Here's an update on Jordan Tucker from Rivals' Dan McDonald.

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/four-star-tucker-breaks-down-finalists

Well, that game did not play out the way anyone expected it to or wanted it to, but ultimately Nova escapes with the 68-65 win over a pesky DePaul team.

After opening up a 12-point second half lead, the Cats allowed DePaul to go on a 14-0 run to take the lead and set the stage for a nail-biter. Thanks to Josh Hart and a huge defensive play by Bridges, Nova was able to come out on top.

Hart was stellar again, with 25 points and 6 rebounds. He took over the final minutes of the game and carried his team to victory. Brunson had 13 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. Jenkins added 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist. Bridges had 8 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block. DiVincenzo had 4, Reynolds had 3 and 5 rebounds, and Paschall had 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a block.

Nova had way too many turnovers with 14, and need to start valuing the ball more. Conversely, they only forced 7 turnovers against a team that entered the game averaging 14 a night. The Cats also shot an uncharacteristic 69% from the free-throw line. They had a bit of a cold night from beyond the arc as well, shooting 31%.

So the question is how do we view this game? The pessimist view would be that the disturbing trends of slow starts and playing down to the competition continued. That the turnover problem, which seemed to be under control, has reemerged. That Jenkins' shooting woes have continued and we are seeing a regression. And that Nova barely escaped going to overtime against a 7-6 team who is a perennial bottom-feeder in the Big East and who has lost to Rutgers, UIC, and Missouri State this season.

The optimist view would be that Nova didn't play their best game and still found a way to win. That they know how to win tight games. That a Big East win is a Big East win and the Cats are 1-0 in the conference. That getting a test and a scare is actually a good thing that can wake a team up and build character. That Nova is 13-0 and #1 in the country, and has won 19 straight games.

Personally, I think it's somewhere in the middle. It wasn't Nova's best performance, but they got the job done in spite of that. These types of games can serve as wake-up calls and pay dividends later in the season, and perhaps this one came at just the right time when considering the upcoming schedule. The turnovers have to be cleaned up. Turning the ball over 14 times and/or having a -7 turnover ratio is begging for disaster against most teams in the Big East, and in win-or-go-home tournament games. The slow starts also need to be addressed. Against top-tier competition you have to play a full 40 minutes. The fact that this was just the second game the Cats have played in the last 15 days also plays a role, and perhaps the poor shooting can be attributed to the rust. But the focus and intensity needs to pick up. Fortunately, Nova has the coach, the talent, and the experience to make the necessary corrections and adjustments.

Ultimately, I think 13-0 record and wins over Purdue, Notre Dame, Temple, and Wake Forest are more indicative of who this team is and where they are at than a disappointing performance against DePaul. They certainly can't afford to have a lot of performances like this one, but they won and are in literally as good a position as anyone could have hoped. It will be interesting to see how they respond on Saturday for a tough game at Creighton, with a brutal stretch of schedule looming.

Tonight Nova begins Big East play at home against perennial bottom-feeder DePaul. Every indication is that this should be an easy warm-up for the Wildcats before entering a tough stretch of games from New Year's Eve through the 10th of January.

Nova is a better scoring team, a better defensive team, and a better shooting team. The Wildcats are also a deeper and more experienced team.

Sophomore Eli Cain is the lead threat for DePaul. He is averaging 18.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He is also the Blue Demons' best three-point shooter at 40%. His 2.5 turnovers per game are a cause of concern for DePaul.

Senior Billy Garrett Jr. is the only other Blue Demon scoring in double figures. He is averaging 14.6 points per game to go with 2.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists. But like Cain, he is having turnover issues, averaging a whopping 3 per game.

Both Cain and Garrett Jr. are 6-6, giving DePual decent size in the backcourt. But Villanova excels at neutralizing size advantages, so it shouldn't be much of a problem.

Tre'Darius McCallum is averaging 9 points and 7.3 rebounds and is the only other Blue Demon averaging more than 7 points per game. At 6-7, he doesn't present any sort of matchup problems for the Wildcats.

DePual shoots just 44% from the floor and 31% from three. Combined with their 14 turnovers per game, they shouldn't have the fire power to hang with Villanova.

The main concerns for Nova are internal ones. The long layoff between games and a tendency to play down to their competition, particularly early in games. It would be nice to see Nova assert themselves early and and put any thoughts of an upset out of DePaul's minds before the half. With a brutal stretch following this game, including back-to-back road games at Creighton and Butler followed by home games against Marquette and Xavier, Nova needs to avoid a slip-up in this one. With Nova facing their three main threats in the Big East in the next four games, handling business tonight against a team they should have no problems with is imperative.

Here's an assessment of Nova heading into conference play. Have they been better than expected? Are they as good or even better than last season's team?

https://villanova.rivals.com/news/has-nova-actually-been-better-than-expected-

I took a look at the performance of Big East teams through the non-conference and compared them with my preseason projections.

https://villanova.rivals.com/news/assessing-the-big-east-entering-conference-play

I gave each key member of the team a grade for the first semester. How would you grade the players at this point in the season?

https://villanova.rivals.com/news/early-season-grades-1

Another sleepy, sloppy first half for the Wildcats. Maybe it was the 8 day layoff, maybe it was exams and the looming holiday, maybe it was the opponent, but whatever it was Nova started slow, and that has been a bit of theme throughout the course of the out-of-conference schedule. You can get away with that against the American's of the world, but in the Big East or the postseason, teams will make you pay for that. Hopefully it was simply one of the factors listed above, and the lesson has been learned before it results in a notch in the "L" column. Despite the disappointing first half play, the Cats took an 11 point lead into the locker room.

Luckily the second half was a completely different story, and the team played Villanova basketball. The Cats outscored American 50-19 in the second half en route to a 90-48 win.

Hart again led the way with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Bridges was excellent again with 15 points on 5-8 shooting, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block. I can't wait to watch this kid continue to grow and mature. Brunson had a stellar game as well with 14 points on 5-9 and 6 assists. Paschall was excellent off the bench, chipping in 15 points on 5-6 shooting and 6 rebounds. DiVincenzo looked much better, with 12 points on 4-5, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and another impressive block. He continued to bring his excellent energy and effort. Jenkins continued to struggle with his shot, which is a bit concerning, but contributed in other ways. He had 7 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Reynolds had another efficient performance with 7 points on just 3 shots and 5 rebounds. Painter and Delaney were each able to get a bit of extended run, which should help down the road, and Painter managed to pull down 4 rebounds.

Nova shot 58.5% from the floor and 38% from three, and continued to make hay at the free throw stripe, knocking down 20-25 attempts, while conceding just 7 free throws. They dominated on the glass 38-17, and gave up just 2 offensive rebounds. They assisted on 18 of 31 field goals and and limited the turnovers to 10 after the sloppy first half.

Jenkins' shooting woes and the slow starts are the areas of concern, but it was good to see Nova assert themselves in the second half and control the game the way they were expected to.

Nova escapes the out-of-conference unscathed and with good wins against Purdue, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, as well as a Temple win that is looking pretty good at the moment. Now the Cats will begin their Big East title defense, starting with DePaul a week from tonight.

Seems weak on a consistent basis. Not near what it should be for the #1 team in the country and defending national champs. Do you guys agree, or is it just me? Is it the building itself? The layout? The demographics of the crowd? Can it be improved? If so, how?

Not going to get into a full preview of this one because, well, because American isn't very good. They did play Maryland to within six points, and a decent Akron team to within 10. Obviously neither of those teams are on Nova's level. Beyond that, there isn't much good to say about American. They got trounced by Texas A&M in their only other game note. Their offense is anemic, averaging just 61.7 points per game. They don't have a single player shooting better than 32% from three.

If your looking for players to watch, guards Sa'eed Nelson and Delante Jones are each averaging double-figures. 6-10 big Mark Gasperini is averaging double-figures as well.

Usually when teams who are over-matched talent-wise are able to cause trouble for an opponent, experience plays a big part, and American is lacking in that department as well. The three most productive players mentioned above are all sophomores or freshmen. The only real concern for Nova would be the long layoff since the last game and the danger of playing down to their competition, but there's no reason Villanova shouldn't win this game by 20+ points.

I broke down the three main threats to unseat Nova as Big East champions.

https://villanova.rivals.com/news/threats-in-the-big-east

Who do you think Nova's biggest threat is?

This via Jeff Borzello.

Not surprisingly, Nova staff was in the house.

Main player of interest for Nova was most likely 2018 PG Jahvon Quinerly. Nova has been interested in Quinerly for some time. Lots of teams interested in Quinerly but Nova is believed to be in a strong position and among the favorites.

A more interesting comment came from Cameron Reddish, who listed Nova as a school that he feels is prioritizing him. There hasn't been much buzz around Reddish and Nova for awhile now, as Duke has emerged as the favorite, but perhaps his situation is one still worth keeping an eye on.

Other players in action: Mo Bamba, Eric Ayala, Hamidou Diallo

With Villanova in a bit of a lull in their schedule and no game until Wednesday, Nova Nation finds itself with a wide-open weekend. While many may elect to use the free time taking care of holiday preparations or to spend some time with family and friends, there is still plenty of college basketball for those needing their hoops fix. Here we will highlight some of the games that hold some interest for Nova fans.

Butler vs. Indiana

This game offers an in-state rivalry and a clash of top 25 teams. Butler will look to add to its list of defeated ranked opponents and build on an already solid resume. The Bulldogs have already defeated No. 8 Arizona and No. 22 Cincinnati. They also have decent wins over Northwestern and Utah. A victory over 9th ranked Indiana would look good, not only for Butler but for the Big East.

Butler has relied heavily on a pair of 6-7 forwards in Kelan Martin and Andrew Chrabascz. They must find a way to contain Indiana’s 6-10 Thomas Bryant, who is nearly averaging a double-double. Meanwhile, Butler guards Avery Woodson, Tyler Lewis, and Kamar Baldwin will be tasked with slowing down James Blackmon Jr., who is averaging nearly 17 points and 7 rebounds per game. Indiana is also expecting OG Anunoby to return after missing three games with an ankle injury.

The Bulldogs will need to control the tempo as they attempt to slow down an Indiana offense that is averaging nearly 88 points per game. Holding their own on the boards will also be key for Butler, as Indiana is averaging 14 more rebounds per game than the Bulldogs.

This game presents a tough test for Butler, but they’ve been rising to the occasion so far this season. It will be interesting to see if they can get the win and add to the Big East’s impressive early season performance.

Xavier vs. Wake Forest

This one is interesting for a couple of reasons. Most notably, Wake presents a common opponent, as Nova throttled them 96-77 earlier this season. It will be interesting to see how Xavier performs against a Wake Forest team that has looked pretty good outside of the Villanova game.

Wake is 8-2, with its only two losses coming to Villanova and Northwestern. They lack a signature win, and Xavier provides an opportunity to get one. Xavier, on the other hand, has had a bit of a stumble after an impressive run to start the season. A disastrous second half led to a loss at Baylor, and the Musketeers followed that up with a loss at Colorado. They steadied themselves with a win against Utah in their last game.

Xavier gets most of their production from the trio of Trevon Bluiett, J.P. Macura, and Edmond Sumner, who are all in the 6-5 to 6-6 range. Meanwhile, Wake’s 6-10 John Collins is averaging a double-double with 18 points and 10.7 rebounds. It will be interesting to see if RaShid Gaston and Sean O’Mara can slow Collins and allow the backcourt to win the game.

Georgetown vs. Syracuse

Here we have a classic rivalry game. While not everyone was buying into the hype of a Georgetown resurgence, the Hoyas have been a major disappointment this season. At 6-3, Syracuse isn’t where they want or expect to be either. Both teams will be hungry to get a win as they look to build momentum before heading into tough conference schedules.

Despite the disappointing start for the Hoyas, Rodney Pryor and L.J. Peak have been stellar for Georgetown. Pryor is averaging 20.6 points per game, while Peak is putting up 16.4. They will look to carry the Hoyas against a Syracuse team who is scoring by committee. The Orange have just one double-figure scorer, Andrew White, who is averaging 16.9 points. But beyond White, Syracuse has seven players averaging 6.8 points per game or better.

A rivalry game between two teams desperate for a win as they try to salvage their seasons could make for a solid basketball game. It will be interesting to see if Georgetown can keep its slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

Purdue vs. Notre Dame

Obviously, there are no direct Big East implications in this one. But Villanova fans are aware that both teams are very good this year, as Nova has defeated each of them after being tested. It will be interesting to see these two teams square off with reference to how each of their games against Nova went. Plus, this should be a very good basketball game.

The matchup of double-double machines in Caleb Swanigan and Bonzie Colson jumps out. Swanigan is powerful at 6-9, but also possesses a nice outside touch. Meanwhile Colson plays much bigger than his 6-5 stature, showing an impressive ability to play around the basket.

Beyond that matchup, each team presents a trio of intriguing players. The Irish have Steve Vasturia, V.J. Beachem, and Matt Farrell. Purdue will counter with Isaac Haas, Vince Edwards, and Dakota Mathias. Carsen Edwards looks to get involved for the Boilermakers as well.

Again, this should be an excellent basketball game, and it will be interesting to compare and contrast it with the efforts against Villanova.

Kentucky vs. North Carolina

This game really has no relation to Villanvoa other than the fact that both teams are in the top 10 and one of them will suffer their second defeat. But it’s Kentucky vs. North Carolina and a top 10 matchup, so it’s worth the attention of college basketball fans. Plus, maybe Nova ends up seeing one of or both teams somewhere down the road.

Nova commit Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree put up 24 points and 12 rebounds in Neumann-Goretti's big win over Imhotep Charter, 87-73.

Just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you all have a great holiday and that everyone has plenty to be thankful for this year. Go Cats.

Tonight, Nova looks to sweep the Big 5 and win a fourth consecutive Big 5 title when they take on Temple.

https://villanova.rivals.com/news/know-your-foe-temple

Much more of a traditional Villanova performance tonight. It all started with the defense. Both teams were ice cold early, but the Nova defense forced 12 first-half turnovers, allowing them to take a 13 point lead at the break.

The defensive effort continued in the second half, and the offense hit its stride, leading to a Villanova blowout, 78-57. Defensively the Cats were aggressive and cohesive. Defensive breakdowns were basically non-existent. Villanova was able to keep Enechionyia in check, limiting him to 8 points, 11 below his average, and in doing so were able to control the game.

Offensively, they moved off the ball, shared the ball, and were patient and unselfish, routinely passing up a good shot for a better one. It was a terrific all around performance and the kind we've grown accustomed to seeing from Nova.

The seniors have now completed a 16-0 run in the Big 5, and have won those 16 games by an average of 21 points.

Nova had four players in double figures. Hart led the way with 26. Brunson had 13 and six assists. Jenkins and Paschall each had 12, and they each had six rebounds as well. Bridges had 5 points on just three shots, to go along with five rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal. Reynolds had a very efficient seven points on 2-2 shooting and 3-3 from the foul stripe and six rebounds. Painter and Delaney even cracked the score sheet, each grabbing a rebound.

Nova shot 46% from the floor and 40% from three, and were again stellar at the foul line, where they knocked down 18 of 20 attempts. They held Temple to just 37% from the floor and 36% from three, and like Notre Dame on Saturday, the Owls only attempted six free throws. The Cats lost the battle on the boards 34-31, but forced 18 Temple turnovers. Nova committed 12 turnovers, but several of them were late, with the game long decided, and they took care of the ball well overall. Villanova also assisted on 19 of 25 made baskets.

Not much to dislike in this one. Jenkins found his stroke, hitting 4-6 from behind the arc. Brunson, Bridges continued their consistent solid play, while Hart continued his march toward postseason accolades. I feel like I say this every game, but Paschall's energy was great. He continued to show impressive footwork, and an ability to find open space on the court. Everybody played their role beautifully, and the result was a classic Villanova performance and another blowout win.

Now a long break for Nova, as they close out the non-conference schedule next Wednesday against American.

With Saturday's performance, Josh Hart has leaped to the front of the pack in the race for Player of the Year.

https://villanova.rivals.com/news/hardware-for-hart-

What. A. Game. The first half was uncharacteristically sloppy and unfocused for Nova, and the Irish built an 11 point lead. The Cats were failing to knock down open looks, were careless with the basketball, and were having far to many defensive breakdowns. It appeared that it might be a long day for Villanova, and suffering a first loss was a very real threat.

Then Josh Hart happened. Hart led a spurt near the end of the first half to cut the lead to 5, and then absolutely took over the game in the second half and carried Nova to the victory. He scored in every conceivable way: slashing to the rim, in the mid-range, from three, and at the foul line. Josh finished with a career-high 37 points (10-14 FG, 3-4 3PT FG, 14-14 FT), 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. It was an absolutely beautiful all-around performance from Hart, and he made all the plays when his team needed him to.

Eric Paschall deserves a ton of credit as well. Eric scored 8 points on a perfect 4-4 shooting while demonstrating some beautiful footwork. He continued to bring his incredible energy, most noticeably by keeping a rebound alive to allow Brunson to grab it and head to the line to help seal the victory.

Brunson and Bridges each chipped in 8, Jenkins had 7, and Reynolds had 6 including two huge, clutch free throws down the stretch.

Nova managed to win the rebounding battle. They shot 50% from the floor, but just 25% from three. They were able to make up for the long-range struggles at the foul line, where they made 20 of 22 attempts. Notre Dame also struggled from three after a hot start, but unlike Nova they only got to the line 6 times. They shot 47% from the field and 27% from three.

To Nova's credit, they really stepped up the defense in the second half, and held a Notre Dame team that was averaging 89 points a game to just 66. Notre Dame scored just 25 points in the second half.

A couple areas of concern are Jenkins and DiVincezno. Jenkins had his second straight struggle form the floor, shooting just 2-9 and 1-5 from three. He did have a huge 3 point play late. Donte was 0-4 from the floor, all from three, despite getting several wide open looks. He also had two turnovers, both of which were poor. Hopefully we can just chalk this one up to inexperience and the learning curve. The absence of Booth and why Nova misses him was evident today. Luckily the overall experience of the roster, the culture coach Wright has built, and Josh Hart's talent and will were able to win the day.

It wasn't the most Nova-esque effort, but it was enough. They made the necessary adjustments at half, and really picked it up on the defensive end. It's always nice to have a player who can take the game over, and Nova let the country know that they have that in Josh Hart. Huge credit to the team for pushing through the struggles and gutting out the huge win. You have to love the character and attitude of this team.

Next up Temple on Tuesday night, where Nova will look to become the first team to win 4 straight Big 5 titles.

Nova didn't play Nova basketball in the first half, are fortunate to only be down 5. There is zero excuse for giving up a coast-to-coast layup to end the half. DiVincenzo missing wide open looks and a foolish turnover. Too many defensive breakdowns. The Irish shooting 51.5% from the floor, but have cooled from deep.

On the positive side, the Cats are holding their own on the boards. After trailing by as much as 11, they have it to 5 at the half and it should be 3. Nova is getting open looks, need to start knocking them down. They are really missing Booth in this one.

The Wildcats face a stiff test tomorrow afternoon in undefeated and 23rd ranked Notre Dame. Here's our look at the matchup.

https://villanova.rivals.com/news/game-preview-notre-dame-3

Unlike the games against Penn and St. Joe's, this one was a classic Big 5 battle. Nova carried a four-point lead into the half, and at several points in the second half looked poised to put the Explorers away. But LaSalle wouldn't fold and Nova needed to make plays down the stretch and make their free throws to finally put it away. We've gotten used to blowouts, but I think this stiff test will be beneficiary, especially with No. 23 Notre Dame looming on Saturday.

Brunson: Career-high 26 points to lead the Cats in scoring, 3 assists. 10-17 from the floor.
Bridges: 16 points (6-8 FG), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Jenkins: 12 points, 4 rebounds
Hart: 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
Reynolds: 4 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds
DiVincenzo: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Paschall: 2 points, 7 rebounds

Jenkins had a rare off-night shooting the ball (4-13, 2-7). Bridges continues to be all over the place, and it should be really fun to watch this kid's game grow. As usual, excellent energy from Paschall. Gotta love the effort you get from Hart, it goes a long way when your best player is also diving all over the court and making the hustle plays. The more I watch DiVincezno, the more excited I get about what he can eventually be. Stellar night from Brunson as well.

Cats shot 51% from the floor and 42% from three. LaSalle showed good shot making ability, shooting 52% from the floor and 38% from three. Another great job at team rebounding, as Nova won the battle on the boards 36-30. And perhaps the most encouraging number, just 6 turnovers for Nova.

It's fun to watch your team blow teams out, and it's a lot easier on the nerves, but nothing wrong with getting a good test. I would expect Villanova to come out focused and prepared for Notre Dame on Saturday. Then Nova will look to sweep the city series and become the first team to win 4 straight Big 5 titles with a win over Temple next Tuesday.

My latest on the Big East's stellar start to the season and its continued climb back to elite status in the college basketball world.

https://villanova.rivals.com/news/big-east-packs-punch

The Cats absolutely throttled St. Joe's en route to a 88-57 victory. After a bit of a sleepy start, Nova ran away from the Hawks.

Josh Hart was absolutely beastly, putting up a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists. Jenkins chipped in 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Reynolds had 13 points and 6 rebounds. Brunson had 11 points and 6 assists. Paschall and DiVincenzo each had 10 to give the Wildcats 6 players in double figures. Bridges continued to fill the stat sheet, scoring 8 points to go with 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist, and 1 block.

Nova shot 51.6% from the floor and 47.1% from three. They won the rebounding battle 42-35. Most encouraging were the 23 assists on 32 made baskets, and trimming the turnovers down to 12. Besides the bit of a slow start, not much to be concerned with today. Paschall seems to have lost his free throw stroke over the last two games, but he hit 2-4 from three, and continues to bring great energy.

With Kentucky's loss to UCLA, Villanova is likely the new number one team in the country. Up next another Big 5 tilt against LaSalle on Tuesday night, an ESPN 2 game.

Not a mention on their website of the next #1 team in the nation. Reminds me of the mainstream media as they ignored (or disparaged) Trump on the way to the Presidency.

...and with Nova's 88-57 drubbing of St. Joe's, Villanova will likely be the number one team in the country come Monday.