To the Wildcat faithful-
The major question for Marquette remains - can they beat an elite Big East opponent, without Dominic James, who is out for the season with a broken foot? The Golden Eagles staggered through the stretch run without James, dropping their final four games and costing them a precious double-bye spot, as they landed in the #5 position, one game behind the Wildcats. Marquette was actually in first place at one point in the season, prior to James' injury - no mean feat in a 16-team conference loaded with powerful teams. Yet they were not able to secure the precious double-bye by finishing in the top four...
That having been said, Marquette turned in undoubtedly the finest performance of the dozen teams that have thus far played in Madison Square Garden. Yesterday, the Golden Eagles had built an astonishing 38-10 lead over St. John's at halftime; the 10 points allowed in a half was a record low for the nearly-three decade history of the tournament.
Marquette is assured of a NCAA bid, regardless of how well they do in New York; moreover, the Selection Committee takes injuries into account, so the losses without James might be somewhat mitigated.
All-time Series: 7-6, Villanova
Despite being mid-sized Catholic basketball powers, the two teams did not meet regularly until Marquette joined the Big East. Prior to that, Villanova led the series 5-2. The most prominent, recent pre-Big East meeting was Marquette's thrashing of Villanova in Madison Square Garden, in the first game for the fabled incoming class of Allan Ray, Randy Foye, Curtis Sumpter, and Jason Fraser, in November 2002; superstar Dwyane Wade led the way for the Golden Eagles in that contest. Jay Wright is just 2-4 against Marquette in his career.Here's a recap of the second game between the schools this year, then-#13 Villanova's victory over then-#10 Marquette at the Pavilion, back on February 10...
I'll have a full recap after the game - and hopefully, there will be a need for a preview tonight of the Wildcats taking on either Providence or Louisville tomorrow...
For other Villanova/Marquette previews, please check out the following sites - I highly recommend them:
Pete's Let's Go 'Nova site
I Bleed Blue and White site
VUHoops.com site
Villanova By the Numbers (VBTN)
'Nova News
And for a valuable opponents' perspective, take a look at Cracked Sidewalks for an outstanding Marquette site...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
Here is Part 4 of the Villanova Big East Tournament History... and here are the links to Part 1...and Part 2... and Part 3... and Part 4 is below this post...
Keep checking back for frequent, new installments, as this week, I chronicle all 28 Big East tournaments in which Villanova has participated... and there will be a preview of fourth-seeded Villanova's Thursday afternoon quarterfinal game against either #5 Marquette or #13 St. John's, the latter defeating Georgetown yesterday.... The Golden Eagles clash with the Red Storm at 2 PM or so on Wednesday afternoon...
Part 5 - The Start of the Lappas Era
1993
This was unquestionably the worst Villanova team in the Big East era, before or since. In the first season under Steve Lappas, Rollie’s former assistant and most recently the coach at Manhattan, the team nosedived to a 3-15 finish in conference play. It finished alone in 10th place, by far the worst record and finish since joining the conference a dozen years earlier. In the second-ever #7-#10 game, Boston College mercifully ended the campaign with a 79-74 victory, dropping the Wildcats to 8-19. This was probably one of only two years in Villanova’s 28 tournaments, where the Wildcats entered the Big East tournament with no meaningful hope of possibly winning it. The Wildcats missed postseason play for the first time in the Big East era.
1994
This was the first year of the 1990s renaissance on the Main Line, as the Wildcats made their greatest single-season improvement in conference history, before or since. It was also one of the best year-to-year revivals in school history, even reaching back to the beginning of Villanova’s storied history. The team was led by the nucleus of Kerry Kittles, Jason Lawson, Alvin Williams, Eric Eberz, Jonathan Haynes, and Chuck Kornegay, one of the best core groups to ever play at Villanova.
After finishing 3-15 and dead last, the Wildcats rocketed to a 10-8 record and a fourth-place tie. The #5 Wildcats lost to #4 Providence in the quarterfinals, though, the second straight year they had lost their first game in New York, and they were not able to secure an at-large NCAA bid.
Villanova did the best they could, though – they won the NIT for the first time ever, making them one of a rare elite of programs who have won both major tournaments. After dispatching Canisius, Duquesne, and Xavier, the Wildcats returned to Madison Square Garden and defeated Siena and Vanderbilt to take home the trophy.
Check back for subsequent installments... Part 6 - 1995: Big East Tournament Champions! coming up soon...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
Here is Part 4 of the Villanova Big East Tournament History... and here are the links to Part 1...and Part 2... and Part 3.....
Keep checking back for frequent, new installments, as this week, I chronicle all 28 Big East tournaments in which Villanova has participated... and there will be a preview of fourth-seeded Villanova's Thursday afternoon quarterfinal game against either #5 Marquette or #13 St. John's, the latter defeating Georgetown yesterday.... The Golden Eagles clash with the Red Storm at 2 PM or so on Wednesday...Part 4 - 1991-92 - The End of the Rollie Era
1991
This would be the end of an era for the Big East conference. After a decade of nine-team membership as a basketball conference, it would be the last year before football’s influence became primary, because Miami would join the conference as the tenth team during the following season. This mandated a 18-game schedule, since at the time, there was a home-and-home series against every opponent. (This seems unthinkable today, with a 16-team conference, but those were simpler days.)
The most significant ripple effect for the Philadelphia sports scene, however, was the catastrophic decision by Villanova to withdraw from the full City Series round-robin, after the 1991 City Series concluded. The Wildcats would thus become the outcast team for the decade of the 1990s, until the decision was rescinded in 1999, made effective in the 1999-2000 season.
As it turned out, Villanova finished with a 7-9 record, resulting in their lowest finish ever – a tie for seventh-place – and also their lowest Big East seed ever, #8. So the Wildcats finally played in the mordant #8-#9 game, for the right to face top-seeded Syracuse in the quarterfinals.
#8 Villanova barely escaped #9 Boston College, 74-73, and then pulled off its most stunning upset in Big East tournament play, before or since. They stunned #1 Syracuse, 70-68, knocking off the Orangemen for the first time in half a dozen tries, and ending the pattern of futility against them. The victory also ensured a NCAA tournament berth that was far from secure at the end of the regular season: Villanova had finished with a losing record, albeit in the top-rated conference. The run ended in the semifinals, where Seton Hall held off an upset, 74-72. Marc Dowdell was named to the All-Tournament team.The Wildcats made their second straight NCAA appearance, holding off #9 Princeton, 50-48, in one of the most magnificent and exciting NCAA games in Villanova’s long history. Top-seeded North Carolina ended the Wildcats’ season in the second round, 84-69.
1992
This was truly the end of an era: after 19 seasons at the helm, 357 victories, and a national championship, Roland V. Massimino would depart - under rancorous circumstances - for UNLV at the end of the season. (A young, unknown Wildcat assistant named Jay Wright would follow Rollie from the Main Line to Las Vegas...)
Within the conference, Villanova enjoyed a strong regular season, finishing 11-7; it was the first time they had finished four games over .500 in the Big East in half a dozen years (in 1986, they had gone 10-6) and won fourth place outright. However, they fell to #5 Syracuse (again), in the quarterfinals; the Orangemen avenged the upset loss of the preceding year, 55-52.
However, Villanova’s non-Big East schedule turned into a disaster, perhaps as retribution from the basketball gods for not playing the full City Series round-robin for the first time since 1956; Temple and La Salle were absent from the schedule. The Big East tournament loss dropped them to 14-14, meaning that they were 3-6 outside the conference, and they just snuck into the NIT. In Daddy Mass’s last game, they lost to Virginia in the first round.
Check back for subsequent installments... Part 5 coming up soon...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
In an exhilarating contest, 11th-seeded Villanova upset 6th-seeded Seton Hall, 61-60, in a Big East opening round contest at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Wednesday night. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak for Villanova, which hadn't won at all since Feb. 18, and hadn't won outside the Pavilion since Feb. 5. Randy Foye scored the winning basket with just 3.6 seconds to play, and Andre Barrett's desperation long-distance three at the buzzer went awry. Foye's basket was made possible by Seton Hall senior Marcus Toney-El, who airballed a second free throw after missing his first attempt off the front of the rim, with 16.2 seconds to play.It was the first time Villanova had confronted the Pirates in the Big East tournament since 1991, when an underdog Villanova squad (the #8 seed out of nine teams, despite a respectable 7-9 record) made it to the semifinals by winning twice, before falling to Seton Hall, 74-72. And despite both schools being among the first nine schools in the conference, this is only the third time that they've met in the conference tournament. Foye certainly seemed to push off Barrett on the game-winning drive, and wasn't whistled for it. But since 'Nova has obviously suffered its share of adverse calls this year, it can accept the bad calls that come in its favor as well.Allan Ray led the Wildcats, playing all 40 minutes and finishing with 15 points, although Seton Hall did a masterful job of shutting him down after halftime; he scored all 15 in the first half and shot 0-8 in the second. Foye finished with 13 points, including the biggest two at the game's conclusion. Although Foye scored two fewer points, he had a much better shooting night than Ray: 6-9 as opposed to Ray's 5-16. And Sumpter also matched Foye's 13 points and added six rebounds before fouling out late in the game. Ray and Sumpter garnered third-team all-Big East honors earlier this week. Jason Fraser had eight points and seven boards in just 27 minutes, but his biggest contribution - by far - was a devastating rejection of Barrett's drive to the hoop with 22. 7 seconds to go, a play that could easily have decided the game.For Seton Hall, Kelly Whitney led all scorers with 20 points, and also grabbed eight rebounds. Whitney, a 56% free throw shooter this season, went 10-12 from the line as Villanova tried, with little success, to curb his inside presence. And he did it, despite suffering a head wound in the first half - Whitney received five stitches in his forehead at halftime. Barrett led the team emotionally, scoring 15 points and recording seven assists, in a gallant effort in which he played all 40 minutes. He was the catalyst for the Hall all evening and seemed to want the victory more than any other player on the floor. He was the first player off the floor after the game ended in dramatic fashion. The Hall scuffled to a horrible shooting night, thanks to strong Villanova defense: the Pirates fired their cannon at a terrible 35% clip and an amazingly bad 15% from three-point range, which usually means you don't have the chance to win the game on the final possession. The Hall stayed in the game by exploiting Villanova miscues and hustling in general. Seton Hall notched 20 second-half points, compared to nine for 'Nova and scored 15 points off turnovers compared to Villanova's 10. The Wildcats turned the ball over 16 times, including what appeared to be a season-ending mistake in the final seconds, when Mike Nardi fell when he went to receive an inbounds pass coming out of a timeout. The 'Cats were trailing 60-59 and probably planned to hold the ball for the last possession. The Wildcats avenged a frustrating 70-68 loss at Seton all on Feb. 21, when the 'Cats overcame a late, double-digit second-half deficit, only to have victory tantalizingly taken from them again. Villanova evened its record to 15-15 overall; the Wildcats had finished 6-10 in Big East play, its worst mark in conference competition since 1993. Seton Hall remains in good shape for the NCAA tournament, in spite of the first-round exit. The Pirates' overall record is 20-9, and they finished the BE regular season at 10-6, four games over .500. In the all-important RPI, they ranked #21. All of that adds up to a near-lock at-large bid, but the Pirates will, nonetheless, be sweating out Selection Sunday - after last season's experience, when they were unjustly passed over by the NCAA Selection Committee. The Pirates' quest for the NCAA treasure has been put on hold, at least for a few days.The victory kept Villanova's season alive, as well as their hopes for the NIT, which would have been nil with a defeat. Entering the tournament, the 'Cats needed to win at least one, and probably two, games in New York to qualify for NIT consideration. Although most reports have indicated that Villanova must win two games in New York for consideration, the NIT has occasionally pulled in major conference teams who are one game under .500 after their conference tournaments, presumably on the theory that a "postseason" conference tournament defeat shouldn't cost you a bid.Thus, Villanova's current postseason scenarios: Villanova will face 3rd-seeded Providence, ranked #20 nationally, at around 9:00, 9:15 PM Thursday nightin a quarterfinal game. If the 'Cats defeat Providence, the NIT bid is virtually assured, as they will then be 16-15 (and could conceivably win even more games), and a tournament loss won't drop them below .500. If PC tops the 'Cats, however, don't entirely give up hope for the NIT, due to the contingency outlined above. The bid might still come anyway. (In contrast, had there been a loss to Seton Hall tonight, there would have been NO chance of a bid, since Villanova would have finished the season at 14-16, two games under .500.) In a giddily optimistic view, the Wildcats could secure arguably their most improbable NCAA bid ever by actually winning the conference tournament. Simply put, it was a great game. Villanova was slightly in front, for most of the game, but the lead began seesawing wildly down the stretch: there were eight lead changes in the final six minutes of the contest. After leading 7-6 at the 14:22 mark, Seton Hall didn't see the lead again until the 5:34 mark of the second half, when Kelly Whitney converted a one-and-one to put the Pirates up 52-51. The Wildcats led by as many as ten points at one stage, 25-15, after Allan Ray hit two out of three free throws with 5:49 to play in the first half.After falling behind by ten, Seton Hall chipped away at the lead. Villanova lost a bit of momentum just before halftime, when leading 34-30 after a basket from Chris Charles. After playing solid defense while the Pirates played for the final shot of the half, Whitney tossed up a putback at the buzzer to cut the deficit to just two.The Wildcats clearly rode Ray's hot hand in the first half. Ray shot 5-8 and scored 15 points, and seemed to be unstoppable. Obviously, Seton Hall coach Louis Orr made some adjustment at halftime, and they were effective; Ray wouldn't score in the second half. As a team, though, the Wildcats were shooting 50% from the floor, compared to Seton Hall's 39, and had outrebounded the Pirates, 17-13.Villanova modestly padded the lead in the second half, during which the most significant play was a key call that went in Villanova's favor. At the 14:02 mark, when Villanova was leading 44-39, J. R. Morris was called for a charge on Foye while scoring a basket, which was waved off. The play cost the Pirates two, or possibly three, points, saved Foye a foul and gave Villanova a momentum boost, which they needed since Whitney had dunked on the Hall's previous possession. Ultimately, after the lead vacillated down the stretch, Andre Sweet scored to put Seton Hall up 60-59, with 2:15 to play. Remarkably, nobody scored for either team from that point, until Foye's game-winning basket with less than four seconds to play. After Fraser swatted Barrett's shot, which would have put the Hall up by three with 22.7 seconds to play, Villanova took possession and called timeout. Before play resumed, Seton Hall also called timeout.Villanova, coming out of that timeout, ran what presumably would be a promising play, at least as coach Jay Wright had drawn it up - until Nardi tripped over a Seton Hall player while going to accept the ball. Toney-El seized the loose ball and raced for the basket, where he was fouled from behind and very nearly scored anyway (which would have been disastrous). With 16.2 seconds to play, he could have put the Hall up by three- but as noted above, he missed them both. 'Nova called its last timeout to set up for the last shot, which Foye ultimately converted.The victory means Villanova is now 25-22 all-time in BE tournament play. It marks a step in the right direction, that Villanova at least won a game in the BE tournament, an improvement over last season. In the 2003 BE tournament, a suspension-decimated team played stallball and managed to hang with Georgetown in a throwback, 1980s style-game, before finally succumbing 46-41. Theynow lead the all-time series with Seton Hall 55-36, 25-17 as members of the Big East, and 2-1 in BE tournament play. On Thursday night, against #20 Providence (and the tournament's third seed) the Wildcats will be seeking not just the NIT bid, but revenge. On Feb. 11, the Friars came to the Pavilion and handed Villanova the most lopsided defeat in the history of the building, 100-74; it was also the largest defeat in the 76-game, 68-year history of the series between the two schools. A victory would also mark Villanova's deepest Big East tournament run since 1997, when the Wildcats were the top seed and reached the final before losing to Boston College. Since then, the team has never won more than one game in the conference tournament, or reached the Friday night semifinals.
To the Wildcat faithful-
Here is Part 3 of the Villanova Big East Tournament History... and here are the links to Part 1...and Part 2...
Keep checking back for frequent, new installments, as this week, I chronicle all 28 Big East tournaments in which Villanova has participated... and there will be a preview of fourth-seeded Villanova's Thursday afternoon quarterfinal game against either #5 Marquette or #13 St. John's, the latter defeating Georgetown today.... The Golden Eagles clash with the Red Storm at 2 PM or so on Wednesday...Part 3 - 1988-90 - An Elite Eight Appearance Amidst Continued Futility Against Syracuse in New York...
1988
The Wildcats rebounded strongly from the disappointments of the preceding year. They finished the Big East slate with a 9-7 mark, enough for a third-place tie and another #4 seed. They defeated #5 St. John’s in the quarterfinals (their first-ever win over St. John’s in the tournament), and narrowly ousted Pittsburgh, 72-69, in the semifinals. Villanova had reached the Big East tournament final in its initial appearances in 1981 and 1982. But this was the first time they had reached it in the ensuing six years.
However – for the second straight year, they fell to the Orangemen, this time in a blowout, 85-68. It was a banner year, though, even in Villanova’s illustrious history; they made a great run in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Elite Eight. (Unbeknownst at the time, of course, was that it would be Villanova’s final trip to the Sweet 16 or beyond until 2005, 17 years later.)
Doug West and Mark Plansky were named to the All-Tournament team.
1989
This was another rebuilding year, with parallels to 1987. As they had two years earlier, the Wildcats finished with just their second losing record in conference play. Their 7-9 mark was good enough for only a fifth seed; facing #4 Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals, they lost 71-66, again (as in 1987), only their second quarterfinal exit, as well as another NIT bid.
Unlike 1987, however, they had a nice run in the NIT, beating St. John’s and Penn State, before losing to Michigan State.
1990
Villanova went 8-8 in the Big East, finishing in a fifth-place tie and receiving another #5 seed. They finally beat #4 St. John’s in the Big East tournament, 70-60, but they faced their old March nemesis – Syracuse – again. In the semifinals, Jim Boeheim’s team beat Villanova 73-61, making them 5-0 against ‘Nova. Let’s put it this way: of the ten Big East tournaments in which Villanova had participated, they had been eliminated by Syracuse in half of them. Tom Greis was named to the All-Tournament team.
The Wildcats returned to the NCAA tournament, losing to LSU in the first round.
Part 4 - 1990-92 - The End of the Rollie Era, coming up soon...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
Here is Part 2 of Villanova Big East Tournament History... and here is the link to Part 1...Part 2 - 1985-87
1985
The Latin phrase mirabile annu – "the year of miracles" – is the only phrase that suits this season. In the year Villanova would capture its national championship, the Wildcats had humble beginnings. They finished 9-7 in the conference (their weakest record in their five years of membership), and shared third place, receiving a #4 seed.
This might not seem so bad. However, in the regular season finale @ Pittsburgh, the Panthers had drubbed the Wildcats, 85-62. A 23-point loss, in which the opponent scored 85 points, in the era before the shot clock and the three-point line, no less... gave very little evidence that the team on the losing end would suddenly win the first-ever 64-team tournament over the course of the next month, defeating a higher-seeded team in five of the six games (and in the sixth game, having to play on the #9 Dayton's home floor in the first round...)
But at the time, the immediate problem was that the Wildcats would now have to face the Panthers again a few days later, on a neutral floor, as Pitt had qualified for the #5 seed.
Facing Pittsburgh for the second straight Big East tournament, Villanova avenged the season finale loss, 69-61, in the quarterfinals. They then lost for the third time to St. John's – to the Chris Mullin-led squad - in the semifinals.
Although Villanova – in a foreshadowing of things to come on April Fool’s Day – had twice played both Georgetown and St. John’s very, very tough in both regular-season games, the Wildcats had lost all four times. But with just a two-point loss at the old Spectrum to St. John’s, and a five-point loss on the road, there was at least room for reasonable optimism about the third try against the Johnnies. However, the pattern of losses continued – except that in the Big East tournament, it wasn’t as close as the regular-season pair. Lou Carnesecca’s squad won easily, 89-74. One of the great counterfactual questions is:
“Had Villanova had to play St. John’s in any of their two Final Four clashes – instead of the only non-Big East participant, Memphis State (at the time, now it’s just Memphis), and, of course, Georgetown – would the Wildcats have been able to do it?"
I don’t think so – I would say that it was highly unlikely that they would have won in a fourth try…
1986
It was a year of momentous changes across the college basketball world, as the NCAA introduced two of the most significant rules changes in the history of the sport: the three-point shot and the 45-second shot clock, for the first time. And in addition to brandishing the national championship trophy, the Pavilion opened its doors. Amidst all of these changes, the Wildcats continued to excel. Villanova actually improved its conference record, despite the loss of Ed Pinckney, Dwayne McClain, and Gary McLain, to 10-6, although it was only good enough for fourth place this time. This set up a meeting with #5 Providence for the first time since the overtime battle in Syracuse in ‘Nova’s first tournament five years earlier, the Wildcats’ first Big East tournament. The Wildcats got past Providence, 75-63, in the quarterfinals, before falling to St. John’s for the second straight season, 75-64.
1987This was a rebuilding season in many ways. In Villanova’s seventh year of Big East membership, it finished with a sub-.500 record for the first time, at 6-10, and received the #6 seed, its lowest seed ever. Facing #3 Syracuse, the Orangemen won 72-66, ‘Nova’s first-ever quarterfinal exit. It can be understood, given that the Syracuse went all the way to the national title game before losing to Indiana on Keith Smart’s jumper (a play immortalized by its frequent inclusion of Brent Musburger’s call, in the various CBS opening montages, over the subsequent two-plus decades). The Wildcats had just a 15-15 record after the game with Syracuse, and thus barely qualified for a NIT bid; it was the first time Villanova had not reached the NCAA tournament in eight seasons. The season ended with a loss to Big Five rival La Salle (led by the legendary Lionel Simmons, of 3000+ point fame) at the Pavilion, in the first round of the NIT.
Additional chapters for subsequent tournaments will come later, as will a preview of Villanova's quarterfinal game against either #5 Marquette, #12 Georgetown, or #13 St. John's, so check back...Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
More Various Viewpoints:
Chris at I Bleed Blue and White continues to post frequently; his most recent offerings include: IBBW's participation in the Big East roundtable discussion created by Pico (of The East Coast Bias)... greyCat at VBTN was also there... Showing that IBBW is about the most accurate name possible for his blog, Chris proudly reveals that: Villanova comes in at #11, which is exactly where they were ranked last week. Despite my best efforts to move them up, it appears as if the bloggers still feel like Kansas and Duke are better options... As promised, I finished first again for the Coulter/Kos Award for most biased voter, although the Illinois bloggers who run Making The Dance gave me a run for my money.
Read Chris's entire description below in: Even in the polls that Chris lacked the opportunity to bias in Villanova's favor, he nonetheless reports on the Wildcats' improvement in both: and he congratulates Dante Cunningham and Corey Fisher on their awards... Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
Various Viewpoints
VUHoops has been prolific - even by its own rarefied standards - and so this Various Viewpoints actually just covers them - see the other post for everyone else...
And to correct an oversight from a previous Various Viewpoints...VUHoops is running the VUHoops.com Blogathon & Fundraiser for the Randy Foye Foundation...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
Here is Part 1 of the Villanova Big East Tournament History... Enjoy...
Villanova Big East Tournament History - Part 1
This will be the Wildcats’ 29th Big East tournament. Surprisingly, despite being a frequent powerhouse within the conference, Villanova has won the tournament just once -in 1995, behind Kerry Kittles, Jonathan Haynes, Alvin Williams, Jason Lawson, Eric Eberz, Chuck Kornegay, and Zeffy Penn, under coach Steve Lappas.
If the Big East had always been as large as its current swollen 16-team alignment, the fact that ‘Nova has only won it once would not be as surprising. However, for the first decade of its existence, there were only nine teams. After Miami joined in 1991-92, there were only ten until the next major expansion, to 13, in 1995-96, when Rutgers, West Virginia, and Notre Dame were added.
During the 1990s, moreover, the top three teams (i.e., those most likely to win the tournament anyhow) would receive byes to the quarterfinals, meaning that effectively, they just had to win an eight-team tournament – such as the fortunate position in which Villanova finds itself this season, having secured a first-round (and second-round) bye.
The 1980s – Rollie Massimino and the Nine-Team Era
(Note: “#” signs in this section refer to Big East seeding, not national ranking, for ease of typing.)
The first six participating teams, from 1981-86, all advanced to the NCAA tournament. Right now, we'll just cover 1981-84...
Year-by-Year
1981 - Villanova's First Big East Tournament
Villanova’s first Big East tournament was the second-ever, as the Wildcats joined in the second year of existence, 1980-81 (the conference had been formed with the understanding that ‘Nova would join, but it wasn’t formally done until the following year). Ironically, 28 tournaments later, it remains arguably the most exciting ever, although with a heartbreaking result.
1981 - Villanova's First Big East Tournament
In the early days of the Big East, the tournament wasn’t even initially played in Madison Square Garden! In 1981, the Carrier Dome hosted the second Big East tournament… The Wildcats went 8-6 in their maiden Big East voyage, finishing in a third-place tie and receiving the fourth seed. Playing in their first Big East tournament, the #4 Wildcats faced the #5 Huskies in the quarterfinals, and defeated them 65-54. They then met the top-seeded Providence Friars and upset PC in overtime, 58-49.
Then came the crushing blow. Facing the Orangemen on their home floor, the Wildcats battled through an epic, triple-overtime clash for the ages – but finally succumbed, 83-80. Alex Bradley and John Pinone were named to the all-tournament team.
1982
Villanova captured its first outright Big East regular-season title, going 11-3 in conference play, and the tournament was shifted to the Hartford Civic Center. Villanova easily eliminated Seton Hall, 88-73, in the quarterfinals, and eked out a victory over Boston College, 74-71, in the semifinals, returning to the title game. However, Georgetown and Patrick Ewing (then a freshman) pummeled the Wildcats, 72-54, to take the championship.
1983
The tournament moved (permanently, as it turned out) to Madison Square Garden in New York City. Villanova shared the regular-season title with a 12-4 mark, and received the #2 seed. The Wildcats squeaked past #7 Connecticut, 69-68, in a thriller, but then fell to the de facto home team, St. John’s, 91-80, in the semifinals.
1984
Villanova went 12-4 once more, but this year it was only good enough for a shared second-place finish and a #3 seed. Villanova got past #6 Pittsburgh 75-65 in the quarterfinals, but fell in another heartbreaker to Syracuse, just as they had three years earlier at the Carrier Dome, by a 66-65 margin. (Although at least, this time, it didn’t require triple overtime.)
Additional chapters for subsequent tournaments will come later, as will a preview of Villanova's quarterfinal game against an undetermined opponent, so check back...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
Close out your Friday by celebrating the aftermath of the double-bye clinching, as the Class of 2009 - the winningest in school history - bids farewell to the Pavilion... in yet another edition of Various Viewpoints....
VUHoops has advice for Big East tournament ticket searchers...Tickets for the Big East Quarterfinal... gathers up the good facts to know after last night's Pavilion season-finale victory in Quick Facts After Providence....... notes the future of Villanova basketball will be on ESPN tonight in Watch Mouph and Isaiah Tonight on ESPN2....
I Bleed Blue and White - Chris describes the season finale in - postGame: Villanova 97, Providence 80... and describes the significance of the victory for the Big East tournament with a roundup of Double-bye Links... he furnishes the video of the victory with Highlights from Villanova-Providence...
The Villanovan Sports Blog wittily puns on the double-bye situation with the headline - How to Lose a Bye in 8 Days...
greyCat at Villanova By the Numbers. crunches the numbers and, inter alia, notes our sky-high 3.71 assist-to-turnover ratio in Providence #02 Post Game -- the Class of 2009...
Pete at Let's Go 'Nova... emphasizes the post-season implications in 'Nova clinches double bye with Prov. win...
Tim at 'Nova News writes it up in 'Nova Says Bye Bye to Providence...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
Sometimes 13 is a lucky number...
On Thursday, March 5, the #11 Wildcats completed a clean sweep of all Pavilion opponents this season, winning their 13th and final game at the on-campus venue this season (as well as their 28th consecutive victory there, beyond the current season). They topped a scrappy, likely-NCAA-bound Providence squad, 97-80, behind 23 points from Scottie Reynolds but more importantly, a phenomenal final game at the Pavilion from Dwayne Anderson.
Villanova finished its regular season slate at 13-5 Big East, 25-6 overall, and will be making its fifth consecutive NCAA appearance on Selection Sunday, nine days hence. It is likely that the Friars will be joining them, despite the loss. Providence, which completed the season at 10-8 Big East, 18-12 overall, will remain on the bubble until the bids are announced, but they have to feel good about their chances.
The Wildcats led just 40-34 at halftime, before blasting past the Friars in the second half. It was a marked contrast to the first game at the Dunkin' Donuts Center, where the Wildcats had to hang on by their claws for a 94-91 victory after the Friars nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback in the waning minutes... It was Villanova's sixth consecutive win in the series.
Villanova entered the game having clinched no worst than the fifth seed in the Big East tournament. With this victory, the Wildcats are now assured of one of the first-ever double-byes in that tournament, and will enjoy seven days prior to their first game in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 12. Stop back for a full preview of the Wildcats' opponent, after it has been determined.
As a team, the Wildcats racked up assists and steals with abandon, finishing with 26 and 19 respectively, both season bests. They also had 72 field goal attempts, connecting on nearly half of them, finishing with 48% shooting.
Reynolds had an outstanding game: 23 points on 9-13 shooting overall, including five triples, as well as four steals (although an uncharacteristic 0-2 from the line). Dante Cunningham, playing his final Pavilion game, finished with 19 points on 8-17 shooting, as well as eight rebounds. Shane Clark, likewise, recorded five points and three rebounds.
But the real story for the seniors was Anderson; he was simply incredible. Anderson ended up with 19 points on 7-11 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists, four steals and a blocked shot. That would be a very impressive line for a 35-minute game- but Anderson put up those numbers in just 17 minutes of action.
A word of tribute is warranted for the fourth senior - Frank Tchuisi. I am happy to report that Tchuisi - despite playing just one minute - did reach the line for two free throws, and converted one of them, scoring a point in his final game at the Pavilion. Tchuisi is a great guy who makes a valuable contribution to the team both on and off the court, and the fact that he got on the scoreboard tonight is just a real nice exclamation point to the game - which was already highly memorable...
Rounding out the starters, Reggie Redding dished out 11 assists, as his game continues to improve - he's peaking at the right time.
Villanova had a dynamic offensive attack, and one big factor was that they got a great spark off the bench from the Coreys; Fisher scored 13 points (including 6-6 from the line) and also dealt half a dozen assists. Stokes finished with 11 points and four rebounds.
For the Friars, Weyinmi Efejuku was sensational, scoring a game-high 29 points, while two other Friars had 14 points - Jonathan Kale and Sharaud Curry.Stop back for a full preview of the Wildcats' opponent, after it has been determined. Villanova is most likely to end up with the #4 seed, and would play on Thursday, March 12, at 2 PM, against the #5 (Marquette), #12, or #13 seed. Two of the trio of Georgetown, Seton Hall, or St. John's will likely end up as the #12 and #13 seeds...
Also, check out the Various Viewpoints from throughout the Villanova blogosphere, as well as the valuable Providence perspective provided by Friarblog (good luck to PC the rest of the way...). His detailed analysis of the game is really worthwhile... take a look at OK, So We're Waiting Till Next Week to Punch Our Ticket (Game Recaps)....
Various Viewpoints
VUHoops has its trademark scoreboard-titled wrapup - Providence 80: :97 Villanova...
I Bleed Blue and White - Chris describes the season finale in - postGame: Villanova 97, Providence 80...
greyCat at Villanova By the Numbers. crunches the numbers and, inter alia, notes our sky-high 3.71 assist-to-turnover ratio in Providence #02 Post Game -- the Class of 2009...
Pete at Let's Go 'Nova... emphasizes the post-season implications in 'Nova clinches double bye with Prov. win...
Tim at 'Nova News writes it up in 'Nova Says Bye Bye to Providence...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
Here are some links from the Villanova blogosphere:
VUHoops.com goes retro by offering a Kerry Kittles YouTube video from a 'Nova/Providence clash on March 11, 1995, in the Big East tournament... Everyone's Favorite Villanova vs. Providence Highlight... historical note: Villanova won that game at Madison Square Garden, 90-75...
Chris from I Bleed Blue and White and Dave from Friarblog conduct a very substantive dialogue on tonight's Villanova/Providence clash... IBBW interviews Friarblog - Blogger Beat: Season Finale - and Friarblog interviews IBBW in Q and A with Chris "I Bleed Blue and White" II...
Chris also previews tonight's clash in preGame: #11 Villanova vs. Providence...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
A preview for Providence's 18th visit to the Pavilion, in the Big East regular-season finale for both teams... The Friars will be travelling to the Pavilion for the first time in over three years - their last trip to the on-campus venue was on February 5, 2005, in which Villanova triumphed, 89-81...
The #11 Wildcats enter the game at 12-5 Big East, 24-6 overall... the Friars come in at 10-7 Big East, 18-11 overall, and stand a good chance of receiving an at-large NCAA bid later this month... but they could certainly use a great win @ Villanova to bolster their standing in the eyes of the Selection Committee...
Villanova has won the last five games in the series, beginning with that Pavilion clash in 2005. Providence's last victory in the series was way back on Feb. 11, 2004, when they hung an extremely unpleasant century mark on the Wildcats at the Pavilion, 100-74, in one of the worst defeats for Villanova in the 21st century and arguably the worst ever at the Pavilion in its two-decade-plus existence. (Ironically, after being swept that year in the regular season, Villanova managed to beat Providence in the Big East tournament a month later. 'Nova is 6-1 against Providence in Big East tournament play.)
Villanova leads the all-time series, 49-34, in a rivalry which long predates the formal association of the Big East nearly three decades ago. The first meeting between the schools took place on February 15, 1936, at Providence, with the Friars winning 46-37. The teams played four more times up till 1940, with Villanova winning all of them; the series was then discontinued for nearly two decades. It was resumed when Providence visited the Palestra in 1959 and 1962, winning both games. In the 1964 NCAA tournament, the only time the two schools have met there, Jack Kraft's Wildcats won 77-66.
Perhaps due to these meetings, Providence and Villanova battled every year, following that NCAA tournament clash, up to the formal creation of the Big East (which was formed in 1980, with Villanova joining in its second year, 1980-81). Since then, both teams have met frequently in conference play. As members of the Big East, Villanova leads 29-21 in regular season play, and if the wide margin in BE tournament games is added, 35-22. At the Pavilion, which opened in 1985-86, Villanova is 12-5 against Providence.
One particularly memorable Pavilion game was, ironically, a loss, on February 20, 1999. Led by an incredible performance from Jamal Thomas, Providence devastated the Wildcats, 90-84. At the time, it appeared that the loss doomed the Wildcats to the NIT. However, the Howard Brown/John Celestand/Malik Allen-led team rallied and punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament by upsetting #8 St. John's at the Pavilion a week later. It was the fourth and final appearance for Villanova in the NCAA tournament under Steve Lappas, the immediate predecessor of Jay Wright.
Jay Wright is 8-4 lifetime against Providence, since he took the helm of the Wildcats in the 2001-02 season... Villanova will be looking to sweep the season series from the Friars; the Wildcats nearly lost a huge lead up at Providence back on Feb. 4, before surviving with a three-point victory - you can read my recap - #17 Villanova Hangs On for Wild Win at Providence, 94-91 - of that game...
This is the first time, since the 2004-05 season, that the longtime rivals have met twice in one year. During the 2005-06 season, the schools did not meet at all, the first time that had happened since the 1961-62 season. Villanova joined the Big East in its second year of existence (1980-81), but had been meeting PC regularly for almost two decades prior to that.
The twice-a-year series this season, is a throwback not just to the far-smaller Big East of nine teams (and ten teams, after Miami joined in 1991-92), but to the short-lived divisional setup of the early 21st century. Under that setup, Villanova and Providence were in the same division, and thus played a home-and-home series every year. That was much better than the current setup, as the rivalries were easier to maintain when there was a fixed group of teams that you played twice every year...
Also, for more on Providence, go over to the awesome Friars site at Friarblog.com, which is the premier unofficial site for all things Providence...
And make sure that you visit the other Villanova blogs for their take on the upcoming battle with the Friars:
Full recap after the game...
Go Wildcats!
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 (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
On Monday, March 2, #11 Villanova rebounded from its disappointing home loss to Georgetown by winning a significant game on the road at Notre Dame. The Wildcats entered the locker room at halftime, deadlocked with the Fighting Irish at 32 apiece, but took control in the second half to win by a surprisingly resounding margin, 77-60.
The victory was very meaningful, as Notre Dame badly needed a good win to bolster any waning hopes it had of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The loss to 'Nova probably destroyed the faintest shred of optimism, as the Irish are now just 7-10 Big East, 16-13 overall, and will not be making a third straight trip to the NCAA tournament without a stunning run in New York City, with no byes to help them.
Notre Dame started the season with a 3-1 Big East mark, 12-3 overall; they have now lost 10 of their 14 games. The only hope for the Irish was to defeat Connecticut on the road on Saturday and to top 'Nova last night, and they were able to defeat neither highly-ranked opponent. Their finale is against St. John's at home, a win that won't help them in the RPI or in the eyes of the Selection Committee.
Villanova improved its record to 12-5 Big East, 24-6 overall, and remained very much in the hunt for one of the four first-ever double-byes in Madison Square Garden. Having only dropped a single spot in the AP poll on Monday, the Wildcats demonstrated why they are ranked so highly. After turning the ball over an appalling 20 times against Georgetown, the Wildcats committed just five in South Bend, Indiana - and forced 15 Notre Dame turnovers.
Six of the eight Wildcats in the rotation had above-average performances. Scottie Reynolds broke out of his recent skid in a major way, with one of his best games of the season. Reynolds dropped 23 points, on an outstanding 6-7 from beyond the arc- and 8-12 shooting overall. And he wasn't just shooting the lights out. He augmented his box score line with half a dozen rebounds, two steals, and five assists - while committing just one turnover and playing all but one minute. The fantastic overall game from Reynolds bodes well for the Wildcats' fortunes later this month, in the NCAA tournament.
Dante Cunningham had a fine game as well, scoring 18 points and collecting eight rebounds. But the spotlight deservedly goes to his fellow senior, Shane Clark, who scored 13 points on 5-7 shooting (including a triple) and doing so while logging just 19 minutes. Reggie Redding continued his solid play of late, as he continues to justify Jay Wright's increase in his minutes. Redding played 38 minutes last night, scoring seven points, adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals while committing two turnovers. Dwayne Anderson struggled through a 2-9 night from the floor (five points) but did contribute in other ways, with half a dozen rebounds, three steals, two assists, and a block in 24 minutes.
Off the bench, Antonio Pena surprised with some significant playing time: six points and three rebounds in just 13 minutes, after he made only a cameo appearance against the Hoyas (and also managed to wind up with four fouls after aggressively pounding the glass...)
The Coreys, regrettably, were the only members of the rotation who had subpar games - and for the second straight game. Fisher and Stokes combined to play 33 minutes, scoring five points on 1-9 shooting, three rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. Fisher also fell into foul trouble, committing four fouls.
For Notre Dame, the big gun was Ryan Ayers, the local product from Blue Bell, Pa. and Germantown Academy (the alma mater of Villanova great Alvin Williams, one of the mainstays of the mid-'90s teams under Steve Lappas). Ayers, who averages 11.2 pts/game, scored 25 points, including 7-10 shooting from beyond the arc, and added four rebounds and four assists. Luke Harangody finished with 18 points and seven rebounds; they were the only two Notre Dame players to reach double figures.
Looking at the team numbers: Notre Dame actually won the rebounding battle, which is unusual in 17-point defeats - the final margin was 39-36 on the boards. So the explanation lies elsewhere for the lopsided margin. One reason was the Wildcats' torrid shooting from beyond the arc - Reynolds led the team to an outstanding 9-17 from three-point range. Another was ND's dismal showing at the line, making just half of their 20 free throw attempts, while Villanova shot 10-13 (76.9%).
The Wildcats will play their Pavilion finale on Thursday against Providence - although it will be very anticlimactic, since Senior Night was observed against Rutgers, way back on Feb. 19. It made sense to hold the ceremony that night, as the students are away on spring break this week and that was the last pre-spring break Pavilion game, as the Georgetown game was at its frequent location, the Wachovia Center. Villanova will be looking to sweep the season series from the Friars; the Wildcats nearly lost a huge lead up at Providence back on Feb. 4, before surviving with a three-point victory - you can read my recap - #17 Villanova Hangs On for Wild Win at Providence, 94-91 - of that game...
Stop by again for a preview of the regular-season finale...
Various Viewpoints
Also, go get the reactions to the impressive victory over Notre Dame, from the other Villanova sites:
VUHoops.com has the wrapup in its usual scoreboard headline: Villanova 77: :Notre Dame 60...
Pete at Let's Go 'Nova has Villanova Handles Notre Dame...
I Bleed Blue and White justifiably praises Redding's defensive performance in postGame: Villanova 77, Notre Dame 60 ... he writes:
But the player of the game? That’s Reggie Redding, who single handedly (okay, he had a little help) took sharpshooter Kyle McAlarney out of the game. He had just 5 points on 2-7 shooting (just 1-3 from beyond the arc) with most of his shots coming in garbage time. That was a defensive performance for the ages. I can’t say enough about the game that Redding had tonight. He had 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Vintage Redding.
IBBW also has his usual video clips in Highlights: Villanova-Notre Dame...
greyCat at Villanova By the Numbers describes the outcome accurately in Notre Dame Post Game -- Good Enough...
Tim at Nova News puts it thus - Villanova Knocks Out Fighting Irish...
And for a valuable Notre Dame perspective, take a look at Black and Green's recap at the Black and Green Irish Men's Basketball Report, Villanova 77, Notre Dame 60...
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.)
To the Wildcat faithful-
The other fine blogs who follow the fortunes of Villanova have produced a plethora of thoughts, content, and thought-provoking content over the last two days... Here's the latest edition of Various Viewpoints...
I'll start with the prolific VUHoops.com....
- They acknowledge Villanova's position as one of the most storied college basketball programs, as we approach the Wildcats' 1500th win in Next Villanova Win = #1500...
At I Bleed Blue & White:
Various Viewpoints
Also, go get the immediate reactions to the impressive victory over Notre Dame:
VUHoops.com has the wrapup in its usual scoreboard headline: Villanova 77: :Notre Dame 60...
Pete at Let's Go 'Nova has Villanova Handles Notre Dame...
I Bleed Blue and White justifiably praises Redding's defensive performance in postGame: Villanova 77, Notre Dame 60 ... Chris writes:
But the player of the game? That’s Reggie Redding, who single handedly (okay, he had a little help) took sharpshooter Kyle McAlarney out of the game. He had just 5 points on 2-7 shooting (just 1-3 from beyond the arc) with most of his shots coming in garbage time. That was a defensive performance for the ages. I can’t say enough about the game that Redding had tonight. He had 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Vintage Redding.
IBBW also has his usual video clips in Highlights: Villanova-Notre Dame...
greyCat at Villanova By the Numbers describes the outcome accurately in Notre Dame Post Game -- Good Enough...
Tim at Nova News puts it thus - Villanova Knocks Out Fighting Irish...
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.)
