25th Anniversary of Villanova over Georgetown in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game - Lexington, Kentucky

To the Wildcat faithful-

Today is the anniversary of the most important day in the history of not just Villanova basketball, but arguably Villanova University as a whole.  A quarter of a century ago, today, the Wildcats stunned the nation by upsetting Georgetown, 66-64...  Villanova was a #8 seed, the lowest seed to ever win the title under the current format, adopted in 1985 - its inaugural year.

It was stunning to observers at the time, but even more so in the light of history.  No other seed that low has done it in the 25 subsequent tournaments, including this one, in which the two lowest seeds remaining are a pair of #5s, in Butler and Michigan State.


With us in the Final Four last season, I had written the following piece for last season's April Fool's Day.  I think that as we emerge from the wreckage of this year's so promising, and then profoundly disappointing ending, I think that it might be a good idea to revisit the greatest moment in the Villanova Wildcats program, before or since...  I've revised and updated it for this season...

Last season, to put myself in the proper perspective for April Fool's Day, 2009, I re-watched the outstanding HBO documentary, The Perfect Upset, to immerse myself in the atmosphere of the stunning Villanova

Simply put, The Perfect Upset is outstanding. I highly recommend it, for anyone who wants to dive deeply not only into the game itself, but Villanova's entire NCAA tournament run, as well as the social atmosphere and upheavals that were convulsing American life and society in the 1980s.

I had previously seen it, but of course, it has particular resonance in light of the highly unexpected Final Four run by the 2009 Wildcats... here are some observations, on the game that took place two dozen years ago...

Villanova - as a #8 seed - winning the NCAA tournament in 1985, is probably the second-greatest upset in the history of North American sports.

(The only one that I believe is clearly greater, was the U.S. hockey team capturing the gold medal against the Soviet Union in 1980.) Nor does that primarily stem from my being a Villanova alumnus and fan. For sports enthusiasts of any partisan stripe, Villanova/Georgetown is a magnificent story, enormously entertaining, filled with unique, memorable, flamboyant characters, richly textured, with a thrilling plot and spectacular ending. It's so great that no fiction writer could ever have contrived it.

No other team seeded that low has ever come close to repeating the feat. Granted, Villanova is not the lowest seed to advance to the Final Four - George Mason in 2006, and LSU two decades earlier - both made it as #11 seeds. But neither won a game in the Final Four. And even if they had, they would not have to face an opponent as formidable as the 1985 Georgetown Hoyas.

Perhaps the most astonishing element of the story of the 1985 Villanova Wildcats, is the fact that the entire story is true and genuine. One interviewee in The Perfect Upset notes that "you can't script the stuff," and he's absolutely right. (His line parallels the slogan Fox Sports used once for its October baseball coverage - "You Can't Script October".)

All of the following classic dramatic elements were present: victory over Georgetown, 24 years ago, today... It is but one of the greatest ironies that it took place on April Fool's Day....

• The metaphor of David vs. Goliath;
• Clear villains in John Thompson and the Hoyas;
• Clear heroes in Rollie Massimino and the Wildcats;
• Not one, but two ailing Villanova fixtures - the first being Jake Nevin (who features prominently in The Perfect Upset) and also Alexander Severance, the founding father of Villanova basketball, who died during the Final Four but before the championship game (surprisingly, his passing is not mentioned during The Perfect Upset)...
• A small, private, academically prominent school winning the national championship;
• The first time that school had ever won the national championship;
• An astoundingly high level of play in the game itself - shooting 78.6% from the floor (22/28 overall), including 9/10 in the second half;
• the end of an era - it was the last tournament without a shot clock;
• the beginning of an era - it was the first year of the 64-team field.

That's only a partial list... Had Hollywood come up with a script for a basketball film, that incorporated all of the above elements, it clearly would have been rejected, as too unrealistic and sentimental - the audience would be unable to suspend its disbelief for a story like Villanova's.

But truth is indeed stranger than fiction, and the story really did take place according to the legend. It's all true...

If you haven't seen the outstanding1986 film Hoosiers (or if you haven't seen it recently), you really should go see it. Although its story stems from the true tale of a high school team in 1950s Indiana, the parallels between its plot and the saga of the Villanova Wildcats of 1985 are unmistakable. (I speculate that the script had probably already been written before the 1985 tournament, but it's possible that elements of it might have slipped in.) When telling the story of the 1985 Wildcats to those who are not familiar with it, it's often illustrative to liken it to Hoosiers..   (spoiler alert: don't keep reading, if you haven't seen it...)

Worth noting: The climax of Hoosiers, when the Hickory team coached by Gene Hackman upsets the powerhouse in the Indiana state title game, and in which he dramtically illustrates that the court's dimensions are the same size as back in Hickory, was filmed at the home venue of Butler University - which, as we all know, is located in Indianapolis, the site of this year's Final Four.  25 years after Villanova's upset, and 24 years after the release of Hoosiers.  Amazing...

Another aspect to keep in mind, is the distortion of retrospection. We all know the happy ending, about the eventual Villanova victory. In order to truly appreciate the stunning nature, though, we have to put ourselves in the frame of mind of those players, coaches, reporters, broadcasters, fans, etc., who were watching the events as they unfolded. It has to be remembered how improbable it was that Villanova had even reached the Final Four, let alone winning the entire tournament. Moreover, it had been highly improbable, that the Wildcats even reached the Sweet 16, having to play #9 Dayton on its home floor, and then top seed Michigan in the second round.

And as great as this year's team has been - and even if it does capture Villanova's second national crown - it can never match 1985. This year's team is a #3 seed, that had the further advantage of playing two rounds at home. And while North Carolina and either UConn/Michigan State are fine teams, they are not the juggernauts that the 1985 Hoyas were.

Villanova's 1985 championship is too difficult of an act to follow.

In the 24 tournaments since then (including this one), no lower seed has won the championship, or reached the title game. In 2006, as I (along with virtually all of America) rooted for George Mason to further shock the world by winning the national championship, I recognized that there would be one downside to the miracle - it would partially eclipse Villanova's feat. George Mason was an even bigger underdog, from a far less prominent conference, with a lower seed.

But of course, I was pulling for them, because it would have been a great feat on behalf of all the little schools in America, those who don't have the good fortune to play in power conferences or in great facilities or frequently on television. It would have underscored Villanova's triumph, not replaced it.

Although the 1985 team's accomplishment was certainly fully recognized at the time, the legend has only grown in the last two dozen years. As the big public schools, concentrated in the power conferences, continue to gobble up national titles, Final Four appearances, (and most alarmingly) an even greater share of NCAA tournament invitations, the achievement of the 1985 Wildcats has only glimmered that much brighter. Every year that goes by, without the miraculous event being repeated, simply adds to its luster.

So those are my thoughts on this April Fool's Day...

In the meantime...
You can also take a look at the other Villanova blogs included in Various Viewpoints on the right sidebar, for their takes...

There are two ways you can contact Villanova Viewpoint. One is by commenting on this blog. Comments are encouraged. Also, you can e-mail villanova.viewpoint@yahoo.com

Go Wildcats!

E-mail: villanova.viewpoint@yahoo.com

The Blizzard of 2010 Snows in Washington, #2 Wildcats, As #7 Georgetown Avalanches Wildcats, 103-90

To the Wildcat faithful-

The Blizzard of 2010 will, of course, primarily be remembered as the unprecedented snowfall that blanketed the nation's capital, one for the record books.  

But for both Villanova and Georgetown fans, there will also be "The Blizzard Game", when the two ancient programs, separated by Blue Route and Beltway, were both ranked in the top seven, nationally. 

A surprisingly large segment of #7 Georgetown's fan base braved the howling winds and vicissitudes of winter, in order to see their Hoyas take on the #2 Wildcats, in person.  Reports had indicated that the Blizzard of 2010 would nearly paralyze the nation's capital.  But I place great emphasis on "nearly".  Georgetown had sold over 20,000 tickets, and a sizable number of those fans showed up.

Clearly, John Thompson III and the Hoya players were grateful for their loyalty and support... and likely didn't want to disappoint them.  Well, they didn't.
 

The Hoyas clobbered the visiting Wildcats, 103-90, in a game which took well over two hours to complete.  Also, it was far less competitive, than the somewhat-respectable final score would indicate.

I would encourage you to visit the Georgetown blog Casual Hoya, in which a photo of the snow-laden scene today has the best, single-sentence caption, which summarized the game:

"It was snowing a lot today.  Georgetown won."

The day had gotten off to an inauspicious start for the Wildcats, according to ESPN analyst Doris Burke.  During the broadcast, Burke said that Herndon, Va. resident Scottie Reynolds and one of his teammates (I'm not sure which one), Antonio Pena, and a graduate student manager, had decided to accompany assistant coach Doug West on the Metro, to the Verizon Center, instead of taking the bus from the hotel.

(Thanks to commenter pttam7yanks below, who provided the above clarification, with a link to the source...)

Scottie and Doug West took the Metro with Antonio Pena and a graduate manager...

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/3360/is-that-scottie-reynolds-on-the-metro 

However, with the Metro's Red Line choked with traffic, due to the Arctic weather conditions, the small trio group, comprising the Wildcats entourage, found themselves engulfed by Georgetown students, making the short trip from the Dupont Circle stop to Metro Center.  Naturally, chants of "Hoya Saxa" and the like began.  They would hear plenty more of them, for the rest of the day.

The big stars for Villanova, offensively, were Reynolds and Corey Fisher, each of whom scored two dozen points.  Reynolds, who passed the 2,000 point milestone against Seton Hall on Tuesday, now ranks fifth all-time; he is only the eighth Wildcat to cross the 2,000-point plateau.  It wasn't a great day from the floor, as he made only six of his 17 attempts; Reynolds did better at the foul line, where he converted 9-11.

Fisher, a junior, became the 52nd Wildcat to score 1,000 points.  He did so on 8-13 shooting, in one of the best games of his Main Line career.  The third Wildcat to finish in double figures was Corey Stokes; the Bayonne Bomber scored 10 points on 4-9 shooting, in just 20 minutes of action.

Ordinarily, 24 points each from Reynolds and Fisher would probably be enough for a victory.  But the Wildcats' team defense today was terrible.  No fewer than five Hoyas scored at least a dozen points; I speculate that it's probably the first time in Jay Wright's tenure at Villanova, that five opponents have managed 12 points or more in a single game.

Villanova permitted Austin Freeman to score 25 points on 8-12 shooting, his second-highest total this season, while playing all 40 minutes.  Likewise, Jason Clark also had two dozen points on 8-11 shooting, a season-high for him.  Greg Monroe, who led a gallant comeback effort in Georgetown's loss to Villanova at the Wachovia Center in January, finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.  Julian Vaughn had 13 points in only 22 minutes, including 7-7 from the line.  Hollis Thompson's 12 points represented just his second game in double-figures, for the freshman.

Georgetown scored a lot of easy points at the foul line, as the Hoyas took a stunning 50 free throw attempts, hitting 39 of them (78%).  The Wildcats shot almost as well, at 73.9%, but took only 23 attempts, converting 17 of them.

But an even bigger problem was the perimeter - and that was where Villanova lost this afternoon's game.  The Hoyas hit a shocking 52.6% of their three-point shots, going 10-19; the Wildcats made just nine of their 28 attempts, less than 33%.

Other issues complicated the Villanova cause today.  The Wildcats' frontcourt was largely ineffective, bogging down in foul trouble and never becoming a factor.   

Pena played just 11 minutes before fouling out; the seven points and three rebounds are impressive, given how little he played, but the Wildcats needed him on the floor.  Taylor King played only 14 minutes before he fouled out; his half a dozen points came on a pair of triples, but during Villanova's last gasps of a comeback attempt down the stretch.  Mouphtaou Yarou played 13 minutes, but accumulated four fouls, while scoring two points and grabbing three boards.  Maurice Sutton had to be pressed into service for seven minutes, due to all of the fouls.

The Wildcats were dreadful in the first half, committing a barrage of turnovers in the early going, and falling behind 50-31 at intermission; they trailed by as many as 23 points.  The 59-point second half looks great, per se, but in light of how bad the defense was overall, the Wildcats had no real chance to come back.  Villanova yielded 53 points in the second half.  Georgetown dominated the game from start to finish.  It was the first time that the Hoyas had scored over 100 points in a Big East regular-season, regulation game, in over ten years.

The only glimmer of hope was when Chris Wright - Georgetown's only true point guard - sank into foul trouble, himself.  He picked up his fourth foul early in the second half, and after some time on the bench, came back in and promptly fouled out; he played only 28 minutes.

When Wright was out of the game, Georgetown had enormous difficulty in getting its half-court offense rolling, and Villanova seemed to be in a good position to rally.  The Hoyas committed 20 turnovers, today; astonishingly, more than Villanova's 19 miscues.  But the deficit was simply too large to overcome; the Hoyas' juggernaut had racked up too many points, by then.

It was not a good game for either Wright; Jay Wright had picked up a technical foul in the first half, and it was - surprisingly - not due to his losing a cuff link.  Georgetown did a terrific job today at making it difficult for the Wildcats to do what they do best - drive relentlessly to the hoop and/or get fouled.  The Hoyas were adept at drawing charges, contributing significantly to Villanova's high turnover rate, especially in the first half.  (At one point; Villanova had committed both more fouls and turnovers, than it had field goals, which is never a good portent for victory.)

The game ruined Villanova's bid for a perfect Big East season; the Wildcats fell to 9-1 Big East, 20-2 overall.  Georgetown, which had been upset by South Florida on Wednesday, improved to 7-4 Big East, 17-5 overall.  It also ended Villanova's 11-game winning streak; the only previous loss had been at Temple, back on December 13.

Next Up For the Wildcats

Villanova now must make the arduous journey to Morgantown, West Virginia, a difficult trek even when historic Blizzards have not fallen, to take on the #6 Mountaineers.  Look at it this way - this year's trip can't be any worse than last year's Friday the 13th disaster in Morgantown (or today's disaster in DC).

Go Wildcats!

E-mail: villanova.viewpoint@yahoo.com

Interview with Georgetown Blogger Casual Hoya, As the #2 Wildcats Face the #7 Hoyas in Washington

To the Wildcat faithful-

I'd like to thank Georgetown blogger Casual Hoya, who graciously agreed to a cyberinterview on the #7 Hoyas, as the showdown between two of the top seven teams in the nation commences, at high noon tomorrow at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC...

And of course, I'd encourage you to take a look at his site, for more on Villanova / Georgetown - his cyberinterview with the fine Villanova blog I Bleed Blue and White, as well as a hilarious picture of Jay Wright...

Without further ado-

1) VV: What has been the biggest surprise for the Hoyas this season?

Casual Hoya: To many, it is the play of Austin Freeman, who is having an incredible season averaging 16.4 points a game, and 19.4 points in Big East games.  But Freeman was a highly touted player coming out of high school and is finally playing to his potential. 

To me, the biggest surprise has been the play of our supporting big men, Julian Vaughn and Henry Sims.  Vaughn is having a great season playing alongside Greg Monroe in the starting lineup, while Sims is having a dismal season and is now 4th off an already weak bench.  Coming into the season, I wasn't sure who was going to get more playing time, now I feel just plain silly for even pondering such a ridiculous question.  Problem is, we need Sims to get better, but with Georgetown's hard OCC schedule and demanding BE schedule, there are very few opportunities for him to get playing experience.

2) VV: What is the biggest difference between last year's team, and this year's team?

Casual Hoya: Well, first off, it is February and we are not IMPLODING like the Stardust in Vegas.  Why?  Jesse Sapp isn't around to start fights with Chris Wright and DaJuan Summers is not around to chill somewhere around half-court before sprinting to the basket and clanging dunks off the rim.  The team is more cohesive (they go to the barbershop together) this year, but clearly has the ability to beat anybody (Duke) and lose to anybody (ODU and USF).

3) VV: Can you describe the adaptations that John Thompson III has made to the Princeton offense, in order to install it with bigger and more athletic players at Georgetown, as opposed to his alma mater?  It's really cool to watch, and I look forward to seeing Georgetown against other opponents, with the back door cuts.

Casual Hoya: One thing to keep in mind about the Princeton offense, is that it’s not the unknown quantity that it was some years ago (think back to Princeton beating UCLA on the backdoor cut in 1995) and though the principles are the same, you don’t see quite as many backdoor layups, particularly with conference teams that are well versed in defending it. 

With that out of the way, clearly the biggest difference is that Georgetown has NBA talent. This can be maddening at times, as the offense is predicated largely on everyone on the floor being a player who can fill all slots, as opposed to traditional guard, center, and forward.  And this leads to Greg Monroe and Julian Vaughn (and Roy Hibbert before them) often stuck on the perimeter, where they are far less effective.

The offense also prides itself on trust and sacrificing individual stats for the team – and this is clearly evident in the difference between this year’s and last year’s teams. Although Wright is clearly shoot-first, he is nowhere near the black hole that was DaJuan Summers. It also takes a few years to really understand the flow and Wright and Freeman have made great strides from their first two years, to really leading the team now.

There really aren’t many changes from coaching at Princeton, it’s just being run with more skilled and athletic players. And the lack of change carries through to results – Princeton would also lose to USF.

4) VV: In the first game, we led 46-31 at the half, but we held off a valiant second-half rally to barely hang on for the victory.  What happened in the first game, that we should not expect to see in the second game, in terms of how Georgetown will try to improve?

Casual Hoya: Georgetown has been great coming off losses, particularly Chris Wright.  When he plays well, so do the Hoyas.  Chris is coming off an awful performance in a loss to South Florida, so I'd expect him to come back strong.  The key to Georgetown is Wright shooting the ball well and Monroe staying out of foul trouble.  Expect both of them to have strong bounce back games.  I will be very surprised if we dig ourselves another 15 point hole this time around.  Then again, I was very surprised we lost to South Florida at home this year, so umm, who knows.

5) VV: Speculation - will there be a third game in New York - or even a fourth game in the NCAA tournament, between these teams?

Casual Hoya: To be honest, I’m getting kind of sick of Scottie Reynolds, who it seems the Hoyas have been facing for the better part of a decade.   

That being said, the Georgetown – Villanova rivalry is a special one, considering the schools are very similar in size and really only have hoops to hang our athletics' heads on.  It’s difficult to project the final Big East standings since the Hoyas could fall apart and wind up playing Rutgers on the first Tuesday, but I hope that Georgetown and 'Nova are on the same side of the bracket, since the matchups always seem to be memorable in some fashion.   

And speaking of fashion, it would be nice to see what Jay Wright brings out of his closet for a 3^rd encounter with the Hoyas.  As far as projecting a matchup in the NCAA Tournament goes, you’ll have to forgive me for declining to cooperate, as we’re still trying to pick up the pieces after that USF debacle.

My thanks to Casual Hoya for a very substantive cyberinterview.  Also, please check back for the updated Villanova/Georgetown Rivalry History, coming later...

Go Wildcats!

E-mail: villanova.viewpoint@yahoo.com

#4 Wildcats Snap 5-Game Losing Streak to #11 Georgetown, Hold Off Hoyas' 2nd Half Rally to Prevail, 82-77, at the Wachovia Center

To the Wildcat faithful-

The #4 Wildcats held off a furious second-half rally by the #11 Georgetown Hoyas on Sunday at the Wachovia Center.  Scottie Reynolds poured in a game-high 27 points to lead Villanova, while Greg Monroe's career game - 29 points, 14 rebounds. three assists, three steals, and two blocks - wasn't enough to push a valiant comeback bid over the top, for the Hoyas.  Villanova had led 46-31 at halftime, but saw Georgetown rally to tie the score late in the second half, before clutch free throw shooting sealed the win in the waning seconds.

(This is the placeholder article - full story to come... please check back-)

Full story-

Over the years, the Villanova / Georgetown series has had its share of painful to watch, low-scoring affairs.  But such was not the case at the Wachovia Center on Sunday.

In a game which was marvellously entertaining, full of surprises and an unpleasantly suspenseful ending, the #4 Wildcats dominated play in the first half, coughed up a 15-point halftime lead, but held on by their claws for a thrilling 82-77 victory over #11 Georgetown.  Down the stretch, there were heroics at the foul line from Reynolds and freshman Maalik Wayns; the two point guards combined to go a perfect 8-8 from the line, during the last 36 seconds, securing the victory.

It was Villanova's first victory over the Hoyas since January 2007, snapping a five-game losing streak.

Villanova improved to 5-0 Big East, 15-1 overall; Georgetown fell to 4-2 Big East, 13-3 overall.  The two teams will meet once more this season, in a rare throwback to the pre-football-expansion Big East, at the Verizon Center on Saturday, February 6, at high noon.

Reynolds's 27 points made him - far and away - the offensive star for Villanova; he more than doubled the scoring total of any of his Wildcat teammates, and he did it in only 29 minutes.  But he wasn't the only hero.

The best overall day, apart from Reynolds, was from fellow senior Reggie Redding.  Redding scored 11 points on just 5-13 shooting, but he added six rebounds and five assists.  Wayns also scored 11 points, adding two rebounds and two assists, in addition to his 4-5 from the line.  Corey Fisher also struggled with his shot, going just 2-7 from the floor, but reached double figures with 10 points - plus two rebounds, three assists and three steals.

For Georgetown, Monroe's game was simply unbelievable.  Playing all but two minutes, Monroe's 29 points came on 9-13 shooting from the floor, 10-15 from the line, and making his only three-point attempt.  Austin Freeman was nearly as good, however.  Freeman played all but one minute, adding 22 points on 8-15 shooting, plus half a dozen assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals.  Jason Clark also played 39 minutes, scoring 16 points on 5-11 shooting, including 4-8 from three-point range, and grabbed five rebounds.


What was the key to victory for Villanova?

Depth.  

Jay Wright had an advantage that John Thompson III did not - namely, the ability to constantly substitute fresh players.  Eleven Wildcats saw action, with ten of them playing at least ten minutes.  In contrast, JT III had essentially a seven-man rotation.  Both teams became mired in foul trouble - a reason why the game took two and a half hours to complete.  But Villanova was better able to win the war of attrition, with its deeper and higher-scoring bench.

This is even more pronounced, when you consider how the team statistics were remarkably balanced - virtually identical, in fact.  Both teams were 33.3% from beyond the arc (9-27 for the Hoyas, 7-21 for the Wildcats).  They both took 61 field goal attempts - Villanova hitting 26 (42.6%) and Georgetown 24 (39.3%).  From the foul line, Villanova was 23-30 (76.7%), Georgetown was 20-27 (74.1%).  Villanova committed 27 fouls; Georgetown 25; both teams had 10 steals.  Villanova had an advantage in rebounding (44-38) and forced more turnovers (15-11), but they were the only real gaps statistically.

The game was particularly surprising, given that entering the game, all signs pointed to a close game throughout.  Villanova crushed Georgetown during the first half, opening up a wide, 46-31 lead at intermission, surprising even the most optimistic Wildcats partisans.  Clearly, Thompson made some adjustments at halftime, as the #11 Hoyas were the team that returned to the floor.  Georgetown managed to tie the game twice, although it never took the lead, and ultimately won the second half by ten points.

 The 20,000-strong crowd was very vocal in the first half, and provided some strong support as Villanova repelled the Georgetown counterattacks   Nonetheless, the game had the kind of feel to it, that the Hoyas might be able to deftly snatch victory from the jaws of defeat down the stretch, as Villanova had proven unable to decisively end the contest.

(I have to say that I did not like the black jerseys Georgetown was wearing, particularly since the school colors are blue and gray....  the ESPN+ broadcast identified them as blue, but they were black.  They'd be better off with dark navy, similar to Villanova's road color.)

Next Up for the Wildcats

The Wildcats head up the New Jersey Turnpike to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Wednesday, January 20.

And, of course, please check out the other fine Villanova blogs on the sidebar, for their respective takes on the victory...

Go Wildcats!

E-mail: villanova.viewpoint@yahoo.com

#4 Wildcats / #11 Georgetown Hoyas - A Detailed Summary of Recent Games in the Rivalry

To the Wildcat faithful-

We all know, of course, about 1985, the mirabile annu (Latin, "year of miracles") for Villanova against Georgetown.  But there have been many other more recent, great games between Villanova and Georgetown, schools separated by just 139 miles on I-476 and I-95 - an easy under-three-hour trip, without traffic, most of it highway...  and unfortunately, Villanova has lost the last five of them... the last Villanova victory is at the bottom of this post...

If you'd like to see a concise history of the entire rivalry, with a focus on the classic 1985 national championship in Lexington, Kentucky, I'd like to recommend my previous post - #4 Wildcats Host #11 Georgetown Hoyas on Sunday - A Concise Rivalry History...

Going in reverse chronological order:

January 17, 2010 - Wachovia Center - #4 Villanova 82, #11 Georgetown 77

My full story on the game can be found here...

February 28, 2009 - Wachovia Center - Georgetown 56, #10 Villanova 54

In the teams' sole meeting last season - here is my full story - "Georgetown Preserves Flickering NCAA Hopes with 56-54 upset of #10 Villanova @ the Wachovia Center"...

Georgetown overcame 23 turnovers to do so, stunning the large crowd at the Wachovia Center.  It was Georgetown's fifth straight win over Villanova.

As it turned out, the Hoyas' upset did not slip them into the field of 65, as they finished the regular season in 12th place and a 7-11 record in conference play.  They were eliminated in the first round of the Big East tournament, in which they probably needed to (at minimum) reach the championship round, in order to have any hope for an at-large bid.  Their high RPI had kept them on the bubble, but after an early loss in New York, they went to the NIT and fell in the first round to Baylor, by two points.

March 13, 2008 - Madison Square Garden - Big East tournament quarterfinal - #9 Georgetown 82, Villanova 63

The top-seeded Hoyas turned away Villanova's bid for an upset in New York.  Jessie Sapp led Georgetown with 23 points, and the team tied a Big East tournament record for triples in one contest with 17, and Jonathan Wallace added 20 points.  The Wildcats fell to 0-5 against Georgetown in the Big East tournament.  Scottie Reynolds led Villanova with 13 points, while Dante Cunningham, Antonio Pena, and Dwayne Anderson each had a dozen.  

February 11, 2008 - Verizon Center - #8 Georgetown 55, Villanova 53

The Wildcats lost at the MCI/Verizon Center for the first time ever - given that they had opened the building, as Georgetown's first opponent, with a victory, back in December 1997.  It was the first time they had lost to the Hoyas on the road since January 1997, when Georgetown was still playing home games in the Capital Centre/US Air Arena, in distant Landover, Maryland.

It was high drama, as Wallace was fouled by Villanova's Corey Stokes with one-tenth of one second to play and the score tied at 55.  Villanova had been holding for the final shot, but Reynolds turned over the ball in traffic, and in the ensuing commotion, Wallace got to the ball and was fouled by Stokes, 70 feet from the Villanova basket..  Wallace hit both free throws to give Georgetown the victory.

Reynolds scored 24 points, and it was also noteworthy that Corey Fisher went 1-16 from the floor.

March 8, 2007 -  Madison Square Garden - Big East tournament quarterfinal - #9 Georgetown 62, Villanova 57

My full story -

#9 Villanova Falls to Top-Seeded Georgetown in Big East Tournament Quarterfinal Round, 62-57; Valiant Comeback After Hoyas Built 26-2, 35-10 Leads

In one of the most bizarre games in the series history, ninth-ranked (and top-seeded) Georgetown led by scores of 14-0 and 26-2 to start the contest - yet ultimately won only by only five points.  The Wildcats had a furious charge, to trail by just five with 27.9 seconds remaining, but could draw no closer.  For the Hoyas, Roy Hibbert (14 points), Jeff Green (12 points, nine rebounds), DaJuan Summers and Wallace (10 points, four rebounds each) powered the victory.

For the Wildcats, Curtis Sumpter (18 points, six rebounds), Reynolds and Reggie Redding (11 points each), and Will Sheridan (10 points, nine rebound), provided the rally. 

February 17, 2007 - Wachovia Center - #14 Georgetown 58, Villanova 55

My full story:

#14 Hoyas Rally, Scoring Final 7 Pts Of Game To Top Villanova at Wachovia Center, 58-55

This was the beginning of Georgetown's current five-game winning streak over Villanova.  In a game where Hibbert was on the bench much of the time in foul trouble, the Wildcats failed to hold a 55-51 lead down the stretch, permitting the Hoyas to score the final seven points of the contest and foil an upset bid, 58-55.

The big star for Georgetown was Green, who ended up with 19 points and a career-high eight blocks. Sapp had 16 points, including a desperation heave at the buzzer of the first half that went in.  Reynolds had 18 points for Villanova, while Sumpter added 15.

The Hoyas' victory meant a season split of the series, with the increasingly rare phenomenon of two regular-season meetings...

January 8, 2007 - Verizon Center - Villanova 56, Georgetown 52

My full story-

Villanova Garners Ugly Win @ Georgetown, 56-52 - Remains Unbeaten (6-0!) @ Verizon Center!

It was yet another victory for Villanova there - and it remains Villanova's most recent victory over the Hoyas.
Reynolds had 16 points, and Shane Clark 14 points, to lead Villanova.  For Georgetown, Hibbert struggled, scoring only two points and not attempting a field goal.  Summers led the Hoyas with 14 points.

February 19, 2006 - The Pavilion - Villanova 75, Georgetown 65

Making only their second-ever (and most recent) appearance in Villanova's on-campus venue, the Hoyas fell to a superior Wildcats squad.

Another chapter written Sunday...

Go Wildcats!

E-mail: villanova.viewpoint@yahoo.com

#4 Wildcats Host #11 Georgetown Hoyas on Sunday - A Concise Rivalry History

To the Wildcat faithful-

I thought that it might be a good time, with the #4 Wildcats hosting the #11 Hoyas on Sunday at the Wachovia Center, to take a look at the long history of the rivalry between Villanova and Georgetown, and how it has intersected over the years...
 
The Villanova/Georgetown Rivalry History

Villanova's legendary rivalry with Georgetown is truly remarkable. The greatest game in Villanova history took place on April 1, 1985, when the Wildcats defeated the heavily-favored Hoyas, to capture the NCAA championship. For more on the traditions and rivalry, please keep reading... At the end of this article, I will tell the story of the 1985 game, the most thrilling game I have ever seen, in any sport.

But before I do so, I will describe the rise of the Hoya empire. Villanova's upset is fully appreciated, when one considers what the Wildcats had to face. In marked contrast to Villanova, Georgetown had little basketball tradition, prior to the arrival of John Thompson in 1972.

(N.B.  I'd like to thank Georgetown commenter HoyasWinHoyasWin for his helpful correction, which he shares very candidly in his comment below.  He accurately noted that the post did not include Georgetown's most recent banner season, 2006-07, which saw the Hoyas return to the Final Four for the first time since - well - Villanova/Georgetown in 1985.  I regret the oversight.  This Georgetown history, much of which had been composed in early 2007, had not been updated to include that achivement.  I regret the oversight and error.

Accordingly, you'll see italicized and strikethrough text; italicized reflect his corrections, strikethrough the erroneous text.) 

First - The perennial question: "What Is A Hoya?" I will quote the Georgetown media guide: "In the days when all Georgetown students were required to study Greek and Latin, the University's teams were nicknamed "the Stonewalls". A student, using Greek and Latin terms, started the cheer, "Hoya Saxa", which translates as "What rocks!" The name proved popular, and the term Hoyas was eventually adopted for all Georgetown teams.

Georgetown's colors are blue and gray, and the direct inspiration for them was the Civil War. During the war, Georgetown's location on the Potomac river placed it at the border between Union and Confederacy. Maryland and the District of Columbia were part of the Union. But Virginia, across the river, was the most populous and important state of the Confederacy. In addition to its location, many Georgetown alumni, the "sons of Georgetown", had fought for each side. (It was an all-male school at the time.) 

In light of those facts, Georgetown decided to adopt blue and gray as its colors: the Union soldiers had worn blue uniforms while many Confederate armies had worn gray. Like the nation, the Georgetown community itself had been divided during the conflict. The symbolism was intended as a healing gesture, to reunite after the war.

Thompson, a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, is a genuine legend. Due to his success and his powerful personality, he remains one of the best known college basketball coaches in America. However, Thompson's accomplishments are even more remarkable, in light of the Georgetown program which he inherited. Thompson literally constructed the Hoyas' program, brick by brick, for over a quarter of a century.

Georgetown's program is among the oldest in the nation, as it observed its centennial anniversary last season. The Hoyas' first season (just four games) was 1906-1907: the Hoyas played nearby George Washington three times, and one against Virginia. The program did enjoy some success during the 1920s, posting some strong records. However, the success predated both the NCAA tournament and the NIT. Villanova traveled to Georgetown in the Wildcats' second season of play, 1921-22. But the Wildcats fell, 39-34. Surprisingly, due to the close proximity of the schools, the teams would not play again for 23 years!

In 1943, Georgetown qualified for postseason play, for the first time in school history. Led by Elmer Ripley, the Hoyas went 22-5 and qualified for the NCAA tournament, held at New York's Madison Square Garden that year. The talented Mr. Ripley must have been a great coach: at that time, the NCAA tourney invited only eight teams! Georgetown defeated New York University and DePaul to reach the national championship game. But Wyoming whipped the Hoyas, 46-34, to win the national championship. In the consolation game, Georgetown topped Toledo and thus finished in third place. 

>Note: An anonymous commenter below, has provided some clarification on the history, and shared some interesting facts about the 1943 Hoyas.  I regret the error, and would like to thank him for clarifying the history....

The Hoyas finished as runners-up in '43 (not third place). The win over NIT runner-up Toledo following the NCAA tournament was in the Sportswriter's Playoff, a charity event between the finalists of each tournament.

> The Hoyas have reached the NCAA Elite Eight 9 times (1943, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1996 & 2007); the '43 Elite Eight only represents an invitation to the then-8-man tournament, but the Hoyas did go all the way to the final game that year, as noted above.

Unfortunately for Georgetown, its next two seasons were canceled due to World War II. I speculate that due to the school's DC location, its building was commandeered for military use. For example, in Philadelphia, Penn's Palestra was used for Navy administrative offices. However, no Big Five team's schedule was canceled due to the war.

After the war ended in 1945, Villanova and Georgetown began a spirited rivalry. Three months after the Japanese surrender, Villanova hosted the Hoyas for the first time. The Wildcats won, 40-37. For the next four years, they played each other twice a season, foreshadowing the twice-a-year rivalry in the BIG EAST. Georgetown swept Villanova in 1947, and the teams split the 1948 series. But Villanova swept the Hoyas, during the next two seasons.

For some reason, the series ended after the 1950 season. Three decades would ensue, before the creation of the BIG EAST in 1980. Surprisingly, the teams played each other only three times, over those 30 years.

In 1953, Georgetown made its first NIT appearance: it was still the era when the NIT was probably more prestigious than the NCAAs. The Hoyas went 13-7, and lost to Louisville in the first round. They wouldn't return to post-season play until 1970, earning another NIT bid and losing in the first round to Louisiana State.

Thompson arrived in DC, taking over for the 1972-73 season. He inherited a moribund Georgetown program, which had gone 3-23 the previous season. Georgetown's "tradition" was a grand total of three post-season appearances: two NIT bids and a NCAA third-place second-place finish.

Naturally, nobody expected that Georgetown would become even a respectable program, let alone a powerhouse. The idea that the Hoyas would become one of the most prominent and successful teams in the nation was utterly absurd. But Thompson was the architect and visionary that made it possible. In 1975, Thompson's third season, the Hoyas made their first trip to the NCAA tournament in 32 years. While Georgetown lost in the first round, it began one of the most remarkable eras in college basketball.

The Hoyas won the 1984 national championship, and reached the Final Four in 1982 and 1985 and 2007. Georgetown also has made four five trips to the Elite Eight, the most recent two most recent being in 1996, led by Allen Iverson -  and the Hoyas' most recent trip to the Final Four was in 2007.  Georgetown was one of the eight original members of the BIG EAST, in 1979-1980. Villanova joined as the ninth team, one year later.

That brings us to the miraculous game, on April 1, 1985, when Villanova beat Georgetown and captured the NCAA championship!

That season was the first year that the NCAA tournament consisted of 64 teams, up from 48. At 19-10, it was unclear as to whether Villanova would even receive a bid: the Wildcats received a #8 seed. There is a consensus among national observers, that Villanova made the most unbelievable, miraculous run of any team in the NCAA tournament, before or since. The Wildcats defeated #9 seed Dayton on Dayton's home floor (teams are no longer permitted to play on their home floor.) Villanova then upset the #1 seed, Michigan, to head for the Sweet 16. 

The Wildcats then flew to Birmingham, Alabama, and knocked off ACC powers Maryland and North Carolina. It was Villanova's first Final Four appearance since 1971, when the Wildcats lost to UCLA in the final. (Villanova's games were ultimately forfeited due to Howard Porter signing with an agent, prior to the tournament, rendering him ineligible.)

Two other BIG EAST teams, Georgetown and St. John's, joined 'Nova in Lexington, Kentucky. Villanova surprised Memphis State in the national semifinal, while Georgetown stopped St. John's. Georgetown was considered a virtual lock for the national title. The Hoyas were the defending national champions, and entered the game at 35-2. (Georgetown's only two losses had been to St. John's and Syracuse, by a total of three points.)

Moreover, Georgetown had been routinely thrashing 'Nova, since the Wildcats had entered the BIG EAST in 1981. The Hoyas had won nine of the eleven games in that span, many by convincing margins. In 1985, there was only a slight glimmer of hope. Villanova had battled the Hoyas in two close losses that season: a 57-50 loss at Georgetown and a heartbreaking, 52-50 overtime loss at the Spectrum. Nonetheless, nobody other than Rollie and the Wildcats thought that they had a chance to come out on top.

College basketball observers everywhere agree that Villanova played "The Perfect Game," defeating the Hoyas, 66-64, to bring home the national championship to the Main Line! Villanova shot 22-27 from the floor, an unthinkable 78.6%. The Wildcats took only ten shots in the second half, making nine of them.

Surprisingly, prior to the arrival of Jay Wright, on the subject of the commemoration of the 1985 championship, there was only very minimal acknowledgment of the championship in the Pavilion. Subsequently, under the Wright regime, a fitting and proper mural of the 1985 national championship team has been added to the ground floor of the Pavilion lobby. Nonetheless, there should be a mini-museum to tell the story. The mural was a good start, but more still needs to be done for proper commemoration.

The best illustration of Georgetown's stature: Villanova played The Perfect Game - and only won by two!More recently, there has been another Villanova victory over Georgetown to savor. On January 30, 1999, Villanova pulled off a 93-90, double-overtime, miraculous win over Georgetown at the then-First Union Center. (I attended the game, and it was the most exciting finish that I've ever seen live.)

In the second OT, we trailed 90-87, with five seconds to go. Georgetown was at the foul line. After the Hoya missed two shots, Howard Brown hit a three-pointer from the corner to tie the game with one second remaining. Georgetown carelessly inbounded the ball, it was stolen by Brooks Sales, and Jermaine Medley hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to win it...  

Another worthwhile note: The Wildcats were the first opponent to play Georgetown at the new MCI (now Verizon) Center, in December 1997 - and won.

Various Viewpoints

Also, go get the full roundup on the upcoming game with Georgetown, from the other Villanova sites:

I Bleed Blue and White

greyCat at Villanova By the Numbers

VUHoops.com

Nova News

Go Wildcats!

There are two ways you can contact Villanova Viewpoint. One is by commenting on this blog. Comments are encouraged, welcomed, and will always be answered.

Also, you can e-mail villanova.viewpoint@yahoo.com (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)