March Madness Update: Villanova destroys UCLA
Villanova's Scottie Reynolds
VILLANOVA 89, UCLA 69
Back in October, I interviewed Villanova PG Scottie Reynolds for Dime’s college basketball preview. “I have to make sure everybody is on task and has the right mindset,” Reynolds said then, “that we’re gonna play Villanova basketball for 40 minutes.”
When I asked him to describe “Villanova basketball,” I half-expected one of those hemming and hawing answers you get from guys caught spewing athlete cliches. Nope. Reynolds sounded like a kid who had actually read the book before writing the term paper. “Villanova basketball,” he said, “is defending, rebounding, executing, playing hard, playing together, playing smart and playing with pride.”
Reynolds and the Wildcats played Villanova basketball today, dominating an experienced (three senior starters) and talented UCLA squad from start to finish. At halftime I got on the defensive when CBS’ Greg Anthony said, “That Pac-10 finesse style of basketball isn’t gonna work against the Big East in Philadelphia” — after all, Pac-10 finesse Reggie Miller busted Greg’s ass on the regular once upon a time — but Anthony was right. UCLA just wasn’t physical enough. And although I hate it when people say that one team “wanted it more” than another, it really did look like ‘Nova wanted it more.
Dante Cunningham posted 18 points and 10 boards for ‘Nova, who had six guys score in double figures, including Corey Fisher‘s 13 and Reynolds’ 11. Josh Shipp led UCLA with 18 points, and Darren Collison added 15. Villanova plays the winner of Texas/Duke, which tips off at 8:15 EST tonight.
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March 21st, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Young Lebron 23 says:
NOVA is goin to detroit mark my words
March 21st, 2009 at 4:34 pm
patrick says:
The refs need to stop giving such an advantage to the defense on charge calls. I have seen about 20 calls so far where the D slides under late and still gets the call. They are taking the hard drive out of basketball.
March 21st, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Frank says:
Meanwhile, Memphis is destroying Maryland and Uconn is killing Texas A&M…
I was expecting some close games in the 2nd round, but so far I’m only seeing blowouts…
Hasheem Thabeet is gonna be a really nice player in the league, I think a few years of experience could make him a player in the Dwight Howard mold, what do you guys think?
March 21st, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Austin Burton says:
With Thabeet, I was thinking more of a new-and-improved Sam Dalembert than Dwight Howard.
March 21st, 2009 at 5:17 pm
ERIC says:
Honestly, Nova is a #3 seed and should NOT have such a home court advantage like that. that game was 100% a home game for Nova. Refs were at the mercy of the fans – UCLA didnt have a shot in those conditions. BULLSH&T. the home court advantage should be reserved for the #1 seeds.
March 21st, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Frank says:
@AB, that’s also a possibility, but if you were a GM with a pick in the 2-5 range in the upcoming draft, would you take the gamble with Thabeet?
March 21st, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Austin Burton says:
I would take Thabeet with a high Lottery pick, I’m just saying I don’t see him ever scoring 20 points a night in the League like Dwight. He tops out at like 13 ppg, 12 rpg, 3 bpg. More along the lines of Okafor.
March 21st, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Frank says:
Ok, I feel ya, I guess I was a little too enthousiastic
March 21st, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Shrink This says:
I worry that Thabeet lacks the drive or heart out on the floor to put up Okafor-like numbers as a pro. I’m not sure his ceiling’s much higher than Joe Smith’s.
March 22nd, 2009 at 1:02 am
patrick says:
Thabeet is Desagana Diop. No hops, doesn’t push people around, and he looks awkward. He is huge so of course he will block shots and board in college. He definitely isn’t on the level of Tyson Chandler.
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:55 am
doc says:
Lets go NOVA Clap,clap,clap clap clap.We bust that ass home or not.If yall grow some balls over there maybe yall can put a fight up next time.
March 22nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
ya boy says:
Pitt takes the whole thing.