Villanova Preview
January 30, 2004 04:10 PM | General
January 30, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The circumstances surrounding this year’s Villanova game are very similar to last year when West Virginia went into The Pavilion and stunned the Wildcats, 91-83.
 |
||
| Forward Tyrone Sally is averaging 20 points and 7 rebounds over his last three games. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
In both instances, Villanova is playing a West Virginia team two days before facing Big 5 rival St. Joseph’s in a game televised nationally.
Most of the questions Villanova coach Jay Wright fielded on his Big East coaches teleconference Thursday morning were related to the St. Joe’s game coming up Monday night. But Wright knows his team has to take care of business Saturday against West Virginia in a Big East Conference game between two middle-of-the-pack teams.
Wright also has to pick his team up after dropping a 71-68 home decision to Rutgers on Wednesday night. Ricky Shields and Quincy Douby hit tough shot after tough shot to down the Wildcats.
Villanova (11-7, 3-3) has been an up and down team this year, showing conference wins against Boston College, St. John’s and Miami and losses to Notre Dame, Providence and Rutgers.
“Watching Villanova play … the way they shoot the ball and their defense is terrific … we were very fortunate to win there last year. Every ball bounced our way when we played there last year,” said West Virginia coach John Beilein. “We’re looking forward to playing them and I know Jay will have his team ready and it’s going to be a battle for us.”
Six-two guard Allan Ray has been Villanova’s most consistent player averaging 18.0 points and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor. Ray scored 16 in the loss to Rutgers.
Six-seven forward Chris Sumpter is coming off an exceptional game against the Knights, scoring 25 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Sumpter ranks second on the team in scoring averaging 16.3 points per game. He is also pulling down 7.7 rebounds per contest.
Six-three guard Randy Foye also averages double figures at 15.3 points pr game along with 6-foot freshman guard Mike Nardi (11.6 ppg.).
Against Rutgers, Villanova used a starting lineup consisting of Sumpter and 6-foot-10 sophomore center Jason Fraser up front, and a three-guard backcourt consisting of Foye, Nardi and Ray.
Villanova is getting 22.4 minutes per game off the bench from freshman forward Will Sheridan (4.5 ppg. and 5.2 rpg.) and 16.5 minutes per game from senior forward Andreas Bloch (4.2 ppg. and 2.7 rpg.).
Of the returning players, Foye was the big weapon for Villanova in the game against West Virginia last year. He hit 6 of 18 field goals for 16 points.
West Virginia, meanwhile, is coming off a 73-64 road win at St. John’s on Wednesday night. Tyrone Sally has come on like gang busters over the last three games, averaging 20 points and 7 rebounds in wins over Marshall, Boston College and St. John’s.
“In John’s system they have a go-to guy and everyone else feeds off him. I think it’s taken them a little time but it looks like Sally is doing that now and everyone else is stepping up,” said Wright. “I think Sally is doing a great job and I think John has done a great job of adjusting (to the loss of Drew Schifino).”
Sally has boosted his scoring average to 9.2 points per game. He will be joined up front by 6-foot-11 junior shot swatter D’or Fischer and 6-foot-10 sophomore Kevin Pittsnogle.
Fischer is just one shot block away from tying the school’s single season record of 70 set by Marcus Goree in 2000 and ranks first on the team in rebounding (7.2 rpg.) and is tops in scoring (9.9 ppg.).
“Fischer gives them great toughness inside on the boards,” said Wright.
Pittsnogle recently broke out of a 2 of 22 shooting slump in games against Marshall and Boston College by going 4 of 10 against St. John’s for 10 points. Pittsnogle is averaging 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Six-six sophomore guard Joe Herber is averaging 7.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while also handing out 45 assists. Five-ten sophomore J.D. Collins has started 12 games at point guard and is averaging 4.9 points and 3.8 assists per game.
West Virginia’s three key reserves off the bench are 6-foot-4 shooter Patrick Beilein, 6-foot point guard Tyler Relph and 6-foot-6 forward Jerrah Young.
Beilein is averaging 11.5 points per game in Big East play and has been nearly perfect from the free throw line, making 36 of 39 free throw attempts for 92.3 percent.
Relph is averaging 5.9 points per game while Young has grabbed 20 rebounds in 113 minutes of action.
Wright is impressed with West Virginia’s defense that has held its last three opponents to 64 points or less, “A lot of teams change defenses to disguise a lack of execution but they change defenses and execute extremely well and I think that’s what makes them a very difficult team to play against,” he said.
Wright also says facing West Virginia’s 1-3-1 zone is difficult because not a lot of teams utilize that defense.
“Some teams will throw that at you for a couple of possessions,” said Wright. “They hurt us with that last year and I think (Beilein) does a good job with it. He teaches it well and obviously they execute it and they stick with it. If you hit a couple of threes they don’t get out of it: they just adjust a little bit to your personnel. It also looks like they play your personnel out of it instead of just playing slides.”
The two teams have met 30 times since 1955 with Villanova holding a 17-13 advantage. The Wildcats are 7-4 against the Mountaineers since West Virginia joined the Big East.
“This is going to be a very difficult game and last year they came in here and took it to us,” said Wright.
Saturday’s game will start at 4 pm and will be televised on ESPN Regional. Stations carrying the game in West Virginia include WCHS (Charleston), WOAY (Beckley), WVFX (Clarksburg), WTOV (Steubenville, Ohio) and WJAL (Chambersburg, Pa.).
