Huge game was Marquette in the Big East semi's tonight at 6:30p (est) on CBS sports network

Lost to Marquette earlier in the year, but a win should lock up an NCAA tourney bid.

Denver vs. Providence in other semi

Wow - had a chance to watch an EYBL game I taped a few weeks ago. PSA vs. California. This is a great year to be coming off an NC because the talent in our area is really strong. Guards like Lykes, Quade, Duval. Wings like Walker, Randolph. Forwards like Harvey, Samuels, Tucker, Wright, etc. Posts like Bamba, DCR... All in our area.

Some thoughts on PSA:

A. Brandon Randolph is no one's consolation prize. I didn't get to see his handle much as Cole and Quade had the ball in their hands most of the time, but what a shooter. Looked very athletic, coordinated as a 6'5 wing. Seemed like a very good athlete on a floor with some great one's but what a shooter - and we all know how important it is to have shooters. I would take him with Lykes and Walker as Walker I see as more of a hyper athletic slashing 2 - who can make shots also - but Randolph is your "3" who can flat out stick it - Big Smooth Style - except he is "Skinny Smooth". A triumvirate of Lykes, Walker and Randolph at the 1/2/3 would be unreal. Very impressed with what I saw from Randolph. We don't get a lot of guys like him. Athletic, long, can shoot - elite style.

B. Quade Greene - first time I saw him play a full game. Wow - terrific prospect clearly. I hear the Quinn Cook comparisons, but I like Greene much more than Cook. He did a very good job dealing with tough pressure from the Cali guards all game and handled it very well. He addressed pressure as all great guards do by attacking pressure. I understand his game is making shots, but he didn't get to do that much of that from the perimeter as they guarded him very closely. He was terrific off the dribble in scoring or dishing for layups/dunks. He had a drive to the right, behind the back flip to Bamba for a jam that was SportsCenter Top 10 in my opinion. Really like his evolved handle. Has just enough quickness as a high level PG. ...and the best part of his game is he can stick it. I like Lykes more because Lykes has off the chart footspeed and is bit more electric - but Quade has to be a Top 40 player in this class or any class. Stud.

C. Bamba - Duke could take him as a project, but he is not very skilled for a Duke post. He oozes potential. Great athleticism for a 6/11 guy - exceptional. Has a tremendous motor. Light years ahead of Daniel as a h.s. senior. I just don't see Duke. They usually get the guy with more complete game - Okafor, Brand - not the run/jump unfinished guy. Not sure Bamba "walks in" at Duke or Villanova. I would rather play Spellman at the 5 with athletes/shooters around him. Bamba is a great guy to have on your team, but I don't see him as a one and done - he certainly would get drafted VERY high though - even today he's prolly a Top 10 pick based on "upside". I won't be shedding tears if we don't get him. If we do, I bet he's here at least two years. Clearly a stud though and a Top 10 player in any class.

D. The McCoy kid on Cali is a flat out star/stud/closest thing I've seen to Kevin Durant in h.s. in a long time - WOW.

E. DeAndre Ayton - listed as #1 - no way is he better than McCoy. I like Bamba better. Certainly a star in the making though.

F. Something Thompson - don't know his first name, but he's Stevie Thompson from Cuse's son. Stud shooter - wow. Great prospect - dad is coaching at OSU though - Oregon St. Would be a great Nova guard...

G. Watched Spellman on TV - he looked really chunky compared to the thoroughbreds on the floor. You could see the fly paper hands and the strength in finishing - the touch at the foul line. Rebounded like a horse and that's what we need. Will finish with strength from day 1. The rebounding of Daniel is what we could miss the most and Omari looked ready to step in there. Also looked more like a "Two and Done" guy, not a "one and done" guy.

Fun stuff!!!

I just re-watched the game. Did Arch say "Bang" when he gave the ball to Jenkins? Take a look? Was the name of the play Bang?

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9J9juXsk9QYdFFMc1pBNFBGWFU

why do they still use dot matrix printers? Can 30 year old technology really be the best way to print out a passenger list? I need some savvy BW input on this one.

spoke to a guy at the bookstore and he was actually very receptive - was going to pass the issue to the Nike liason/buyer. lob a call or email to the bookstore if you are also interested, they may take it seriously if they get 15 calls (typical sales projections claim for every one request there are multiples more, i forget how many, who did not request but will buy)

who ya got? I'm bullish on Itsaknockout.

Who does everyone like in the Derby? I'm liking that Brody horse. Any of you folks who visited Churchill Downs a few weeks back get any inside tips on the big race!!

Edit: National F*in' Champions!

whipped out my bang shirt. So much Nova love when does this get old answer never.

It's back in stock in all sizes (at least as I type this) ...

http://shop.villanova.com/COLLEGE_V...asketball_National_Champions_Schedule_T-Shirt

Construction will not start for at least another year. The home schedule for 2017-18 and 2-18-2019 will be played between the Wells Fargo Center, Allentown, Atlantic City and TBA Philly sites(maybe the Palestra). This from a reliable source inside the university. Hopefully Radnor doesn't delay this further.

I will never forget my mom calling me late Tuesday April 2, 1985 after getting home from Lexington congratulating our wildcats...... And today after dinner my 93 year old mom and my Villanova sons watched the last 4 minutes together and just smiled..... Switched over to tvg and she hit the finale at Santa Anita at 10-1 .....a good day for mom

Anyone have any insight - were there autograph signings at the final four?

There are several basketballs that claim to be signed by the 2016 team on ebay - I might consider picking one of these up but am leery of some dude just signing kids names in his basement.

Any insight?

Suggestions?

Lykes? Walker? Wright? Other. Of course, we all know Lonnie is our top target, but his rep. & list of offers is sky high that even though we were the 1st on him, past experience to me dictates that he may well follow the NBA-Qik route ala Kentucky, etc. Jay, in all likelihood, is preparing for just that scenario. Walker will not commit anywhere anytime soon IMO.

...that Ochefu actually had his hand on the ball when he went for the steal on the Paige circus three...it's really clear on the first replay they showed after the shot went down which was from the Nova endline...Paige actually had to gather it a bit before dribbling and putting it up...

http://www.phillytrib.com/sports/vi...cle_c60e92a0-836d-5043-8602-1918b55e844b.html

Congratulations to the team for another award!

We were hanging in there as UNC shot the lights out. I was not doing so well.

Nothing much on TV. Time to crank up the DVR and watch the Championship game again and guess what?

CATS WIN! CATS WIN! CATS WIN!

I am getting goose bumps just typing this.

RobN

Trotting out Hellickson for the opening day start! 78 wins and a whole lot of hOpe this year.

These might have been posted before but always worth watching again. Will bring a smile to your face and maybe a tear to your eye.

Long but well worth it
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Watch this news anchor at the end
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Heading to the airport for a 30 minute flight to Dulles. Longest or shortest flight?

Born in the PIttsburgh and had only been back twice in 20 years. Going over that bridge brought back all kinds of memories as a kid. Nova lost, the world was coming to an end. It was weird/tough. Few tears in the car to the airport.

Jay's speech on the steps of the hotel has been brought up many times. I wrote a similar note after last season and referenced that moment. I was never more proud of Jay and our kids. "We will own this but it does not define who we are and Villanova". He spoke of the community and what the team meant to our community. We won together, we lost together but our team was always ours, part of us. Our kids were Villanova. Just like us. Jay Wright is the perfect coach, at the perfect school for him, at the perfect time. And he got it. We were not defined in losses or wins.....fast forward

To Houston. I missed Brooklyn and the Ville. Usually unheard of but it was spring break and missing Brooklyn was fine by me. Pittsburgh was too fresh. However, like many of you, this was different and we knew it. Went to Houston and had a blast. Too many amazing stories, too much booze and too many great moments with great people. LIfe-changing. If you were there you know exactly what I mean. I won't try to relive the game, the shot, Ryan Fannon giving us the call in the lobby, the team on the stage at the hotel...oh, and we saw the greatest game/shot in NCAA history. It's too much to even try to put in a post on a board. So I won't. Note, cool story: after all the hoopla, Tuesday morning at 4:00AMish, I took the elevator up with none other than EW's. I won't speak for him. We both were kind of just standing in the elevator with big ass smiles, we drank all the beer, we partied with many of you, we took pictures, we won, we laughed, we cried, we met new friends, we met some people from this place, it was crazy and amazing but it was the Villanova Community. The kids, the coaches, the University staff. It was an incredible celebration of Villanova and highlighted family. I'm upset I missed Father Peter's Sunday mass at the hotel. Heard it was amazing.

Villanova is a special place, a special community and this is a special time in our school's/program's history. I'm ending with this advice: we are in the midst of the greatest era of Nova hoops. since 2010 we have been a two seed or better 4 times. Next year should be similar. It Hart returns we are the best team in the country to begin the season. Kentucky and Duke will have the talent to run us down. However, that's to my point. Enjoy this run. This is as good as we'll ever get. Jay has a good 10 year run coming. Appreciate what you've seen the past 3 years. More wins than any program in the country and one national fuking title. Jay has us loaded for bear. The school and the donors have stepped up. New Pavilion, new buildings all over campus. We are going to be the best Villanova we can be. Villanova is going to start looking a lot like Duke on and off the court..

As an alum, I wear my stuff everywhere. I have the Nova plate on my car. My wife is convinced I"m a complete loser. I try not be that guy but all this new gear is too much to resist. How many guys in the DMV have a "Bang" tee shirt with the guy from the DMV hitting a championship winner? I also orded the one Jay's hand with the "V" in the air. Loser.

Houston was the pinnacle but I was as proud to be a Nova alum after Pittsburgh. Our kids and Jay were humble, respectful and amazing in defeat. They were as good in victory. Winning or losing never defined our kids. And it never defined our support I was never more proud of the Nova fans who all stood at the bottom of the steps in Pittsburgh. We cheered our kids when they got off the bus after NC State. We never get to Houston without PIttsburgh (cap tip as that's ACE's line). Similar to Houston, at the team hotel bar we drank all the beer, we laughed, we cried, we met new friends, we met some people from this place, It was a really tough ending to a wonderful year. That time it hurt. It might never feel as good as it did on April 4/5. Regardless, we poised for a huge run and the entire Villanova community has been along for the ride. Buckle up and appreciate what we're in the midst as a university and program. Oh, and donate.

June 13 -- NBA Draft Early Entry Entrant Withdrawal Deadline (5:00 p.m. ET)

We've beaten this topic to death but above article says the deadline to withdraw is not the May date we've seen here a number of times but June 13. Maybe I've misread but figured I'd post it. Also sticking to my guns and believe Hart returns.

Josh Hart was named third team All American by the Men's Division one Coaches Association. In the Big East teams, Hart was named one of four unanimous first round choices among the 6 in that bracket. Arch was a second team pick while Brunson was an unanimous Freshman team pick.

The individual picks will be named later. I think on 5/9/16. The MVP will be chosen from the first team. The other unanimous first team picks are Dunnn, Bentil, and Whitehead. So one of that 4 will end up being MVP. Since this naming won't take place until after the NCAA tournament has obviously ended, the MVP could easily be a Wildcat.