No matter what happens tonight, as far as I am concerned this has been one fantastic season and this team has way over achieved versus what I expected with the loss of 3 starting seniors. This has been one of the best years to be a Nova fan (and I have been a fan for over 47 years – yikes!). Go Nova.

1. How are school's like DePaul, Seton Hall, St Johns competitive in womens basketball and not Nova? I've always though Nova was a very attractive option for women's recruits. You would think the success of the men's team would spill over to the women's team like it has for many other schools. Where is the disconnect? Do we just not care? Lack of resources? Not the right people in charge?

2. The women's tournament being 64 teams is a joke, UCONN is up by 50 right now in a regional semifinal. They can create a better TV product with an 8-16 team tournament.

I have four lower-level tickets (all together) in Sec. 108, row 20, available for tomorrow night's East Regional championship game at the Wells Fargo Center. Selling them for face value ($150 per ticket). First-come, first-served!

If interested, e-mail me at jyannacone@yahoo.com.

Can someone post the picture of the post game picture of Ace walking through the Kansas team on the floor......the look on Wiggins face was priceless.....hope to see that same look on the Kansas team tonight! Great picture that may get some pumped up (even higher than already) for tonight.

If you're looking for somewhere to watch Sat. night's Elite Eight matchup between the 'Cats and Kansas, I'm hosting a gamewatch at Tilted Kilt in King of Prussia (http://tiltedkilt.com/king-of-prussia/). Although the game isn't scheduled to start on CBS until 8:49 p.m., we'll have the entire upper level reserved for us at Tilted Kilt starting at 7 p.m.

Please note that we'll be on the SECOND FLOOR (not the first floor).

All ages are welcome.

As always, yes, the audio will be on for the game.

For tonight's Sweet 16 game, we had close to 100 people (ranging from babies to grandparents) in attendance, and I'm expecting just as many, if not more, on Saturday night. If possible, PLEASE REPLY to let me know if you and/or anyone else you know is planning on coming. We don't have to have an exact headcount, and, of course, anyone can show up without notice (the more, the merrier), but it would be helpful to have a list of definites in advance, so I can get some semblance of how many to expect. (If we have more than anticipated, we'll make it work. There's a lot of space there.)

I have been reflecting for two days as well......

This is my 8th, elite 8...as a Villanova fan (1978 was my first although I remember 1971). each of them had a special story ....every one involved feelings of hope and dreams but there is something different today.....the other two most similar were in 1983 and 2006....the feeling is this....

Villanova may just win this national championship this year and achieve that goal by actually BEING the best team in the country....not the best team in one game, or one weekend or on top of a magical run....the best because this team was at or near the top all season and took on the best in the tournament, outplayed them and won it...no monumental upset needed....just playing at an elite level and prevailing....

In 1983 I had that hope but wasn't sure whether the Cats could handle Phi Slamma Jamma and obviously that team with Olajuwon and Drexler was better (notwithstanding that fluke loss to NC State)....in 2006 I had a similar feeling but felt the team was running on fumes. I also didn't realize how good Florida was.....history could repeat and Kansas tonight or North Carolina, Virginia or Oklahoma could disprove the feeling....

But maybe this is the YEAR where Villanova wins it all and really is the Best....and IF it happens the Cats could be back in this same game again next year....the program has never been in better shape....

I don't know how it will play out tonight...Kansas is darn good but if this team keeps playing like this three more times they will cut down the nets in Houston and there will be no debate about their greatness.

Oklahoma and Villanova to the Final Four!

If anyone wishes to get in the game chat early for the first game, it's open now at the pinned link up top.

Let's go Nova!

What do people think of Louisville as a city? Seems like Churchill Downs has been a popular attraction. Think it will be a pro Kansas crowd tonight.

How I passed the time while I couldn't sleep this morning:

10. Villanova vs. Indiana - 1978 Sweet 16 (know nothing about this, but seems like it must have been a big one)
9. Villanova vs. Illinois - 1988 Round of 32 (Pat Enright)
8. Villanova vs. Michigan - 1985 Round of 32 (gotta love an 8-1 upset)
7. Villanova vs. Memphis St. - 1985 National Semifinals (gets lost in the shuffle, but MSU was darn good)
6. Villanova vs. Western Kentucky - 1971 National Semifinals (2OT)
5. Villanova vs. BC - 2006 Sweet 16 (so important for the program at that time; unbelievable game)
4. Villanova vs. Pitt - 2009 Elite 8
3. 90-47
2. Villanova vs. UNC - 1985 Elite 8 (Rollie finally gets over the hump)
1. C'mon now.

A few notes: I have some kind of bias toward end-of-weekend wins. I won't argue if anyone accuses me of bias toward those I remember. Apologies to the 1939 team.

Please feel free to tear this apart.

Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick...

Wisconsin had the game in the bag and threw it away in the last few seconds.

Who's pumped? These videos will help pass the time before tip-off:

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...are they jumping on the bandwagon?..

A bit of a ladies man...who woulda guessed.

Kansas -3...seems about right, but let's see if it moves

Now I am no fan of Duke/Coach K. But I agree with what he said to Brooks (assuming he said it). So many team players don't know how to play bball with class. The hot dogging and showmanship seems to rule the day. On the flip side, there is Nova.

At the end of the Nova game, I said to my kid that Nova will dribble out the shot clock and take the turnover in the box score rather than put up a shot. That's class. Nobody on Nova feels bigger than the game. Nor will anyone show up an opponent. That's part of the culture of the program.

Back to K and Brooks. I suppose there is some sort of unwritten rule that you don't comment any negative to another teams' player. Coach K denied but I am sure he said it. (like he wasn't running for the refs during the handshake earlier this year).

Way too pumped to do work right now...quick thoughts about Kansas...

1) Went 8 deep against Maryland and 9 deep against UConn...(Branden Greene didn't play against MD) Greene is a big shooter so having him not play against us would help

2) Kansas starts two quick guards, 6 ft 5 Selden, 6 ft 8 Ellis and 6 ft 10 Lucas. Ellis is obviously their scorer down low, but Lucas works his butt off on the boards. 1 senior, 3 juniors and a sophomore.

3) When they go to the bench, they bring in size. (Likely similar to us next year) but their two guards, Mason/Graham played 75 of a possible 80 minutes yesterday.

4) Kansas has 4 double digit scorers...and Lucas, their 5th best scorer, averages just under 6 points a game. Ellis, Selden, Mason and Graham average 55 a game.

5) As good as we were from 2, Kansas shot 42% from 3 this year.

6) They play at a much faster pace than we do, as denoted by how many shots they've taken this year. We must get back on D, as they often run an out of bounds break.

7) They're prone to turnovers, but that might have to do with the fast pace.

8) The main guys that blocked a lot of their shots didn't play against UConn or Maryland, so there isn't a ton to worry about there.

9) Arch and Brunson need to be strong with the ball as Mason/Graham can cause turnovers.

10) Still pumped and can't do any work...

The only blemish on our season is the blowout win by Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor. And that game has been thrown in our faces in the press, on TV and on message boards across the country. Now I look up and realize that if we win tonight and Oklahoma beats Oregon, we get another shot at them! The Sooners will not see the same team in March that they saw in November. This season is playing out like a fantasy. Bring 'em on!!

That's crazy. #22 for #15.

Pretty funny video here of the guys trying to spell his last name. Chef and Brunson nailed it. Jay and Jenkins - not so much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AN ALL-TIME GREAT

GO CATS

http://www.csnphilly.com/blog/700-level/villanova-ballers-surprisingly-good-spelling-arcidiacono

looking for some help.... Up here for Easter .... Just outside Providence....looking for a good spot to watch? Any help appreciated

Fri - Got the largest tax refund of my last 18 years.

Sat - Watching the classiest & winningest team in Villanova history advance to the Final Four by dismantling Kansas.

Sun - He Is Risen. Amazing brunch with Prime Rib.

Mon - Going down to The River at MSG.

That is what I see with this team. Supreme confidence in each other and themselves. They know now what playing 40 minutes if Villanova basketball means.

Psychologically this team is far beyond last year, and it started when they realized they could win games when shots aren't falling. The two years prior the team would really tense up and press, but not this year..not this team.

I expect like Thursday that Villanova sets the tone again with aggressive defense, crisp ball movement and good shot taking. Kansas will be a beast, but our boys are ready and confident.

See you in Houston Wildcats!!!

Nike has a million people in their marketing department right? What's the deal with every single Nike school wearing the exact same new shirt? This year everyone has the 'always reppin' shirt or one other phrase.

How hard is it to come up with some random phrase for each school. They could even come up with it themselves. It's not like this is some special shirt they are trying to sell to the public.

Just seems pretty pointless when two teams are playing each other and they are both so tough wearing their 'always reppin' shirts.