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19 March 2009


Villanova faces American in tourney opener

posted by Pete @ LetsGoNova.com
3/19/2009 03:23:00 AM
#11 Villanova (26-7) vs. American (24-7)
7:20 p.m., 19 March 2009 at the Wachovia Center

TV: CBS

Line: Villanova -17

After a full season of resume building, RPI watching, bubble debating, seed calculating, and bracket plotting; of wishing, hoping, thinking, praying, planning, and dreaming, the NCAA tournament is finally here.

Villanova, a 3-seed in the East region, draws the best possible geographic assignment for tonight's game against the 14th-seeded American Eagles.

The Wildcats need only take a short bus ride down 476-south and I-95, three-quarters an hour at most, to reach their first-weekend tournament site at the Wachovia Center in South Philadelphia.

Villanova has already played the NCAA-maximum three games here this season, and will try to make it an even five this weekend before potentially advancing to Boston.

American University itself has a relatively short trip from Washington, DC, and will try to pull off the upset.

The Eagles feature a senior-laden team that pushed 2-seed Tennessee to the edge of elimination for 35 minutes last year.

American's biggest weapon is a pair of sub-6-foot guards, Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer, who each typically play 90 percent or more of available minutes. Stopping these quick guards will be the main focus of Villanova's celebrated back-court of Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, Reggie Redding, and Corey Stokes.

The Eagles have another pair of major contributors, two 6-8 forwards: Brian Gilmore and Stephen Lumpkins. Gilmore, in particular, is dangerous on offense. Dante Cunningham, Antonio Pena, Dwayne Anderson, and Shane Clark will look to shut those two down.

Villanova will be favored in every possible way: talent, experience, home-court, seeding, and expectations.

American will have nothing to lose, everything to gain, and the relevant memory of staying right with Tennessee for 88 percent of its tournament game last year.

Oddsmakers favor Villanova by 17, which I think is a tad high, even for a pseudo home game. It is the NCAA tournament, after all, and American has lost just seven games all year. The Eagles are also winners of 13 in a row, one of the nation's longer win streaks.

Of course, the best win on the season for American was a road victory against Jacksonville four months ago, so Villanova really should be in the driver's seat.

Stats oracle KenPom predicts a 12-point Villanova victory, with a 90 percent chance for a Wildcats win.

Take a look at more previews than you can shake a stick at!
If Villanova is able to come away with the win, the Wildcats will face the winner of tonight's UCLA/VCU game on Saturday afternoon, also at the Wachovia Center.

Try to predict the game's final score in the comment section below.


Labels: , , , , , , ,

135 Comments:

At 3:33 AM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Pete @ LetsGoNova.com said...

Villanova 70
American 60

 
At 8:15 AM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Villanova 81
America 80
OT

 
At 8:47 AM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

American 56
Villanova 72

 
At 10:10 AM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

how many people here think Lappas could've motivated, inspired our four seniors to work hard and improve their individual games as much as they have? Jay had nothing to do with that, I'm sure. If Lappas were coaching these guys, they'd all probably end up as NBA lottery picks. DUH!

 
At 10:48 AM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nova 87
American 77

However, if we were so lucky as to have Lappas coaching this team, it would be a clear 30-pt. blowout.

 
At 11:24 AM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nova 70
American 52

 
At 12:14 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nova 84
American 67

 
At 5:14 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

NCAA tourney 5 years in a row...lets bring Lappass back....unreal

Nova 70
American 59

 
At 5:53 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Villanova Viewpoint Publisher said...

Villanova 76
American 60

 
At 7:42 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Nice plan, Jay -- let's trade jumpers with the low-major team.

Has Jay Wright ever seen a dry-erase board in his life?

Nice to see we have 7 turnovers in 9 minutes against "American," too.

 
At 8:01 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is an embarrassing display of basketball.
What are people's thoughts?

 
At 8:07 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

This is crazy.

 
At 8:09 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is anyone around right now? I can't watch this. Reynolds and Fisher are absolutely blowing the game right now.

 
At 8:09 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i'm scared

 
At 8:10 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This will be the ultimate test of the coaching ability of Jay Wright. I agree IMKL

 
At 8:11 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

This is worse than Forde's worst-case. Don't see how you can blame it on Scottie, though.

 
At 8:12 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Villanova does not even deserve to win this game even if the Wildcats can come back....

 
At 8:13 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Also, why is this stadium not rocking with Nova fans?????!!!!!

 
At 8:13 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

0 pts, missed the front end of a 1 and 1. TOs and bad passes. Not strong with the ball.

Fisher has pretty much matched him.

 
At 8:14 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Because, Gregg... Nova didnt take out American early. Now all the other fans in there of the 7 other schools in Philly start to go crazy for American

 
At 8:15 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is an opponent full of small quick players... Fisher has to be the guy for us.

 
At 8:16 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Why are we taking so many jumpers? What happened to the full court press? Why is Jay not forcing them to pound it inside?

Why is Shane Clark leaving the perimeter to double down on a 6-7 guy every possession -- Clark has allowed about 4 threes.

I swear, I could go in there and coach this team to a 15-point win over American.

Jay Wright's lack of X and O knowledge is getting EXPOSED big time on a national stage.

"Coach of the year" trailing to a PATRIOT LEAGUE team by 10 at the half at home in the NCAAs.

Disgusting.

Maybe this is what it will take to get some changes going -- like a coach who either learns the fundamentals of basketball or goes back to the minor leagues

 
At 8:16 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

41 pts to a friggin Patriot League team is awful too.

Gut check time for this team

 
At 8:18 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

John Calipari's team was shooting jumpers all day vs CS Northridge too.

Let's not make it all about the coach Pete... c'mon, the game is painful enough to watch. I am looking for a support group here!!!

 
At 8:19 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is nauseating. Shame on Nova.

 
At 8:23 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Villanova should be able to come back...

but what a terrible half.

 
At 8:25 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Look, we're shooting over 50%. Our 3-point shooting has been phenomenal outside of Stokes, go figure.

The offensive scheme that we're using is not the problem. It's the TOs and our inability to force TOs and defend the perimeter.

But I will be very very very down on Jay Wright if Clark plays significant minutes in the 2nd half. This is not a game he should be in. Anderson, Dante, and 3 guards the rest of the way.

And even though American shoots 3s, I think a zone would help, just close out further on the line. They only get open by running around screens, with a zone that won't work. Just have to be sure that zone is extended allll the way out. Let them try to burn us with the dribble drive.

 
At 8:26 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

All you have to do to beat this joke of an American team is guard the perimeter and go inside on offense.

Is everyone in the world aware of this but Jay Wright?

 
At 8:27 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We will come back...no doubt...cunningham and anderson will simply not let this fiasco happen.

 
At 8:27 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

Think we should press & trap?

 
At 8:28 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

WHERE IS PENA???????????????

 
At 8:28 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

We should be pressing and staying home on the perimeter -- do that and their offense collapses.

 
At 8:28 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

American looks to be a pretty lousy FT shooting team (65%). Carr shoots 78%, Borden 70%, everyone else is below 70%... most WAYYYYY below.


So if we can come out with intensity in the 2nd half, we'll be in good shape.

 
At 8:28 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Yeah, they dont have a guy taller than 6-8 in their rotation and Pena is nowhere to be seen -- instead we have Shane Clark who has the amazing ability to lose to any competition.

 
At 8:30 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't think Pena is the answer, but agree, GET CLARK OUT VS THIS TEAM!

 
At 8:30 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

redding airballs a wide open layup....

malcolm grant where are you?

 
At 8:31 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

TO's are the killers. In the midwest and getting the Michigan v. Clemson game here, it's a dagger watching the score change.

 
At 8:31 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is trouble.

 
At 8:32 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reynolds has been average from the FT line lately.

 
At 8:35 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

finally, a good possession... but Clark still cannot score

 
At 8:35 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

nice pass clark!!!!! now be replaced by fisher please

 
At 8:35 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

nice work by shane & dante

 
At 8:36 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Where is the so-called Jay Wright defense?

 
At 8:37 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pete, can you just refrain from making this game entirely about Jay Wright for the next hour?

 
At 8:37 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

here we go Scottie

 
At 8:38 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I sense some life...

 
At 8:39 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is a huge possession... need to get the ball in low to Dante or DA.

Really need to see Fisher in place of Clark. Wright needs to give him a chance despite his horrible play.

 
At 8:40 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

I agree, IMKL,

Get fisher in for clark permanently

 
At 8:42 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ok well Fisher is in. Time to go to work, and fast!

Keep this line up out there permantely please!!!!!!! Only use Stokes to spell Fisher/Reynolds when needed.

 
At 8:42 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

WHAT a play by Fisher! The steal, pushing it up the floor, and finding the open man for the layup after a fake!

American is holding the ball for 35 secs every possession - we need to push push push

 
At 8:43 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

Anderson is HUGE tonight

 
At 8:43 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Ugh why couldnt that 3 have fallen... 6 point swing there

 
At 8:44 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

We need Scottie back in there.. I don't care how cold he has been. We need him.

 
At 8:45 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Dante CANNOT shoot outside the paint STOP SHOOTING

 
At 8:45 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

nice move by stokes

 
At 8:47 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Fisher great calm under pressure to draw the foul

 
At 8:47 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is Clark in again????? WTF!!!!!

 
At 8:48 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

why is redding taking that shot?

 
At 8:48 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Our open 3s aren't falling... Fisher and Redding.

This is our 2nd half, but can't get over this hump it seems.

 
At 8:49 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Carr is pissing me off.

 
At 8:49 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Agreed IMKL

 
At 8:50 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

That was a great timeout by Jim Jones.

We need to be attacking the rim... not jacking threes.

 
At 8:51 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

How many people wish they took UCLA to the sweet 16 right now in their bracket.... I know I do.

 
At 8:51 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We have no foul trouble at all, we need to be more physical on defense.

Let's see how these midgets react.

 
At 8:52 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Awful foul by clark... cost us some points probably and another minute off the clock.

 
At 8:52 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

terrible foul

 
At 8:52 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

I just want to get out of this game with a win!!!!!!!!!! come on nova

 
At 8:53 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pete, they are down 6 with plenty of time. You need to stop coming to conclusions so early.

 
At 8:53 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Where is PENA? Shane Clark is beyond awful, I might prefer playing 4 on 5.

 
At 8:55 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Need to keep getting to the FT line at all costs.

 
At 8:56 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Terrible shot by Dante, wtf!!!!!

 
At 8:56 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

oh great, id much rather dante shoot that outside j than scottie

WTF

 
At 8:57 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

not a good shot

 
At 8:57 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

our shot selection is terrible... drive to the hoop please get some fouls

 
At 8:58 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

big follow by Dwayne -- now get a turnover!

 
At 8:58 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reynolds and Fisher starting to realize that this is THEIR game to takeover.

 
At 8:58 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

come on corey these are big ones

 
At 9:00 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

That should count, there was a worse continuation play in the friggin Maryland game with Vasquez.

 
At 9:01 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

UGHHHHHHH wish that dropped for an And 1!!!!

 
At 9:01 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Gotta hit Free throws ,,, missed last 2!!

 
At 9:02 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

4 fouls on carr is big!!! cant believe we need them to have foul trouble ha ha ha ha

 
At 9:02 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

HERE WE GO GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
At 9:03 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

I'm liking the crowd

 
At 9:03 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Time to take over!!

 
At 9:05 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does Carr really have 4? I can't find a site that confirms this....

 
At 9:06 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reynolds and Fisher!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY realizing what we need to do.

 
At 9:06 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

LETS GOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

 
At 9:07 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ESPN shows Carr with 4. Sweet.

Keep the foot on the gas pedal!!!!!

 
At 9:07 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ok, there goes a foul cushion, WTF

 
At 9:07 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

Is that the first American TO? Seems like it

 
At 9:08 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lucky that wasn't a travel on Dante....

 
At 9:09 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

I cant believe how loudly im screaming at the tv rooting for nova against... american

 
At 9:09 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

DA!!!!! "Kid's got alligator blood!!!"

 
At 9:09 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

go go go nova

 
At 9:10 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

scottie needed to take that 3 -- would have been a dagger -- that was a big turnover

 
At 9:11 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fisher and Reynolds with some indecision, then a Reynolds stupid TO.

Why couldn't they just continue to do what they've been doing.


LOL Pete... I am doing the same thing. I'm like a crazy person right now, I'm giving myself a headache.

 
At 9:11 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

jay bilas is on point about scottie's decision making this game

 
At 9:12 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

incredibly dirty play by gordon... not even going for ball there

 
At 9:14 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

haha PLEASE dont run our offense thru shane clark

 
At 9:14 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sick defense by Redding and Carr still scores.... I can't stand him!


Hit these Clark

 
At 9:16 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

fish and dwayne carrying us

 
At 9:16 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Carr doing his best Stephen Curry impression right now...

 
At 9:16 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I HATE CARR!!!!!!!

 
At 9:17 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

if this is still close in the last minute we are going to lose -- we need to put them away now

 
At 9:18 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

+10 rebound advantage (+4 off boards). and.... 8 blocks!!!!!!

When was the last time Nova had 8 blocks? Dante with 4 and Redding with 3.

 
At 9:19 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree Pete. We need to have a 7 pt lead going into the final minute. Force them into putting us on the line.

 
At 9:21 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What's happening? CBS moved away from the game

 
At 9:22 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

nova just has to hit FTs to win now

 
At 9:22 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

CBS philly still has it...


Nova up 9, American ball, 90 seconds left.

 
At 9:22 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

pete - how far do you have nova going in your bracket, i think it will say a lot

 
At 9:22 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"fish and dwayne carrying us"

Fish? Are we watching the same game? Or is this an attempt at intentional self parody?

 
At 9:23 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fish is one of the players carrying us... what game are you watching #117????

 
At 9:24 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Purnell... 0-10 in the NCAA tournament now I think??? Awful.

 
At 9:24 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Nova up 11, American ball, 72 seconds left...

 
At 9:25 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Nova up 13, American ball, 58 seconds left...

 
At 9:25 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Nova up 11 now... Guess we wont be covering the spread ha ha

 
At 9:26 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's back on CBS for me. THanks

 
At 9:27 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Almost right on target for the KenPom projection, though.

 
At 9:27 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

CBS NY is not continuous coverage.

CBS Philly is.

 
At 9:29 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

haha i cant believe this game.... thank goodness we woke up in the second half.

also thank goodness they cooled down and carr got 4 fouls.

I wonder what would have happened if he didnt get in foul trouble.

 
At 9:29 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Box score says Drummond entered the game. WTF?

 
At 9:29 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anything could've happened. Carr is a fantastic player, wow.

 
At 9:30 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Why is American calling a timeout down 13 with 29 seconds left?

 
At 9:30 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

#128

Drummond made this difference in this game.

 
At 9:31 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger Eric said...

I was never worried. :-)

 
At 9:32 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a 2nd half. Still, this is 3 games in a row that we haven't played a consistent 40 minutes.

So glad we advanced though.... wow

 
At 9:33 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Let's not forget -- this wasn't a Big East contender we just came back and beat. This was a low-major Patriot League team.

Uconn and UNC won by 45 each today. We did not look good.

Still... thank goodness we came out with a win...

GO VCU.

 
At 9:33 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

LOOKS LIKE PETE WINS THE PREDICT THE SCORE CONTEST AGAIN!!!!!

 
At 9:36 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Didn't Pena Power win it?

 
At 9:39 PM, March 19, 2009, Blogger pete said...

whoops... i thought i predicted 80-70.

yeah i dont win

 
At 9:46 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

good watching with everyone. thanks for sitting through the aggravation and then enjoying the celebration with me. i needed it

 
At 10:00 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pete,

For what it's worth-regarding UCLA- most of my friends who went to school there don't think UCLA is very good this year. Most think they will lose to VCU.

johnnyb1

 
At 10:15 PM, March 19, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

premature celebration of the guess-the-score contest was pretty lame

 
At 12:15 AM, March 20, 2009, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cory Fisher is such a stud he should be starting another really good game by him after a really good game against Louisville.

 
At 12:18 AM, March 20, 2009, Blogger pete said...

Maynor had a chance to win it... great defense by Collison and UCLA.

They are going to be extremely tough on Saturday.

65-64 UCLA over VCU -- fantastic game, as close as it gets.

 

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