The Wildcats and Quakers renew a series on Tuesday that dates back to Villanova's second year of NCAA basketball. The opponents took a hiatus after that first meeting...a 34 year hiatus. But resumed play in 1956 for what has remained (more or less...) an annual match. Tuesday's game marks the 56th time the two teams clash. Villanova holds a 38-17 edge and a 5 game winning streak in what might be the most lopsided of the Big 5 rivalries...
What Others Say...
... Blue Ribbon gives the backcourt a B-, the frontcourt a C and the bench/depth a B. The BRY picked Penn to finish second in the Ivy League this season. Previewer Tony Lane notes "...Ideally Penn now reaps the harvest of some tough ploughing (young squad, injuries, graduations)..." Jeff Borzello from March Madness All Season Blog lists Penn among the "contenders" for the Ivy League title (Cornell is the favorite) with these words...
"...Penn looks to get back atop the Ivy League after falling to third last year. The Quakers are led by their talented frontcourt of all-conference forward Tyler Bernardini and big men Jack Eggleston and Andreas Schreiber. In the backcourt, Harrison Gaines and Kevin Egee lead the way...."
-- 10/22/08 Ivy Preview
So Far...
University of Pennsylvania (Ivy, 1-4, RPI #258) have a single win (see table) and a notable loss (71-86) to North Carolina (ACC, 5-0, RPI #14) which kicked off their season. The 'Cats and Quakers have several opponents in common so far:
The 'Cats enter this game sporting a 6-0 record - their most recent effort took The Philly Classic Independence Bracket trophy with a 15 point win over Rhode Island.
Frontcourt vs frontcourt...
...Coach Miller has started sophomore Jack Eggleston (6-8, 215lbs) in every game so far. Senior Cameron Lewis (6-8, 225lbs) got the start against North Carolina, but senior Brennan Votel (6-7, 225lbs) has started the other 4 games as Lewis sees mostly spot duty. Sophomore Conor Turley (6-7, 220lbs), seniors Tommy McMahon (6-7, 210lbs) and Dan Monckton (6-7, 210lbs), along with freshman Garvin Hunt (6-10, 230lbs) fill out the front court rotation. Turley has seen consistent double digit minutes, while McMahon, Monckton and Hunt have appeared for small amounts of time in 1 or 2 of Penn's 5 games. The BRY synopsis spent some ink on junior Andreas Schreiber (6-9, 245lbs), Coach Miller citing him as a barometer for the season. So far Schreiber has made no appearance.
Villanova will counter with senior Dante Cunningham and sophomore Antonio Pena. Cunningham & Pena have started all 6 of Nova's outings, logging 60+% of the available minutes at the #4/#5. Foul trouble to date has been the only inhibitor on time. Cunningham was named MVP of The Philly Classic Tournament last weekend. Seniors Frank Tchuisi and Shane Clark (with guard Reggie Redding sliding over now and again...) fill out the frontcourt rotation. Clark has several good offfensive outings on the books this season.
Backcourt vs backcourt...
...Coach Miller's back court is largely set, as freshman Zach Rosen (6-1, 170lbs), sophomores Tyler Bernadini (6-6, 205lbs) & Harrison Gaines (6-0, 170lbs), along with senior Kevin Egree (6-3, 175lbs) have (collectively) split the starts for all of Penn's games. Rosen, a well regarded pg out of St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, has already logged 80.5% of the time at the #1, having dished 33 assists, he maintains a 5.5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Rosen averages 5.5 ppg, though it is closer to 8 ppg over the Quakers' last 3 games. Bernadini, Egree and Gaines have supplied the points from the back court, though rarely do all three go off in the same game. To date only Bernadini, named the Big 5's Rookie of the Year last season, has shown the ability to post numbers north of 20 in a single game. Sophomore Remy Cofield (6-4, 205lbs), along with freshmen Rob Belcore (6-6, 215lbs) and Larry Loughery (6-6, 210lbs) have gathered the balance of the available minutes.
Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes will most likely start for Villanova. Those three, plus junior Reggie Redding have pulled down all of the starts for the back court. Fisher was named to the All-Tournament team for The Philly Classic over the Thanksgiving weekend, while Redding posted his first double-double against Rhode Island on Saturday. Stokes, a St. Benedict's alum and former teammate of Penn's Zach Rosen, has been hampered over the past week with a strained thumb.
Pennsylvania By the Numbers...
...Penn, along with Princeton has been a perennial contender in the Ivy League, frequently receiving a Dance. Their RPI reflects that dual dominance, as their ranking has ranged from a high of #57 to a low of #261. Penn is used to the <#100 neighborhood of D1 however, spending 3 of the past 5 seasons between #57 and #98. Coach Glen Miller runs an uptempo offense, and Penn's pace, 73.0 possessions (adjusted per Ken Pomeroy's Penn Scout Page) is above average (Quakers ranked #50) - the current average for pace is 68.4. The game should, therefore, offer a contrast in tempo. Villanova has to date played at (an average ajusted) pace of 65.7 possessions per game, noticably lower than the average for D1. I believe the 'Cats have been content to let the opponent set the tempo, a theory this game should test. A four factors comparison of Penn & Villanova...
Coach Miller has fashioned a classic perimeter oriented team (POT). POTs tend to take a lot of 3FGAs (Penn takes 40% of their FGAs from beyond the arc), limit turnovers (because they rarely try to score in the paint), and eschew the contact that comes with competing in the paint (rebounding and free throws). And the table above shows Penn fits the profile, right down to the free throws. Penn's problems so far come with their wings (Bernadini, Egree and Gaines for the most part) not scoring consistently. The team 3FGM% is 30.6, ranking them #246 in D1 (according to Ken Pomeroy's Penn Scouting Report). Scoring on the inside has come from Jack Eggleston or Votel, each of whom has posted double digit points in nearly every game this season. But they have not been able to break double digits together. Villanova has been playing fantastic defense. The Wildcat's eFG% (see above) is ranked #46 in D1. Their 3 point defense will get another close look, if the Quakers' past performance is a good indicator. So far, the 'Cats have limited their opponent's 3FGM% to 27.7, good for a #40 ranking nationally. Nova is particularly strong at forcing turnovers and controlling the defensive boards. The game should boost the Wildcat's rebounding status, though it does not appear to be a point of emphasis for the Quakers. On offense...
This is probably the severest test Penn's defense will face outside of North Carolina. The Wildcats like to score inside the 3 point line. They favor 2s to 3s (68.2%), and convert at a 53.3% clip. They like to get to the line, as evidenced by their 36.6 FTRate (ranked #27 in D1 per Ken Pomeroy's Villanova Scouting Report page). The Quakers have not been especially aggressive on defense, forcing turnovers and rebounding are average to below average for D1. Villanova should have a very good day on the boards. Penn's FTRate is high, but that may be the result of late game change of possession fouling, a phenomina common to teams with losing records.
Finally...
Villanova's 3 point defense has been questioned over the past 3 seasons. The Quaker wings will test that area again. If they hit 3s early and often, the pace will most likely be higher and the pressure to counter quickly with 3s may be very (too?) tempting for the back court. Last season's game was a race which the Young 'Cats won despite allowing Penn to hit their 3s (45% of their FGAs were 3s) at a 40% clip. The Wildcats have an advantage on the inside however, as Cunningham and Pena should matchup well against Eggleston, Votel, Lewis and company. Fouls down low will be a key. If Pena and Cunningham can get the ball in the low post and convert without fouling (and defend the Quaker forwards without fouling...), the 'Cats should control the score and pace. If Dante and/or Antonio have to sit with fouls however, the staff will have some rotation decisions to make. Redding, though undersized for a #4 might be able to put in time in the frontcourt this game.
Coach Wright has favored a larger rotation so far, despite personnel shortages. So far senior Frank Tchuisi and walk-ons Jason Colenda and Russell Wooten have taken time to relieve the starters and other members of the regular rotation. The staff typically put 10 - 11 players on the court, with 7 - 8 getting double digit minutes. The Rhode Island game, possibly the best test for the squad so far this season, saw only 7 players get double digit minutes while only 9 saw the court.
According to pace calculations, this game will most likely be played for about 70 possessions (a good test for Villanova's ability to run...), with the 'Cats winning by a comfortable (15+ points) margin.
Roster Notes...
Villanova --
1. Casiem Drummond, junior center from Bloomfield Tech in NJ has decided to transfer. The Athletic Department posted an official announcement early Monday afternoon. Cas will not be available for the game. Best of luck to you Casiem.
2.Dwayne Anderson will be checked this week, and possibly cleared to practice, will not appear in this game.
What Others Say...
... Blue Ribbon gives the backcourt a B-, the frontcourt a C and the bench/depth a B. The BRY picked Penn to finish second in the Ivy League this season. Previewer Tony Lane notes "...Ideally Penn now reaps the harvest of some tough ploughing (young squad, injuries, graduations)..." Jeff Borzello from March Madness All Season Blog lists Penn among the "contenders" for the Ivy League title (Cornell is the favorite) with these words...
"...Penn looks to get back atop the Ivy League after falling to third last year. The Quakers are led by their talented frontcourt of all-conference forward Tyler Bernardini and big men Jack Eggleston and Andreas Schreiber. In the backcourt, Harrison Gaines and Kevin Egee lead the way...."
-- 10/22/08 Ivy Preview
So Far...
University of Pennsylvania (Ivy, 1-4, RPI #258) have a single win (see table) and a notable loss (71-86) to North Carolina (ACC, 5-0, RPI #14) which kicked off their season. The 'Cats and Quakers have several opponents in common so far:
| Nova | Penn | |||
| Opponent | W/L | Diff. | W/L | Diff. |
| Monmouth | W | +23 | W | +21 |
| Albany | W | +18 | L | -10 |
The 'Cats enter this game sporting a 6-0 record - their most recent effort took The Philly Classic Independence Bracket trophy with a 15 point win over Rhode Island.
Frontcourt vs frontcourt...
...Coach Miller has started sophomore Jack Eggleston (6-8, 215lbs) in every game so far. Senior Cameron Lewis (6-8, 225lbs) got the start against North Carolina, but senior Brennan Votel (6-7, 225lbs) has started the other 4 games as Lewis sees mostly spot duty. Sophomore Conor Turley (6-7, 220lbs), seniors Tommy McMahon (6-7, 210lbs) and Dan Monckton (6-7, 210lbs), along with freshman Garvin Hunt (6-10, 230lbs) fill out the front court rotation. Turley has seen consistent double digit minutes, while McMahon, Monckton and Hunt have appeared for small amounts of time in 1 or 2 of Penn's 5 games. The BRY synopsis spent some ink on junior Andreas Schreiber (6-9, 245lbs), Coach Miller citing him as a barometer for the season. So far Schreiber has made no appearance.
Villanova will counter with senior Dante Cunningham and sophomore Antonio Pena. Cunningham & Pena have started all 6 of Nova's outings, logging 60+% of the available minutes at the #4/#5. Foul trouble to date has been the only inhibitor on time. Cunningham was named MVP of The Philly Classic Tournament last weekend. Seniors Frank Tchuisi and Shane Clark (with guard Reggie Redding sliding over now and again...) fill out the frontcourt rotation. Clark has several good offfensive outings on the books this season.
Backcourt vs backcourt...
...Coach Miller's back court is largely set, as freshman Zach Rosen (6-1, 170lbs), sophomores Tyler Bernadini (6-6, 205lbs) & Harrison Gaines (6-0, 170lbs), along with senior Kevin Egree (6-3, 175lbs) have (collectively) split the starts for all of Penn's games. Rosen, a well regarded pg out of St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, has already logged 80.5% of the time at the #1, having dished 33 assists, he maintains a 5.5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Rosen averages 5.5 ppg, though it is closer to 8 ppg over the Quakers' last 3 games. Bernadini, Egree and Gaines have supplied the points from the back court, though rarely do all three go off in the same game. To date only Bernadini, named the Big 5's Rookie of the Year last season, has shown the ability to post numbers north of 20 in a single game. Sophomore Remy Cofield (6-4, 205lbs), along with freshmen Rob Belcore (6-6, 215lbs) and Larry Loughery (6-6, 210lbs) have gathered the balance of the available minutes.
Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes will most likely start for Villanova. Those three, plus junior Reggie Redding have pulled down all of the starts for the back court. Fisher was named to the All-Tournament team for The Philly Classic over the Thanksgiving weekend, while Redding posted his first double-double against Rhode Island on Saturday. Stokes, a St. Benedict's alum and former teammate of Penn's Zach Rosen, has been hampered over the past week with a strained thumb.
Pennsylvania By the Numbers...
...Penn, along with Princeton has been a perennial contender in the Ivy League, frequently receiving a Dance. Their RPI reflects that dual dominance, as their ranking has ranged from a high of #57 to a low of #261. Penn is used to the <#100 neighborhood of D1 however, spending 3 of the past 5 seasons between #57 and #98. Coach Glen Miller runs an uptempo offense, and Penn's pace, 73.0 possessions (adjusted per Ken Pomeroy's Penn Scout Page) is above average (Quakers ranked #50) - the current average for pace is 68.4. The game should, therefore, offer a contrast in tempo. Villanova has to date played at (an average ajusted) pace of 65.7 possessions per game, noticably lower than the average for D1. I believe the 'Cats have been content to let the opponent set the tempo, a theory this game should test. A four factors comparison of Penn & Villanova...
| When Penn has the ball... | ||||
| FTA | ||||
| eFG% | TO% | OR% | FGA | |
| Quaker O | 48.9 | 17.6 | 24.9 | 24.4 |
| Wildcat D | 44.3 | 24.0 | 27.3 | 34.9 |
Coach Miller has fashioned a classic perimeter oriented team (POT). POTs tend to take a lot of 3FGAs (Penn takes 40% of their FGAs from beyond the arc), limit turnovers (because they rarely try to score in the paint), and eschew the contact that comes with competing in the paint (rebounding and free throws). And the table above shows Penn fits the profile, right down to the free throws. Penn's problems so far come with their wings (Bernadini, Egree and Gaines for the most part) not scoring consistently. The team 3FGM% is 30.6, ranking them #246 in D1 (according to Ken Pomeroy's Penn Scouting Report). Scoring on the inside has come from Jack Eggleston or Votel, each of whom has posted double digit points in nearly every game this season. But they have not been able to break double digits together. Villanova has been playing fantastic defense. The Wildcat's eFG% (see above) is ranked #46 in D1. Their 3 point defense will get another close look, if the Quakers' past performance is a good indicator. So far, the 'Cats have limited their opponent's 3FGM% to 27.7, good for a #40 ranking nationally. Nova is particularly strong at forcing turnovers and controlling the defensive boards. The game should boost the Wildcat's rebounding status, though it does not appear to be a point of emphasis for the Quakers. On offense...
| When Villanova has the ball... | ||||
| FTA | ||||
| eFG% | TO% | OR% | FGA | |
| Wildcat O | 56.9 | 17.7 | 39.8 | 39.0 |
| Quaker D | 48.7 | 19.3 | 32.8 | 47.2 |
This is probably the severest test Penn's defense will face outside of North Carolina. The Wildcats like to score inside the 3 point line. They favor 2s to 3s (68.2%), and convert at a 53.3% clip. They like to get to the line, as evidenced by their 36.6 FTRate (ranked #27 in D1 per Ken Pomeroy's Villanova Scouting Report page). The Quakers have not been especially aggressive on defense, forcing turnovers and rebounding are average to below average for D1. Villanova should have a very good day on the boards. Penn's FTRate is high, but that may be the result of late game change of possession fouling, a phenomina common to teams with losing records.
Finally...
Villanova's 3 point defense has been questioned over the past 3 seasons. The Quaker wings will test that area again. If they hit 3s early and often, the pace will most likely be higher and the pressure to counter quickly with 3s may be very (too?) tempting for the back court. Last season's game was a race which the Young 'Cats won despite allowing Penn to hit their 3s (45% of their FGAs were 3s) at a 40% clip. The Wildcats have an advantage on the inside however, as Cunningham and Pena should matchup well against Eggleston, Votel, Lewis and company. Fouls down low will be a key. If Pena and Cunningham can get the ball in the low post and convert without fouling (and defend the Quaker forwards without fouling...), the 'Cats should control the score and pace. If Dante and/or Antonio have to sit with fouls however, the staff will have some rotation decisions to make. Redding, though undersized for a #4 might be able to put in time in the frontcourt this game.
Coach Wright has favored a larger rotation so far, despite personnel shortages. So far senior Frank Tchuisi and walk-ons Jason Colenda and Russell Wooten have taken time to relieve the starters and other members of the regular rotation. The staff typically put 10 - 11 players on the court, with 7 - 8 getting double digit minutes. The Rhode Island game, possibly the best test for the squad so far this season, saw only 7 players get double digit minutes while only 9 saw the court.
According to pace calculations, this game will most likely be played for about 70 possessions (a good test for Villanova's ability to run...), with the 'Cats winning by a comfortable (15+ points) margin.
Roster Notes...
Villanova --
1. Casiem Drummond, junior center from Bloomfield Tech in NJ has decided to transfer. The Athletic Department posted an official announcement early Monday afternoon. Cas will not be available for the game. Best of luck to you Casiem.
2.Dwayne Anderson will be checked this week, and possibly cleared to practice, will not appear in this game.
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