Nova Faces 1st Big East Test
The Wildcats will be put through the hoops gauntlet
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Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds will have to be focused.
The road to glory starts now.
The No. 4 Villanova Wildcats square off against the No. 5 Golden Eagles of Marquette in the Big East Tournament Quarter Finals Thursday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
Each team trying to set the tone for seeding in the NCAA tournament by winning their conference tourney.
Villanova (24-6, 13-5) drags into the game needing to spark the kind of play that had them ranked No. 2 in the nation at one point this year. Once considered a lock for a No. 1 seed, they need to avoid dropping their fifth game in their last seven outings and falling further in the big bracket.
A team that relies heavily on three-point shooting, the Cardiac Cats need to start making their long-distance shots if they want to be successful.
And it’s no secret that senior guard Scottie Reynolds is the spark that lights the fire for Villanova.
In his last game, a loss to West Virginia, he finished 5-for-16 from the field and just 1-for-9 from beyond the arch. A pedestrian performance from one of the nation’s best players.
Nova won’t last long with a day like that from their star.
Marquette (21-10, 11-7) was a scary 9-2 in their last 11 games in the regular season. They did, however, barely escape St. John's with a two-point win in their first game of the Big East tournament.
The Golden Eagles match up well with the Wildcats, coming very close to beating them in both games they played in the regular season.
Marquette’s monster/senior Lazar Hayward, who is averaging 18 points per game and nearly eight rebounds, could have a huge day as well with Nova’s lack of presence in the paint. Hayward scored 20 against St. Johns and is playing his best ball at the perfect time.
With Villanova struggling as of late, this game definitely has the potential for an upset.
Tighten up your straight jacket, hoops fans. Villanova’s plunge into March Madness is about to begin.
Posted Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 - 12:26 PM EST
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