The Wildcats host the Monmouth University Hawks for the second preliminary round of The Philly Hoops Classic. The 'Cats and Hawks last met on St. Patrick's Day in 2006, an opening round game in the 2006 NCAAs which the Randy Foye led Villanova squad won by 13, 58-45. That game brought Villanova back to .500 in St. Patrick's Day games, (6-6). Villanova leads the series 5-0...
What Others Say...
... The Blue Ribbon Yearbook gives the backcourt a B, the frontcourt a C and the bench/depth a C+. Jeff over at the March Madness All Season Blog categorized Monmouth among the Northeast conference's "Rounding out the Pack" teams (his lowest designation) with this note:
...Monmouth does return four starters from last season, but the Hawks went just 7-24 overall. They do have a deep backcourt though, with all-conference candidate Whitney Coleman leading the way. Yaniv Simpson, James Hett and Alex Nunner also return on the perimeter. Nick DelTufo is the leader up front...
- 10/21/08, Northeast Conference Preview
The Blue Ribbon Yearbook picked the Hawks to finish #10 in the 11 member Northeast Conference (NEC). As the BRY noted, "...There is one big difference between those championship teams and the one [Head Coach Dave] Calloway takes into the 2008-09 season -- those teams were built to win right away while this year's group might be a year away from being a real contender..." The coaches of the NEC on the other hand, picked the Hawks to finish #9 in their NEC Media Day pre-season poll.
Why Everyone Believes...
...The Hawks return 4 of the 5 starters from last year's squad. Remember that despite last season's 7-24 record, head coach Dave Calloway has built a program that went to the NCAA tournament 3 of the past 6 seasons. Last season's leading scorer Jhamar Youngblood may have transferred out, but Coach Calloway believes that team chemistry this season will be better.
So Far...
Monmouth (NEC, 0-4, RPI #304) owns a 4 game losing streak to start this season. Their average margin of loss has been -16.5. Notable opponents include Rhode Island and Penn. Villanova puts a 3-0 record on the line -- their most recent effort, a 15 point win over Niagara (the first preliminary round of The Philly Hoops Classic), the most competitive game so far.
Frontcourt vs frontcourt...
...The Hawks return veteran sophomore Nick DelTufo (6-8, 225lbs), who started 24 games last season, who shares center duties with senior Shawn Barlow (6-11 250lbs) and junior Dutch Gaitley (6-9 225lbs). Gaitley, a graduate of Archbishop Carroll, has started 3 of the Hawks' 4 games this season with DelTufo taking the other game (versus Rhode Island). The Hawks added freshmen Mike Myers-Kitt (6-7, 180lbs) out of Waterbury, Connecticut and Travis Taylor (6-8, 200lbs) out of Union, NJ. Coach Hollaway believes those two newcomers have added athleticism, and indeed Myers-Kitt has stated all 4 games so far, shooting 16-34, including 5-13 from behind the line.
The Wildcats will counter with Dante Cunningham, Antonio Pena, Casiem Drummond, Shane Clark and Frank Tchuisi. Cunningham and Pena, starters in all three games coming into the Monmouth game, will most likely be called on to start again. Both are taking steps to restore balance to the 'Cats offense. Cunningham has put up some impressive numbers to date. His offensive rating is 121.5 with a PPWS of 1.41. Dante put up a career high 31 points on his way to a double-double versus Fordham. Pena has scored an average 10.0 for the three games so far, based largely on an eFG% of 78.6. Both fouled out of the Wildcats' game against Niagara. Tchuisi, Clark and Drummond, though limited by lingering injuries, have provided good minutes in substitution for Dante and Antonio.
Backcourt vs backcourt...
...Recognized as the strongest element of the team going into the season, the Hawks return seniors Whitney Coleman (6-3, 190lbs) & Alex Nunner (6-3, 185lbs), junior Yaniv Simpson (6-4, 210lbs) and sophomores James Hett (5-10, 175lbs -- listed as 6-0 on Monmouth's web site...), Kevin Schafer (6-3, 190lbs) and RJ Rutledge (6-5, 175lbs). Coleman came out of the Florida International game at the 9 minute mark and has not appeared in another game. Offense from the back court comes from Rutledge (volume) and Nunner (efficiency).
Villanova offers Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher in the back court, with Corey Stokes on the wing. Reggie Redding plugs in anywhere, putting in 10-20 minutes per game as he provides a defensive stopper. Reggie has also had a couple of good offensive outings, most notably versus Niagara and earlier against Albany. Reynolds and Fisher have tended to be prolific shooters (for Scottie it is usually in the second half), but not especially efficient scorers.
Monmouth By the Numbers...
Over the past 5 years Monmouth's RPI has ranged from the high 200s down to the low 100s, which reflects the Hawks' success in the NEC. So far this season Monmouth's pace 66.8, is a bit lower than the D1-wide pace team this season (69 possessions, adjusted, via Ken Pomeroy's Monmouth Scout Page which ranks the Hawks #214 out of approx. 343). Comparing each team according to Dean Oliver's four factors...
Monmouth does not shoot the ball particularly well, ranked #177 right now. They are more adept at converting 2s, which could be a problem if 'Te and 'Tone are especially active. Monmouth is turnover prone (see TO% above), ranked #246 in that category. Villanova defense, by contrast, is good (not great though) at forcing turnovers. The 'Cats are ranked #93. This could be very challenging for the Hawks. A related stat not show here (but located on Nova & MU's Scouting Report provided at Ken Pomeroy's web site) is the Steal rate (Steals per 100 possessions...). Monmouth's offense loses possesions by steals at a 11.6% rate (ranked #246), while Villanova forces those steals at a 11.4% (ranked #100) rate. The players charged with guarding Rutledge and Myers-Keitt could have a banner night. Rebounding under Monmouth's hoop could be interesting too. Monmouth (see table above) has been about average at snagging their misses -- Taylor and Gaitley have been especially effective. Nova by contrast, has been pretty good at controlling their opponent's boards. Stokes, Redding, Pena and Drummond in particular have been strong on those defensive boards. The Drummond/Pena-Gaitley matchup may turn out to be a board battle (as opposed to a point scoring contest). Defense is a real point of vulnerability for Monmouth, as the table below suggests...
Shot defense is a significant problem for the Hawks, with 2FGA defense being a touch worse than 3FGA defense. Could be a big night for the front court. Monmouth does not force turnovers, and Nova is not inclined to lose the ball too much. Rebounding however, is especially troubling for Monmouth. Monmouth's defensive rebounding (Offensive rebounding on the defensive Factors table), 37.1%, ranks the Hawks at #255, which suggests their opponents typically get second (& third?) chances to score for just under 4 in 10 misses -- about where Villanova expects to be. Dante and Antonio have been especially strong on the boards so far, so if they can stay out of foul trouble, one or both could be a very big night. A good many "signs" point to multiple opportunities for Nova to score.
Final Thoughts...
...A year after being widely regarded as the youthfully inexperienced team, the Wildcats find the tables turned. The Hawks look to their freshmen front court contingent, along with an outside shooter or two to put points on the board. Those players, however, are among the youngest on the floor. It seems a part of the Hawks' challenge at this point includes learning how to score and play consistently, but also (even more fundamentally...), how to win.
Coach Wright, despite injuries to a variety of players that makes his rotation decisions more a guessing game than game management, has managed to put 10 or more players on the floor while making sure 7-8 get double digits minutes. His decisions (and motivational methods?) have Reggie Redding suppling quality minutes as Clark and Anderson sort through injuries. And senior Frank Tchuisi, along with walk-ons Jason Colenda and Russell Wooten, have provided "Hippocratic Minutes" for a rotation that is prematurely shallow.
Comparing pace, offensive and defensive efficiencies suggests this game will probably be played at a pretty deliberate pace. But that should not stop Villanova from taking a win with a margin somewhere north of 25 points. The 'Cats, especially if Fisher and Reynolds can score efficiently, might break triple digits for the second time this season.
Roster Notes...
Villanova...
1. Dwayne Anderson is still out with a foot injury..
2. Shane Clark may not be at full strength yet. Shane had anthroscopic surgery ealier in the month.
3. Corey Stokes' hand was taped for the Niagara game, the result of a sprain to his thumb. No word on his recovery progress.
Monmouth
1. Whitney Coleman has not appeared since he was taken out of Monmouth's first game of the season. No official word on his status.
What Others Say...
... The Blue Ribbon Yearbook gives the backcourt a B, the frontcourt a C and the bench/depth a C+. Jeff over at the March Madness All Season Blog categorized Monmouth among the Northeast conference's "Rounding out the Pack" teams (his lowest designation) with this note:
...Monmouth does return four starters from last season, but the Hawks went just 7-24 overall. They do have a deep backcourt though, with all-conference candidate Whitney Coleman leading the way. Yaniv Simpson, James Hett and Alex Nunner also return on the perimeter. Nick DelTufo is the leader up front...
- 10/21/08, Northeast Conference Preview
The Blue Ribbon Yearbook picked the Hawks to finish #10 in the 11 member Northeast Conference (NEC). As the BRY noted, "...There is one big difference between those championship teams and the one [Head Coach Dave] Calloway takes into the 2008-09 season -- those teams were built to win right away while this year's group might be a year away from being a real contender..." The coaches of the NEC on the other hand, picked the Hawks to finish #9 in their NEC Media Day pre-season poll.
Why Everyone Believes...
...The Hawks return 4 of the 5 starters from last year's squad. Remember that despite last season's 7-24 record, head coach Dave Calloway has built a program that went to the NCAA tournament 3 of the past 6 seasons. Last season's leading scorer Jhamar Youngblood may have transferred out, but Coach Calloway believes that team chemistry this season will be better.
So Far...
Monmouth (NEC, 0-4, RPI #304) owns a 4 game losing streak to start this season. Their average margin of loss has been -16.5. Notable opponents include Rhode Island and Penn. Villanova puts a 3-0 record on the line -- their most recent effort, a 15 point win over Niagara (the first preliminary round of The Philly Hoops Classic), the most competitive game so far.
Frontcourt vs frontcourt...
...The Hawks return veteran sophomore Nick DelTufo (6-8, 225lbs), who started 24 games last season, who shares center duties with senior Shawn Barlow (6-11 250lbs) and junior Dutch Gaitley (6-9 225lbs). Gaitley, a graduate of Archbishop Carroll, has started 3 of the Hawks' 4 games this season with DelTufo taking the other game (versus Rhode Island). The Hawks added freshmen Mike Myers-Kitt (6-7, 180lbs) out of Waterbury, Connecticut and Travis Taylor (6-8, 200lbs) out of Union, NJ. Coach Hollaway believes those two newcomers have added athleticism, and indeed Myers-Kitt has stated all 4 games so far, shooting 16-34, including 5-13 from behind the line.
The Wildcats will counter with Dante Cunningham, Antonio Pena, Casiem Drummond, Shane Clark and Frank Tchuisi. Cunningham and Pena, starters in all three games coming into the Monmouth game, will most likely be called on to start again. Both are taking steps to restore balance to the 'Cats offense. Cunningham has put up some impressive numbers to date. His offensive rating is 121.5 with a PPWS of 1.41. Dante put up a career high 31 points on his way to a double-double versus Fordham. Pena has scored an average 10.0 for the three games so far, based largely on an eFG% of 78.6. Both fouled out of the Wildcats' game against Niagara. Tchuisi, Clark and Drummond, though limited by lingering injuries, have provided good minutes in substitution for Dante and Antonio.
Backcourt vs backcourt...
...Recognized as the strongest element of the team going into the season, the Hawks return seniors Whitney Coleman (6-3, 190lbs) & Alex Nunner (6-3, 185lbs), junior Yaniv Simpson (6-4, 210lbs) and sophomores James Hett (5-10, 175lbs -- listed as 6-0 on Monmouth's web site...), Kevin Schafer (6-3, 190lbs) and RJ Rutledge (6-5, 175lbs). Coleman came out of the Florida International game at the 9 minute mark and has not appeared in another game. Offense from the back court comes from Rutledge (volume) and Nunner (efficiency).
Villanova offers Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher in the back court, with Corey Stokes on the wing. Reggie Redding plugs in anywhere, putting in 10-20 minutes per game as he provides a defensive stopper. Reggie has also had a couple of good offensive outings, most notably versus Niagara and earlier against Albany. Reynolds and Fisher have tended to be prolific shooters (for Scottie it is usually in the second half), but not especially efficient scorers.
Monmouth By the Numbers...
Over the past 5 years Monmouth's RPI has ranged from the high 200s down to the low 100s, which reflects the Hawks' success in the NEC. So far this season Monmouth's pace 66.8, is a bit lower than the D1-wide pace team this season (69 possessions, adjusted, via Ken Pomeroy's Monmouth Scout Page which ranks the Hawks #214 out of approx. 343). Comparing each team according to Dean Oliver's four factors...
| When Monmouth has the ball... | ||||
| FTA | ||||
| eFG% | TO% | OR% | FGA | |
| Hawk O | 48.2 | 24.0 | 34.7 | 17.5 |
| 'Cat D | 44.9 | 23.8 | 30.8 | 36.3 |
Monmouth does not shoot the ball particularly well, ranked #177 right now. They are more adept at converting 2s, which could be a problem if 'Te and 'Tone are especially active. Monmouth is turnover prone (see TO% above), ranked #246 in that category. Villanova defense, by contrast, is good (not great though) at forcing turnovers. The 'Cats are ranked #93. This could be very challenging for the Hawks. A related stat not show here (but located on Nova & MU's Scouting Report provided at Ken Pomeroy's web site) is the Steal rate (Steals per 100 possessions...). Monmouth's offense loses possesions by steals at a 11.6% rate (ranked #246), while Villanova forces those steals at a 11.4% (ranked #100) rate. The players charged with guarding Rutledge and Myers-Keitt could have a banner night. Rebounding under Monmouth's hoop could be interesting too. Monmouth (see table above) has been about average at snagging their misses -- Taylor and Gaitley have been especially effective. Nova by contrast, has been pretty good at controlling their opponent's boards. Stokes, Redding, Pena and Drummond in particular have been strong on those defensive boards. The Drummond/Pena-Gaitley matchup may turn out to be a board battle (as opposed to a point scoring contest). Defense is a real point of vulnerability for Monmouth, as the table below suggests...
| When Villanova has the ball... | ||||
| FTA | ||||
| eFG% | TO% | OR% | FGA | |
| 'Cat O | 59.1 | 17.6 | 37.9 | 46.5 |
| Hawk D | 56.5 | 17.3 | 37.1 | 39.3 |
Shot defense is a significant problem for the Hawks, with 2FGA defense being a touch worse than 3FGA defense. Could be a big night for the front court. Monmouth does not force turnovers, and Nova is not inclined to lose the ball too much. Rebounding however, is especially troubling for Monmouth. Monmouth's defensive rebounding (Offensive rebounding on the defensive Factors table), 37.1%, ranks the Hawks at #255, which suggests their opponents typically get second (& third?) chances to score for just under 4 in 10 misses -- about where Villanova expects to be. Dante and Antonio have been especially strong on the boards so far, so if they can stay out of foul trouble, one or both could be a very big night. A good many "signs" point to multiple opportunities for Nova to score.
Final Thoughts...
...A year after being widely regarded as the youthfully inexperienced team, the Wildcats find the tables turned. The Hawks look to their freshmen front court contingent, along with an outside shooter or two to put points on the board. Those players, however, are among the youngest on the floor. It seems a part of the Hawks' challenge at this point includes learning how to score and play consistently, but also (even more fundamentally...), how to win.
Coach Wright, despite injuries to a variety of players that makes his rotation decisions more a guessing game than game management, has managed to put 10 or more players on the floor while making sure 7-8 get double digits minutes. His decisions (and motivational methods?) have Reggie Redding suppling quality minutes as Clark and Anderson sort through injuries. And senior Frank Tchuisi, along with walk-ons Jason Colenda and Russell Wooten, have provided "Hippocratic Minutes" for a rotation that is prematurely shallow.
Comparing pace, offensive and defensive efficiencies suggests this game will probably be played at a pretty deliberate pace. But that should not stop Villanova from taking a win with a margin somewhere north of 25 points. The 'Cats, especially if Fisher and Reynolds can score efficiently, might break triple digits for the second time this season.
Roster Notes...
Villanova...
1. Dwayne Anderson is still out with a foot injury..
2. Shane Clark may not be at full strength yet. Shane had anthroscopic surgery ealier in the month.
3. Corey Stokes' hand was taped for the Niagara game, the result of a sprain to his thumb. No word on his recovery progress.
Monmouth
1. Whitney Coleman has not appeared since he was taken out of Monmouth's first game of the season. No official word on his status.
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