...our record 2011-2012...what a difference four years can make...props to Jay for a remarkable resurrection job...

Sorry if Bb2n just catching up after flight back, didn't see in a quick scroll through threads, Has a time been set for any future replays of last night's win (and/or Oklahoma)? Unfortunate DVR situation at my house. I know CBSSN usually replays whole tourney but hoping for a quicker opportunity.

Congrats to all, still flying.

What a game! I would have to say that will forever be the greatest sports memory of my life. This team just had some magic about them led by a coach the pushed all the right buttons. The way this team just dug down and locked up UNC in the second half was nothing short of amazing!

1) I would to give big props to Phil Booth. It was an up and down season for Phil, but he stuck with it and delivered when it came time. Best game of his young career and still has two more years left. We don't win that game or come close without Phil.

2) What can you say about the juniors? They left it all out there. If the senior class gets a ton of credit they juniors deserve a ton as well. Between Kris and Hart the six game run they both had is remarkable. Even Reynolds, the contributions he gave us to be able to spell Daniel were key.

3) Seniors will go down as the best class in Nova history. Daniel Ochefu might be one of the toughest players I have seen. Battled cramps, injuires, and fatigue throughout the year and reached down the last five minutes and gave it all. The total defense he played was remarkable.

4) Jalen Brunson- I thought was solid all night. He played his part last night and was a solid and steady force. The three he hit in the corner in the second half was a momentum shift, we needed that.

5) Mikal Bridges is the future concerstone of this program. A player that is a real difference maker on both ends. The experince he got this year will do wonders for years to come. I am really excited to see Mikal next year and how he improves. This run doesn't happen without him. The way he played last night, Saturday, and against Kansas was great!

6) Lastly Jay and staff, what can you say? They are right now the best staff in America, without question. The way they got this team to believe, play together, and commit to excellence on both ends is a mark of a true coach and staff. Years ago it was said Jay was just a "recruiter." Fast forward a few years and he is one of if not the best coach in college basketball. The way he switched defenses in the fly through this run and got this team to commit is remarkable. Can't ever question him again in this sesne. A true legend. One of the best inbounds plays you will see. Have your best shooter trail the play as it was a secondary break.

6) Lastly, it wouldn't be right of me not to give the upmost credit and respect to Ryan Arch. A kid who embodies Villanova to a tee. A player who make the right plays and big shots from his freshman year till now. In my opinion, the best PG in Jay Wright era, if not in history. It was great not only to see Arch leave as a winner, but Ochefu as well. I will miss them both.

Enjoy it and our CATS as National Champs.

1) This needs to be a t-shirt immediately!!!
2) The Chef, with that quote, followed by half-crying/half-shouting "Go cats! Go cats!", just became my favorite Nova player of all time.
3) That quote is now my favorite quote. Ever. I may get it tattoo'd. On my face. (well, maybe not the face).

You have UCLA, Kentucky, Duke, UNC, Indiana, Michigan St, UConn, Louisville, that's 8, then maybe Cuse? Even though they've only one one title. I feel like we could be 9 or 10 on that list.

I know someone posted that this was the 3rd toughest run to a title based on seed, but I think that doesn't tell the entire story.

We beat 5 teams that were program-peaking teams...meaning Iowa, Miami, Kansas, OK and UNC were all built and progressing for this to be a big run year with senior-anchored experience. We didn't just beat them....we took all of them completely out of what they did best.

All 5 were top 10 at one point, 4 entering the tourney, and 4 were also top 5 at some point...3 ranked #1.

We did all this with no sure fire 1st rounders, no AAs. Nobody anywhere had us on the short list for a championship before the season started. Not after losing 3 starters. After losing to OK and VA, the favored BE teams were X and Providence.

We shot 50% from deep for the tourney.
We shot 63% from 2 for the tourney.
UNC out rebounded us by 10 and had 10 more assists, and they rarely looked in control of the game.
The OK game may never be topped as a F4 margin of victory in the modern era.
Best finish ever.

Anti-climactic after last night, and nothing we didn't know already, but it's always nice to see it in writing: http://sportspolls.usatoday.com/ncaa/basketball-men/polls/coaches-poll/

right as Kris nailed the 3 and crushed the hopes and dreams of UNC, Jay did not smile - he looked shocked and walked towards the UNC bench - he barely smiled when Ash and Kyle jumped on him. Was he shocked? or maybe ticked that we gave up the 10 point lead and even needed that shot to win?

We're LOADED going forward folks....LOADED!

Guess it's possible Josh tests the waters and goes...but if he's back (even if he's NOT back)...man...as they say here in the land of the [dead] Jayhawks..."Katy bar the door..."

- getting a massive bear hug from my 17 year old son after the Jenkins 3 ... what a joyous moment to share with my young man (thank you Kris!!!) ... thought he was going to squeeze the life out of me. Brings tears to my eyes thinking about it.

- meeting Father Peter ... very cool dude. Couple that with learning that we have a rabid Rabbi fan in our midst ... totally cool ...

- connecting with 25 or so friends that I haven't seen since the late 80s ... like stepping into a time warp and further evidence that while the body degrades the mind remains the same

- sharing a moment or two with Nova legends from the past .... EZ Ed, Gary Massey, Harold Pressley etc.

- finally meeting and getting a big hug from BEEFER .... as epic as the win!

- getting to say hello to and thank Eric ... I think it is fair to say that there are a lot of guys here like me, on the far periphery of what is going on with the program, that really really really appreciate what this site and its contributing posters do to make us feel a part of/connected to what is going on .... we all share the same passion of Villanova basketball!

- random moments of connecting with Nova fans from all over and seeing how much this all means to so many people

- having my phone explode with text messages from friends after the win ... clearly proof that I've proudly worn my love for Nova on my sleeve for a long long time now

What a weekend

Did anyone see Kris Jenkins hug him after the game. I'm pretty sure I saw it. Is there a connection/friendship there?

I'd be furious if I was a heel fan....how do you not pressure Arch and drape all over Jenkins....

Since it's never too early to start thinking about next year, wouldn't Britt be a perfect fit next year? I'm assuming UNC gets hit with sanctions. He'd get to play with his brother for a year and compete for the title he didn't win this year. Seems like a good basketball fit also as the team will need another ball-handler and he can provide quickness and good defense on the perimeter.

We all love this stuff.......

Duke preseason #1.......followed by Nova at #2........

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...-wildcats-college-basketball-top-25-2016-2017

As the realization of this incredible run has begun to sink in, it made me realize how fortunate those of us who are old enough to have experienced 1985 are. As a freshman on campus that April 1st night I experienced the events that would play a large role not only in shaping me a as a fan going forward but that night cemented my relationship to our great university and instilled in me an appreciation for the values that VU represented that helped mold me as man.

I am so happy that the younger alums and current students now have there own 1985 to cherish with all the perks that come with it. To this day I am still stopped by people when wearing Nova gear that love to recollect where they were in 85' when mighty Georgetown went down. Now a new generation of Cats can enjoy this win and the Jenkins shot that will be replayed as often or more as the scene of Dwayne McClain laying sprawled on the floor, Harold Jensen racing past him in jubilation. I am so happy for the older Cats amongst us who may have begun to wonder if they would ever see another championship in their lifetime especially with the instability caused by realignment and the concerns going forward of the viability of basketball only schools in the new football driven reality.

Thank you to Arch, DO and the rest of this superb group of young men for providing this incredible run. I am as proud of the way they conduct themselves off of the court as I am on the court.

Thank you to Rollie Massimino for creating a family culture that promoted the pursuit of athletic excellence without ever compromising the promise that our guys would be true scholar-athletes. Thank you Rollie for mentoring and molding a young Jay Wright and for having the guts to call out the money men when it appeared Jay was headed to Rutgers.

Finally, Thank you Jay Wright for being the best coach, maker of men and role model a school could ever ask for, while also being the best good will ambassador a new league could possibly ever have.

Heady times to be a Cat. Salute!!!

??

I don't trust the bookstore to send me what I want to order. Where are people ordering from?

Andy is schmoozing donors and prospective donors. Remember coach, after leading the 2016 team, his last as head coach, to a national title, he will remain on staff doing university relations. He will be greatly successful, as he is in coaching.
GO CATS BEAT north carolina

No single player, coach, team wins a championship. It is a programmatic goal from the managers to the players to the assistant coaches to the head coach to the administrative assistants to the athletic dept admin all the way up to Father Pete to the students to the alums, etc.

It takes a ton of commitment to accomplish. Gotta give a shout out to guys like Vince Nicastro and many others who were part of the process of building this thing for the last decade and having the sense to trust in Jay and his plan.

For 15% off, use code UCONNALUM15

Finally UConns good for something

I have recounted on this board how I suffered the difficulty of being in Belgium in 1985 and the difficulties of following a team that overachieved and won the National Championship.(No internet, lousy military radio AM radio reception , etc.)
I will never forget how our beloved team rose to the occasion and managed to tough out a National Championship. Their exploits will remain forever legendary.
We have now reached the same outcome but I would argue that it is less of a surprise. This is not a team of lovable upstarts. They are a TEAM of great players who know how to win and play together and are every bit as good as the top flight competition that they faced.
I love these teams equally but I have to say that this team has been extraordinary for 3 years and this outcome is no upset. I think they are as good or better than Iowa(7), Miami(3),Kansas(1), Oklahoma(2),North Carolina(1). The only upset here is that they cleared each hurdle where they could have had one fatal stumble.
The delight that comes in this is that Villanova did not just prove it is (by definition) this years best team but that VU has a program that is sustainable and will for the foreseeable future be an elite program that plays by the rules, makes sure it's players graduate (we genuinely care about our players and their future), and knows how to remain competitive against teams that do not share our values.
This is the easiest of programs , coaches, players, student bodies, Universities to root for.
I expect to root for them with the same passion to the last....
A Genuine and Heartfelt Thank you to the team for inspiring us and ebbing the natural flow of cynicism in a frustrating world.
Thank You, Jay and Coaching staff, Father Rob, Father Peter and the Villanova management,conditioning and medical people, and Ryan and Daniel and Josh and Kris and Jalen and Phil and Mikal and Darryl and the Bench Mob who provided the edge in practice and our redshirts that we are anxious to see.
I have been a fan of a lot of teams that won but I have never been so proud of shared values before.
Thank you all for a great and virtuous ride.
Sorry for the elongated post but it is sincere. God Bless this University and those who are associated with it.
Sincerely,
Tom

With all of the attention (and deservedly so) going to Jenkins/Arch/Booth, rewatching the end of the game again, I don't want to get those two FTs with 13 seconds left lost in the noise. Only up 1 with 13 seconds left when you have to figure UNC is hitting a shot if you miss, and Hart drains both of them with the season on the line.

Just a complete team effort.

This is the gist of Dick Jerardi's latest article........for those that don't read the DN, the link is following.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports...r_finish_to_the_Wildcats__stellar_season.html

Some people don't seem to like DJ, but, he is college hoops through and through....and has a love for the Big 5 schools, even Nova. I would like top see him on the Nova beat regularly.

After the BET final loss, a buddy and I walked down to Greenwich Village to clear our heads and get away from any pirates fans. Obviously dejected, I commented to him that sometime in the next few weeks, there would be another night like this and was just hoping it wouldn't be TOO soon.

Last night, with the same friend, I ended up walking over to campus. The night was actually very similar -- cold, late -- and Lancaster & Ithan almost felt like 7th and 34th with the mobs that were there streaming there. I recalled the conversation telling him how wrong and yet how right I had been.

What a way to end the season