Niagara falls to Villanova

Niagara 62
Villanova 77
(box score)

#23 Villanova: 3-0 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)
Niagara: 1-1 (0-0 MAAC)


Next game: vs. Monmouth, 25-Nov. at the Pavilion.

Villanova survived its first decent opponent of the season Wednesday night with a 15-point win over Niagara. I won't go as far as to call the plucky Purple Eagles a real test of a ranked opponent, but they did put up a fight against the Wildcats, who did not put the game away until late in the second half.

Villanova University has the official game recap.

Scottie Reynolds led all scorers with 19, albeit on 4-14 shooting from the field. Reynolds was much more accurate from the foul line, hitting 9-10.

The entire Villanova frontcourt, Shane Clark, Antonio Pena, and Dante Cunningham, fouled out against Niagara, which is definitely not a good sign considering that the Eagles are considered to have a decent backcourt but a mediocre front line. Such sloppy interior defense will not fly in conference play or against Texas next month.

Returning ex-Cat Bilal Benn had a good game, with 11 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 40 full minutes of play.

Reggie Redding started for Corey Stokes, who sprained his thumb but will be all right for next week's game. Dwayne Anderson remains out with a stress fracture, and center Casiem Drummond was limited to two minutes with an injured foot.

The only other major point of interest about this game was that ESPN Sportscenter anchor Chris McKendry joked during highlights that the matchup of Villanova and Niagara made her think of Viagra. (Video at Deadspin).

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

Next up for the Wildcats is a rematch with their first-round opponent in the 2006 NCAA Tournament, Monmouth University of the Jersey Shore.

Let's Go Nova, sadly, does not get ESPNU, so it would not be fair to hand out player grades. I've futilely been looking for a video of the game. If anyone has one, send me an e-mail.

'Nova, Bilal Benn set for final showdown tonight

#23 Villanova (2-0) vs. Niagara (1-0)
7 p.m., Wed., 19 November, at the Pavilion
TV: ESPNU
Line: Villanova -16


Ex-Wildcat Bilal Benn and his deadly flock of Purple Eagles will swoop into the Pavilion tonight to face Villanova in a grudge match the proportions of which can only be described as "moderate."

The match-up is being billed as a "preliminary game" in the 8-team Philly Hoop Group Classic. Bracket play in the tournament does not begin until after Thanksgiving.

Niagara is a solid, undefeated team from the MAAC and is currently ranked #1 in the RPI in the entire country.

That said, Villanova is a 16-point favorite and should pick up the win. Niagara will certainly be a tougher test for Villanova than Albany or Fordham, but if the 'Cats have any trouble with the Purple Eagles at home, they probably don't deserve to be ranked #23 in the nation.

Take a look at game previews from Villanova by the Numbers and I Bleed Blue and White, then head down to the comment thread below to predict the game's final score. The author of the closest guess wins a mention in this space tomorrow.

'Nova annihilates Fordham

Fordham 68
Villanova 107
(box score)

#23 Villanova: 2-0 (0-0 BE, 0-0 B5)
Fordham: 0-2 (0-0 A10)

[Highlight reel at end of post]

Next game: vs. Niagara, 19 Nov. at the Pavilion.

The Wildcats cruised to an easy victory tonight against the winless Fordham Rams, putting up 107 points on Fordham's porous defenses.

Fordham had no answer to the inside prowess of Dante Cunningham, who notched a career-high 31 points. Villanova used its superior size and speed to find easy shots, converting 35 field goals on 60 attempts. Over 65 percent of Villanova's baskets resulted from assists, which is an excellent ratio. The Wildcats also took care of the ball and committed just 9 turnovers.

Villanova's defense seemed to improve in the second half, when the Wildcats held Fordham to 11-29 shooting and 30 points.

On the sour side, Villanova allowed Fordham an unacceptable 65 shots, and forced just 11 turnovers from the overmatched Rams. The Wildcats also revealed a potentially fatal flaw in their team depth -- with Fisher and Reynolds both off the floor, the team has no truly competent ballhandlers to break a press or even run an offense.

Reggie Redding is the emergency third point guard, but he looked awkward against the juvenile Fordham press. One does not have to wonder how the Wildcats will stand up to a full-blast press from Louisville or Marquette this year if Fisher or Reynolds become unavailable -- it would be a disaster.

And thus the folly of losing Bilal Benn and Malcolm Grant -- both good ballhandlers -- to transfer in consecutive years. Absent Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds, the Wildcats simply have no point guards left. Might Villanova be the only top-25 team with just two ballhandlers on the entire roster? I think so. And if one of those two guards gets hurt, the Wildcats won't be ranked for long.

On an injury note, forward Shane Clark was cleared to play and ran 16 minutes tonight, just 11 days after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Center Casiem Drummond was out with foot pain, but Jay Wright said in his postgame remarks that Drummond would be ready for Wednesday's game.

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

Next up for Villanova is the return of former Wildcat Bilal Benn and his Niagara Purple Eagles in the Philly Hoop Group Classic opener, Wednesday night at the Pavilion.

On to the player grades. "READ MORE" below for player performance grades and analysis, plus a special embedded highlight reel from Youtube!

• Corey Stokes (S, 31 min)

  Stokes could barely miss tonight. The Rams were allowing him open looks, and he made the most of them. Stokes was 3-3 from behind the arc, 4-6 from the field, and 6-6 from the line to score 17 points. He grabbed 8 rebounds and added 2 assists, a steal, and 1 turnover. The only downside for Stokes tonight is it still looks like he is having trouble putting the ball on the floor. Stokes's shooting, however, finally appears to be living up to its billing, and he may well lead the Wildcats in scoring on the season.
  Grade: A-




• Corey Fisher (S, 30 min)

  Fisher's speed, handle, and passing have become essential to the Wildcats' attack. Splitting the point with Reynolds, Fisher tonight made good decisions with the ball and was effective on both ends of the court. He dished out 4 assists, and, more important, committed just 1 turnover. He shot better tonight from long range, draining 2-4 threes, and shot 4-10 from the field. Fisher was a good 7-8 from the foul line, impressive there in both his accuracy and his frequency getting to the stripe. Fisher added 2 steals to a solid defensive effort.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Dante Cunningham (S, 29 min)

  Cunningham exploded for a career-high 31 points on 11-17 shooting from the field. Cunningham also reached the free-throw line 12 times, converting 9. Fordham could do nothing to stop Cunningham inside. Though he won't find conference play nearly as easy, Cunningham's performance tonight was an important step in establishing the Wildcats' inside game. Cunningham and Pena played well together on the blocks, forging an inside chemistry that has been lacking at Villanova for years. Cunningham also led the team in rebounds, with 11.
  Grade: A




• Antonio Pena (S, 24 min)

  Pena is quickly becoming one of my favorite players. He put in an efficient performance tonight, scoring 10 points on 4-5 shooting. He looked great moving up and down the post, and connected with Cunningham several times for easy looks. He grabbed 6 rebounds and passed for 3 assists. Pena also ran the floor well; it's become clear that fast breaks are a key component of his game. Pena's inside-out style suits the Wildcats' free-flowing system well. Though he has the tendency to disappear for stretches, Pena's development is a real bright spot for the 'Cats.
  Grade: B+
  
  

• Reggie Redding (23 min)

  Redding was pressed into point-guard duties tonight after Reynolds sat with early foul trouble. I suspect Jay Wright also sat Fisher during that stretch to see what the team could do without either of its point guards. Redding's handling of the point was passable but not pretty. But if it was passable against Fordham, it probably would be a nightmare against Rick Pitino. Still, you can't blame Redding for the Wildcats' lack of ballhandling depth. Redding played well overall tonight, shining as the undisputed leader late in the game with the Wildcat starters out. He shot 4-5 from the field and 1-2 from the three to score 9 points. He passed for 4 assists and committed just 1 turnover. He added 4 rebounds but did not get a steal. Pressure defense is something for Redding to work on as the season progresses. All in all it is a good thing the Wildcats have Redding to bail them out with ballhandling, but let's hope it doesn't come to that.
  Grade: B
  
  

• Scottie Reynolds (S, 22 min)

  Reynolds picked up a pair of questionable fouls early, and those fouls combined with the blowout limited him to an uncharacteristically low 22 minutes. Reynolds struggled a bit scoring-wise, shooting just 3-9 from the field and 1-4 from the three. I'm not particularly worried, however, as Reynolds has proven beyond all doubt he is an excellent scorer and shooter. Where Scottie really shined tonight was in distribution. Reynolds racked up 7 assists in basically half a game, while committing just 1 turnover. Perhaps his ratio will go down a bit against serious competition, but after two games it is clear that Scottie is taking great care of the ball and finding perfect spots to dish it off. Reynolds also added 2 steals in a fine defensive effort, ticky-tack fouls notwithstanding.
  Grade: A-
  
  

• Shane Clark (16 min)

  It was good to see Clark out there and injury-free just 11 days after knee surgery. Clark played well, shooting 3-5 from the field and 2-2 from the line to score 8. Clark has missed a lot of practice, so it was good for him to get extended playing time in the blowout. We'll see how his knee holds up during the rest of Villanova's brutal November schedule.
  Grade: C+
  
  

• Frank Tchuisi (14 min)

  Tchuisi played better tonight, converting on his two uncontested shots. His free-throw form looked awful, however, which is something to work on at practice. Tchuisi only managed to collect one rebound despite playing 14 minutes at center against an undersized Fordham team. He committed 2 fouls but did not turn the ball over.
  Grade: D
  
  

• Jason Colenda (6 min)

  Colenda, the walk-on guard, has to deal with deafening applause every time he touches the ball, as the student section apparently wishes for him to put it up any time he is across halfcourt. I watched Colenda closely tonight during his 6 minutes while he split the point with Redding, because it is plausible that due to a combination of fouls or injury, the Wildcats at some point this season may have to rely on Colenda to bring the ball up the court. My conclusion is that Colenda can indeed dribble and make passes, but he panics way too much in the face of defensive pressure. Though Colenda may be quicker and smaller than Redding, and thus less prone to having his pocket picked, it is a stark contrast to watch Redding coolly step back from an overzealous defender, while Colenda suddenly treats the ball as a hot potato in the same situation. The good news is that it's a problem that is easy to correct if Colenda simply keeps his dribble going and takes a deep breath.
  Grade: C-
  
  

• Russell Wooten (5 min)

  We didn't get to see much out of Wooten in his 5 minutes tonight. He did not attempt a shot, and looked very uncomfortable with the ball on the offensive side of the court. Like Colenda, he seems to have a tendency to panic with the ball when defended. Wooten runs the floor well enough and did not make too many major mistakes on defense.
  Grade: C-




• Did not play: Dwayne Anderson (foot), Casiem Drummond (foot), Maurice Sutton (CD - RS?)

Highlights from Youtube: