CT_cat 42
vnovacats 42
Kbnova 42
Strykeman 42
jtvu 42
PeterN 42
VURebound 42
nova73 42
RobN 42
ytsejam 42
VNOVA97 42
louieg 42
EV78 42
steve_vu9196 42
RB Nova 42
Nova74 42
SirMic 42
boomie 42
dirtyd 42
the big O 42
ericw 42
zintang 42
mikeyt 42
nova97 42
Shammer 42
Cats85 42
nova_law 42
A_QUARTERofaMAN 42
EdMcM 42
Chimpat 42
Novaclassof90 42
RAC14 42
kef98 42
Mortydog 42
nova72 42
Squancat 32
OnIn2TO 32
NovaRoc 32
kloebs21 32
Mosby2 32
rtronce 32
TheJoker203 32
CWertz 32
G75 32
lad16 32
Tomdudes 32
Flyingscot 32
Wildcat madness 32
norcalvu10 32
jeffhell 32
Adp98 32
jiggie_agent 32
ak3883 32
Ruzzard 32
novajoe 32
PlaySomeD75 32
Mike33 32
Barrister 32
MVP15 32
Bobby Dix 32
VNovaCat 32
Marty1029 32
NovaTras22 32
Mainliner II 32
Jim80 32
VU85 32
sal02 32
tjc3844 32
ghill03 32
Doug93 32
Nova66 32
sackpack 32
nardifan 32
Steve T 32
Nova69 32
emcee92 32
vlurker 32
LBCnova 32
Dave99 32
Bear75 32
lot8b 32
DoctorZ68 32
GerryGA 32
pmorrow 32
CarolinaCats 32
vumaverick 32
tooch 32
centraljerseycat 32
etown1000 32
NovaGer1 32
mcbruce 32
msines01 32
Eagleye5 32
GWild 32
Joquinones 32
Bruiser1 32
Lowry45 32
bwbinkley 32
Boog420 32
nittanynick2 32
rusty1 32
Frog Hollow 32
Joeyjumpshot 32
Josh 32
vu68 32
ace 32
NovaFan1219 32
JJ25 32
Narberth 32
djrun85 32
LBTF 32
Vinny Terranova 32
Unbelievapelle 32
Valmont 30
RichH87 22
VU82 22
final4cast 22
Goose2429 22
VUMAC 22
Hnrg 22
ctnova99 22
kmill14 22
KOP 22
novapoppy2 22
NovaBill 22
PEHUSHRY 22
tkuder007 22
JK74 22
1jaxcat 22
Nova Nut 22
thebench 22
geezer54 22
Nova98 20
CAT96 20

Going in, I didn't expect a win today so I'm not surprised. What I did expect was Jay to have these guys ready and a much better effort then what we saw vs. Oklahoma. I thought we saw that. True we shot much better but I also felt we moved the ball much better as well. Obviously rebounding and defense are the main issues. I think we will improve more and more-it's not even Christmas and I feel this team has played more challenging games already this season then they did the entire regular season last year. The conference is also much stronger than last year. We will lose some more but I do believe this team is learning what kind of effort is needed against the big boys. It's upsetting we haven't had a good out of conference win in a long time but I'll trade the losses now if it makes them battle tested come March.

This year all that matters is March. The goal should be a Top 4 seed so that we can play a potential Sweet 16 game in Philly. Beyond that, while I obviously want to win every game I really don't care. Right or wrong, it comes down to March more than ever. Take the lumps now, learn from it and kick ass in March!!!

We lost three starters this past year. One NBA caliber guard in Darrun Hillard, who could shoot from anywhere in the gym and create his own jump shot. Not to mention his length bothered alot of great shooter last year. We lose JVP, who could get buckets when shots werent falling, who would get us into the bonus each game with 10-12 minutes left in the half single handily, a guy who would grab on to each rebound like his life depended on it. We lose Dylan Ennis although a very inconsistent offensive player, his defense really bothered shooter as well and on ball he was very good.

We replace these three guys in the rotation with 2 frosh and a sophmore. Dont get me wrong I love all three of these players and in the long run they are going to be very good player but to expect them to come in 10 games out and replace the scoring, defense and rebounding of those three guys is a bit ridiculous. They arent going to come in and blow the doors off 2 top 10 teams that pretty much returned their entire line ups (OK and UVA).

Saying that this team does some things very well. At this point this team is not as good as last years, last years was very good, maybe the best since 2005-2006 (ending sucked but journey was awesome). My opinion is this team is somewhere in between at the end of the season between the 2013-2014 team and the 2014-2015 team. This team doesnt have the 2013-2014 team's size BUT I actually think they have a higher basketball IQ and can do more things on offense.


A couple notes things that need to improve:

-Lots of complaints about our guards lack of penetrating. I think it is how our offense is designed right now. The ball goes through Ochefu probably 50% of the time Ochefu needs to make quicker decisions, I said this after OK game and he did again against UVA by him holding onto the ball for 5-7 seconds is making us rush shots AND he is clogging up the lane for the guards. Saying that he needs to be part of this offense, his recognition time just needs to improve. Make a decision, go strong, pass to a cutter or pass out and clear the lane.

-Jenkins seeing the ball go through the net is huge, very very huge. This could be a turning point for him in the season.

-Brunson still seems uncomfortable out there, again only 10 games in and a ways to go. Needs to find his place in the offense, I am confident he will, especially with a Jedi Master like Arc working with him.

-Tough match up for Hart yesterday. Brogdon is probably one of the better if not best on ball guys in the NCAA, shut him down. Great learning experience for Josh.

-I love how the media is pumping up Xavier (so is this board). This Xavier team reminds of the Nova team in 2013-2014 season thought they were great and got absolutely smoked up in Cuse. Xavier has played no one, maybe one borderline top 50 team in Cinnci at home. They beat Dayton without their best player, they beat Michigan who I think stinks. We are going to smoke these guys, take the over in a big way. Nova wins the Big East this year on the last day of the season, teams are better, we are still the best.

And everyone, enjoy this team, they are going to get better, it will be fun to watch, celebrate all the accomplishments or your just going to miserable all season and miss the ride.

Moving on again in FCS playoffs. Won three games last season. The third he never wins if JR does not have a concussion. As it was his back-up Polany (sp) almost pulled off a win. The QB did not cost Cats the game, but with JR it is most likely not even close. Well KC won his second playoff game yesterday. Moves onto quarter finals for the second straight year. Now stands at 5 - 1 in playoffs at SHST.

I will happily highlight the positives:

1. We had the lead on the road against a Top 10 team with 12 minutes to go.
2. We fought back to within 3 points with 3 minutes to go after they went on a tear
3. We had a 1.25 points per possession on a team that gives up .9 per..on their court
4. No other team we face this year will be as hard to play against as Virginia at their place
5. Jenkins looked like an assassin today. That is the type of game that will hopefully propel him to more great games in the future.
6. Nobody had gotten close to our scoring output on VA since they lost to GW. I was really impressed with how our guys fought.


On Virginia...they are a better team than us. Congrats to them. They have 4 seniors and a junior who command most of their possessions. They made 7 of their 8 3-pointers in the second half. We played VERY good defense for about 28 minutes and then they started to spread us out and hit 3-pointers every time they had one open. The last 10 points were on forced fouls. Credit to them for making them, but it certainly inflates their stats.

Are we really that much worse than last year? This years team has done a better job so far against not so good Power Conference Teams. I understand that a win is a win, but does the board think that if the games are swapped we still go 0-2 this year and 2-0 last year?

Last year we didn't play anyone in the top 15, so we have two data points this year that are incomparable to anything from last year.

Not end of world, we will still be a top 5 or 6 seed. But from a team standpoint and certain individual performances and progress. Need more from several guys and the chemistry just does t seen what it was. We will be fine. Just not top 10 elite

All lose today.

According to Zags is out 4to 6 weeks with a broken bone in his foot.
Can he be redshirted?

Monmouth 73
Rutgers 67

Two tickets available, Section NC, Row 22, seats 8/9. Selling for face $30 each. Selling for $50+ on Vivid and Stubhub. Can email to you via Villanova system.

Greg in ATL
404-754-8169
Gregorymegan@bellsouth.net

this went up real late last night / early this morning after the drive back from UVA:
https://villanova.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1838466

thanks to all those posters on the board who came by Trinity Pub to hang out and chat 'Nova hoops.
Lots of legends on hand ... I hate listing them because I always forget a couple. Sorry if I missed you but I am a bit rushed this AM to get moving.

NovaNut and Shananigans made for an enjoyable journey down and back.

MD78 possesses a wealth of hoops knowledge.

other legends at the Pub included:
tomdudes, VinnyTerranova, ChicagoMike, grillpiece, Don Paige, delphidan, lance

many more legends at the game - Chris Ford, adp, Trip, jimmykernova and Kerry Kittles to name a few.

I will let Shananigans and NovaNut fill in more names and add some more color commentary from the trip.

One other legend remains steadfast in his support of the Cats and believes these young men will accomplish great things if they play hard and together:

I have 2 tickets in Section WA for the Penn game on 12/28 - $35/each.

Send me an email at jfajpa@mail.com if you are interested.

The third member of this season's football team has been identified as a match for a patient in need . C.J. Logan a senior DB from Watertown Mass. recently underwent a surgical procedure to donate bone marrow to this patient
I am always proud to be a Villanova grad and sports fan. But players like Logan make me prouder.

He needs to be starting instead of Jalen right now. Jalen seems a step slow maybe thinking to much

Our problem on the boards is as much or more a matter of our guards not rebounding as it is the lack of a rebounding presence at the 4 spot.
Last year both Ennis and DH were active and effective rebounders from the guard spot. When Josh Hart sits, who's going to the glass effectively from the guard spot?
I think you will see more 2 guard sets with Jenkins and Bridges against better rebounding squads.

Reynolds has been a disappointment, I expected more. He looks un-effective on both ends.

Nice effort, we are a good team, but our flaws are easily exploitable by a good team like Virginia.

Taking nothing away from Jenkins' effort today - because he scored 23 points and really gave the game his everything - I think we'd become a much-improved defensive club if Hart and Mikal were out there together, as a tandem at the 3-4, more consistently.

Our lack of rebounding was a major issue again today. The Big Ticket only grabbed three boards. While its would significantly change the way that we play, offensively, I think that we need to see more of Bridges. He made some significant plays today - his length is a game-changer for this team, IMO. It's quite obvious, now, that we are missing the collective rebounding efforts of Hilliard, JVP, and Ennis. We are simply undermanned in the critical aspect of team rebounding. Unless we try Bridges as the starting 4-man, we are going to be as 3-point dependent as any Jay Wright team Jay has ever had. Love Jay, but that's not looking like a good thing.

Go Cats-

1. UVA on the road is a huge test. That is a very good fundamental team we played, nothing flashy just solid in all facets.
2. Take more positive away than negative. KJ and Mikal played well. Others were solid but not spectacular.
3. Versus good teams if we can not control defensive glass, we will lose. Need the guards to rebound better, arch, booth, Brunson, have to drop down and help.
4. Much better offensive glow than vs OK.
5. DO needs to make quicker decisions on the blocks.
6. Brunson will continue to struggle to get in the lane vs athletic guards, he is a half step slow.
7. Loved our fight from 10-5 min marks in second half. We could have rolled over, we did not. Got it back down to 4.
8. We will be a much better team come Feb/March, have to be because the opponents will be better too.
9. Appropriate ranking for team is 15-20 range.


Most true statement of day given by Jay in 94 ft segment with Bilas.

Bilas: Coach you least like to go against.
Jay: John Beilien

So very very true, Beilien owned Jay.

According to VU Hoops Nova offered TE Tucker Spears 6-5 225 , other offers E Mich , Albany ,Columbia . LB Dillon Harris from the Nutmeg state, and ,Evan Horn a safety, 3 sport star Cedar Crest High in Penna . Offers from Temple and UNH for football and Holy Cross for basketball.
If I am reading VU Hoops correctly, Horn an Harris are class of 2017.
VU Hoops also reporting Cats offered Bo Melton, Egg Harbor Township as an athlete Has other offers from BC , Rutgers, Old Dominion. Also class of 2017.

ACCORDING TO COACH WRIGHTS POST GAME THOUGHTS AND INTERVIEW.........VA SCORED NINETEEN POINTS IN EIGTHT POSSESSIONS..........HE ATTRIBUTED THE ORIGIN OF THIS TO.........IT ALL CAME DOWN TO NOT BEING ABLE TO GUARD BROGDEN ONE ON ONE...........END OF QUOTE..

SPOKE WITH SOME HIGHLY REPECTED PEOPLE AT THE GAME TODAY.....SOME THINK..BIG EAST IS BEST CONFERENCE IN THE NATION.......HOOPS WEISS TOLD ME XAVIER MAY BE A TOP FIVE TEAM.....BIG EAST WENT 18-2 THIS WEEK...ST JOHNS DRILLED SYRACUSE AND THEY ARE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TEAM WITH A FEW NEW ADDITIONS AND CHANGES IN THEIR LINEUP.......INCLUDING AN OUTSTANDING POINT GUARD.....SPOKE WITH ANOTHER GURU....SAID THIS YEARS NEW BIG EAST IS UNQUESTIONABLY THE BEST SINCE THE LEAGUE FORMED.......OF COURSE..THE BEEF AINT DUMB...I KNEW THIS ALREADY.......PROVIDENCE....BUTLER....GEORGETOWN....XAVIER...COULD BEAT ANYONE IN THE COUNTRY.....ON A GOOD NIGHT.........THIS WILL BE A BRUTAL CONFERENCE TO WIN THIS YEAR......NOVA IS WITHOUT DOUBT...THE HUNTED...IN EVERY GAME.......GONNA BE TOUGH TO THREEPEAT...........THERE IS NOT ONE TEAM IN THE BIG EAST THAT IS NOT CAPABLE OF BEATING US.....NOT ONE....GRUELING LEAGUE.............THIS YEAR.......KATIE BAR THAT DOOR....

they go out and beat Duke....
as pointed out,our rebounding is bad and it won't get any better...we don't have the size and usually nobody in the lane other than DO or Reynolds. .I suspect this will be a tough season,lots of good BE teams.

Dude is fryin cats out there


http://www.foxsports.com/college-ba...ores-39-in-high-school-basketball-game-121915

Why We Lost
Virginia had 86 points in 60 possessions. That's 1.43 points per possession. By comparison, the Creighton embarrassment in 2013-14 was 1.45 points per possession.

Virginia shooting
Virginia shot 56.5% FG, 66.7% 3-pt FG, and 86.7% FT. It couldn't miss. UVA has always been an efficient offensive team, and today, it took it to a new level.

Defensive rebounding
UVA missed 20 shots. It got 13 offensive rebounds. That's unacceptable.

I don't know if I should be impressed that we stayed in a game where Virginia shot lights out, or worried that we needed to shoot well just to stay in the game.

Other Thoughts
Jenkins
Jenkins did a great job getting to the foul line and keeping us in the game. His shot selection still leaves something to be desired, but most of his shot attempts aren't so bad that he can't make them. And when he does make them, he's lights out. I hope today is a confidence builder.


Daryl Reynolds
He's a complete mismatch in a bad way against good big men. Tobey abused him when he was in the game. He offers nothing offensively, and while he's a good rebounder, defender and shot blocker for his size, those skills are completely invalidated by his giving up 5 inches.

Ochefu
Good passer, and I like when we get him the ball. He needs to make quicker decisions though, and sometimes he needs to realize when he's underneath the basket that he needs to go up and finish strong. But we've said that for 3.5 years, so I doubt it's going to change.

Brunson
His defense needs to improve, and his offense will improve dramatically with a year or two in the weight room. For this year, I was happy to see Brunson go 2-3 from downtown, we're going to need him to shoot better than he has been.

3-point shooting
We took a lot of the same shots we took against Oklahoma. The difference is, today we made a much higher percentage of them.

Season Outlook
Right now, our only losses are on a neutral court to a top-3 team, and on the road at the No. 8 team (which should be higher). According to KenPom, UVA and Oklahoma are the No. 1 and No. 3 teams in the nation.

Getting back in the 1 seed discussion will be very difficult, but we've gone 16-2 back-to-back years in conference. I doubt that happens again, but if it does (or even 15-3 with the right wins), we're right back in the discussion.

This team definitely has some flaws. Our lack of size killed us on the defensive glass today. And that won't improve this season. The good news is that we won't face a team as good as Virginia or Oklahoma til the Sweet 16 at the earliest, if we get there.

Gun to my head, we finish with a 3 seed.

Simple question.