Big East Showdown: Villanova at UConn
2006-02-20
Posted by: badanov
Duke makes number one in the AP. Yawn.
But Villanova makes number two before UConn. Why?
Villanova set the pace defensively early before the conference games ever started with a rock solid defense in the paint, and the will to penetrate into the paint for two pointers.
We suspect he main reason at this point is that in six days Villanova goes to UConn for a game, the second of their conference games.
Uconn is a very good basketball team, but our opinion is that they are a paper tiger. A lot of baskets with an adequate defense. Good enough to propel them to first for a few weeks in the AP poll. But with Villanova's home game win against UConn, two critical statistical categories have emerged which places Villanova in good position to win next Sunday: Scoring defense and free throws. The shield and the counter thrust, as it were.
Villanova is third in scoring defense and first in three throw percentages in the Big East, which is a strength that will be applied to UConn, especially if UConn thinks they can win by gunning the basketball into that tight Wildcat defense.
Yes, UConn leads the Big East in many other critical categories, but those are strengths that are premised on UConn getting up close and person with the basket. Villanova won't give that up.
While we agree that this will be a home game for UConn, we would like to point out that LSU beat UConn at home and LSU is well known in the SEC for its defenses against good teams.
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