scorer, off his game in the second half, but Temple was missing both open and guarded shots.

Temple went on an offensive drought for over 11 minutes in the second half, while Corey Fisher scored at will, and that was the game.

It was another ugly win for the Wildcats, who saw their leading scorers Dante Cunningham and Scottie Reynolds held in check. Nevertheless, Fisher's explosion should finally earn him a spot back in the starting five, as this Web site has been calling for all season.

It seems that no matter how well a player performs in practice (Jay Wright admitted in the post-game press conference that Fisher was excelling at practices), he will not crack Wright's starting lineup until he lights up a game from off the bench. Fisher's benching for most of this year was absurd, and now we see why.

Give Fisher the confidence that he won't be benched or yanked for taking some shots, and you get the scorer who lit up OJ Mayo's team for 37 points two years ago.

Two weeks ago, this is what I wrote about Fisher, his playing time, and Jay Wright's propensity to sit him prematurely:

To me, Fisher is the key player for the Wildcats' fate this year. After losing Malcolm Grant, Villanova knew it would only have two ballhandling guards for the season. [...] Fisher needs to be out there, period. If he can't put in 30+ minutes against the Explorers, how can he be relied upon for Marquette and Louisville? My guess is that Fisher can be relied on. He was a major talent in high school, and shows flashes of brilliance at Villanova. In my opinion, Jay has Fisher on too short a leash. If Fisher cannot shoot, dish, and handle with the confidence that he won't be yanked at this first mistake, he will be tentative, and the worst thing a point guard can be is tentative. [...] Fisher was a huge shooter in high school, so there is no reason he cannot find that touch again. (Emphasis added.)

It's good to see Fisher getting the green light. After the game, Wright claimed that has always been the case:

I tell him [to take shots] all the time. I didn't tell him this time but I always tell him. He has had some good practices. He's a great kid and very coachable. I may be a little biased with that but he has had some great practices and what he did tonight is what we need him to do. We need him to be aggressive offensively. Sometimes he defers too much to the older guys and has too much respect. That's not a bad thing. We really needed him tonight.

In addition to his contradictory statements and circular talk, Wright's claim that Fisher already had the green light might be a bit hard to swallow for any Villanova fan who has witnessed Wright quickly yank Fisher out of the game after taking a single "bad shot." It has happened time and again, and most of those times I've winced in disagreement over the substitution.

It's nice to see Wright finally giving Fisher the vote of confidence, but where has it been for one-and-a-half years?

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

The Wildcats open league play at Marquette on January 1 at 2:30 p.m. Villanova time.

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

• Dante Cunningham (S, 34 min)

  Cunningham insists that he is now a long-range shooter, firing up perimeter shots left and right. While some of these go in, this is not the offense a team of jumpshooters needs from its only big option. Today, Cunningham was 6-15 from the field. He opened up with some nice jumpers, but predictably cooled off as the game went on, until he was a non-factor in the second half. Cunningham can't settle for jumpers or take off a half on offense if the 'Cats want to compete against the likes of Georgetown this year in league play. Cunningham finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, a turnover, a block, and 2 steals. His line in the box score would have been excellent for a shooting guard, but Villanova needs its only true post player to actually make a difference in the post.
  Grade: C-




• Scottie Reynolds (S, 31 min)

  Reynolds was cold tonight (2-9 from the field), but did find a way to hit two very big three-pointers to finish with 8 points. He only turned the ball over once, and dished out 3 assists while adding 1 steal. Reynolds looked improved in the second half when he was free to play the two guard while Fisher was handling the ball. Perhaps if Fisher hadn't carried the scoring load in the second half, Reynolds would have shouldered some. Overall, it was not Scottie's best effort, but it wasn't a disaster, either. Big East teams will have their hands full if and when Reynolds and Fisher can get their scoring games going simultaneously.
  Grade: C+




• Corey Fisher (28 min)

  As detailed above in the game recap, Fisher exploded tonight for 23 points on a phenomenal 7-8 shooting performance. Fisher was a perfect 4-4 from the three, and shot 5-7 from the foul line. He penetrated to the hoop at will, and ran circles around the Owls on the break. He was an excellent defender on the perimeter, disrupting the Temple offense and coming up with two steals. He co-led the team in assists, with 3. Fisher, barely six feet tall, grabbed as many rebounds (4) in 28 minutes as the 6-8 Dante Cunningham did in 34. This is the Corey Fisher we were excited about when he committed to Villanova as one of the top point guards in the country. Hopefully, Jay Wright will look to build on this coming-out party and give Fisher the starting point guard spot for the rest of the season.
  Grade: A
  
  

• Corey Stokes (S, 26 min)

  Stokes simply could not get it going tonight. He struggled greatly from the field, shooting 1-7, and missed all 3 of his three-point attempts. His shot selection was questionable. The 3 three-point attempts were fine, but there were several ill-advised mid-range shots Stokes attempted after trying and failing to create separation with the dribble. The 'Cats need Stokes to be a scorer, so he shouldn't stop shooting. What he should do, however, is work extra hard coming around screens, getting in position to receive an extra pass, so he can take an open jumper in rhythm. Stokes finished with 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 turnover, and 1 steal.
  Grade: D





• Reggie Redding (28 min)

  Redding took 5 shots, missing 4, in an effort to jumpstart the Wildcats' flailing offense. It doesn't seem like Redding is able yet to create his own shot even at the A-10 level, so he should stick to his much more effective complementary roles. That said, he shouldn't be afraid to drill an open shot, especially from the three, where is not that bad a shooter. Redding, typically, did the little things well tonight, grabbing 6 rebounds and passing for 2 assists while committing 0 turnovers. He also did his part in limiting Christmas in the second period.
  Grade: B-
  
  

• Antonio Pena (S, 20 min)

  Pena has been quiet lately on the offensive end, but that hasn't stopped him from contributing. He crashed the boards tonight, leading the team in rebounds with 9. Unfortunately, Pena also led the team in turnovers, with 4, and attempted just one shot from the field. He finished with 4 points on 1-1 shooting, but he needs to get more involved in the offense. As the Wildcats' only option in the paint aside from Cunningham, Pena should do whatever he can to score in the post. If that means being a follow-up specialist, or getting the ball facing the basket (where he seems to be more comfortable), so be it.
  Grade: C+
  
  

• Shane Clark (20 min)

  Clark was perfect from the foul line (4-4), but otherwise did little, in my opinion, to earn so much playing time. Clark is a nice option on the perimeter to bring in for perhaps 10 minutes a game, but 20 might be overdoing it. Clark shot 1-3 from the field, making his only theee-point attempt, to score 7. He came up with only 2 rebounds, and notched 1 assist, 1 turnover, and 1 steal. Clark has the tools to be a solid role player for a few minutes of relief at the small forward, but lacks the strength to bang on the inside and the ballhandling to play the swingman on the perimeter against Big East teams.
  Grade: C-
  
  

• Dwayne Anderson (S, 13 min)

  Anderson is the kind of player that brings am offensive spark from the bench, a breath of fresh air, and a jolt of energy. Unfortunately, Wright insists on starting the senior, which neutralizes all of that. Anderson is a solid athlete with a good basketball IQ, and I think he should be seeing more than 13 minutes per game. But he is unquestionably better off the bench. Against Temple, Anderson was ineffective. He scored 3 points (1-2 from the field and the foul line). He had 1 turnover and uncharacteristically no other impact on the box score.
  Grade: D
  
  

• Incomplete grades: None.
  
  
  
• Did not play: Frank Tchuisi (CD), Jason Colenda (CD), Maurice Sutton (CD - RS?), Russell Wooten (CD).