2008-09 MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES Villanova (5-0) vs. Rhode Island (5-1) 2008-09 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS Saturday, November 29, 2008 • 8:45 PM Date Opponent Result Score Record Big East TV: CN8 Radio: ESPN 950 Nov. 14 ALBANY W 78-60 1-0 0-0 Philly Hoop Group Classic Nov. 17 FORDHAM W 107-68 2-0 0-0 Nov. 19 NIAGARA (#) W 77-62 3-0 0-0 Nov. 25 MONMOUTH (#) W 71-48 4-0 0-0 Nov. 28 vs. Towson (#) W 64-47 5-0 0-0 Nov. 29 vs. Penn St./Rhode Isl. (#) 6:30 PM/8:30 PM CN8 Dec. 2 @ Penn (B5) 8:00 PM CN8 Dec. 4 HOUSTON BAPTIST 7:30 PM Nova Nation All-Access Dec. 9 vs. Texas (%) 9:00 PM ESPN VILLANOVA PROBABLE STARTERS Dec. 11 SAINT JOSEPH’S (B5) 8:00 PM ESPN2 Pos. Name Height/Class/Hometown PPG RPG Dec. 14 @ La Salle (B5) 7:00 PM ESPNU G Corey Stokes 6-5 / So. / Bayonne, N.J. 12.8 4.4 Dec. 22 NAVY 7:30 PM Nova Nation All-Access F Antonio Pena 6-8 / So. / Brooklyn, N.Y. 9.2 6.2 Dec. 29 TEMPLE (B5) 7:00 PM ESPNU F Dante Cunningham 6-8 / Sr. / Silver Spring, Md. 17.2 6.8 Jan. 1 @ Marquette (*) 2:30 PM ESPN G Scottie Reynolds 6-2 / Jr. / Herndon, Va. 13.2 4.2 Jan. 6 @ Seton Hall (*) 8:00 PM WPHL G Corey Fisher 6-1 / So. / Bronx, N.Y. 11.4 2.4 Jan. 10 LOUISVILLE (*) (WC) Noon ESPN OFF THE BENCH Jan. 18 ST. JOHN’S (*) Noon WPHL Jan. 21 @ Connecticut (*) 7:00 PM ESPN Pos. Name Height/Class/Hometown PPG RPG G Reggie Redding 6-5 / Jr. / Philadelphia, Pa. 8.2 4.8 Jan. 24 @ USF (*) Noon WPHL F Shane Clark 6-7 / Sr. / Philadelphia, Pa. 5.5 1.5 Jan. 28 PITTSBURGH (*) (WS) 7:00 PM ESPN F Frank Tchuisi 6-8 / Sr. / Douala, Cameroon 2.2 2.0 Feb. 1 CINCINNATI (*) Noon WPHL C Casiem Drummond 6-10/Jr./ East Orange, N.J. 2.0 2.5 Feb. 4 @ Providence (*) 8:00 PM WPHL G Jason Colenda 6-0 / Jr. / Fairfax, Va. 0.0 0.2 Feb. 7 SYRACUSE (*) (WC) Noon ESPN F Russell Wooten 6-4 / Jr. / Chula Vista, Calif. 0.0 0.4 Feb. 10 MARQUETTE (*) 7:30 PM ESPN2 F Dwayne Anderson* 6-6 / Sr. / Silver Spring, Md. Feb. 13 @ West Virginia (*) 9:00 PM ESPN F/C Maurice Sutton 6-11 / Fr. / Upper Marlboro, Md. Feb. 19 RUTGERS (*) 9:00 PM ESPN or ESPN2 Feb. 22 @ Syracuse (*) 1:00 PM CBS * Injured and will not play Feb. 25 @ DePaul (*) 8:00 PM WPHL Head Coach: Jay Wright (275-168 lifetime, 152-83 at Villanova) Feb. 28 GEORGETOWN (*) (WC) Noon ESPN Mar. 2 @ Notre Dame (*) 7:00 PM ESPN TOP STORIES Mar. 5 PROVIDENCE (*) 7:00 PM ESPN or ESPN2 • Villanova shook off a sluggish first half to pull away from Towson 64-47 on Mar. 10-14 BIG EAST Championship (^) ESPN/ESNP2 Friday night at the Philly Hoop Group Classic. VU is now 11-4 in the Palestra since Jay Wright assumed the coaching reins in 2001. All times listed are Eastern time and subject to change without notice Home games, unless noted, denoted in bold and played at The Pavilion • Four Wildcats scored in double figures on Friday night - Scottie Reynolds WC: denotes games played at the Wachovia Center (14 points), Dante Cunningham (12), Antonio Pena (12) and Corey Fisher WS: denotes game played at the Wachovia Spectrum (11). It marked the fourth time in five games this season that Villanova has B5: denotes a Philadelphia Big Five contest had at least four players in double figures in the scoring column. #: denotes Philly Hoop Group Classic (11/28 and 11/29 at The Palestra) %: denotes Jimmy V Classic (at Madison Square Garden) • Dante Cunningham’s strong start to the season netted him Philadelphia Big ^: denotes the BIG EAST Championship (at Madison Square Garden) Five co-player of the week honors along with Temple’s Dionte Christmas. • With its win over Towson, Villanova improved to 26-7 (.788) in the month MEDIA INFORMATION of November in the tenure of head coach Jay Wright. Interview Requests: • The Wildcats meet Rhode Island for the first time in more than 50 years All interview requests should be addressed to Mike Sheridan, Director tonight. The two squads last squared off on Jan. 4, 1950 with the Wildcats post- of Media Relations at (610) 519-4145. ing a 68-49 victory. VU owns a 4-2 (.667) edge in the series. Follow Villanova Basketball on the Web: Follow the Villanova men's basketball team on the web at: www.vil- • Friday night kicked off a stretch of four games in eight days for Villanova. lanova.com The Wildcats return to the Palestra on Tuesday night to meet the host Penn Quakers at 8:00 p.m. (CN8). Villanova Media Relations Information: Phone- (610) 519-4120; Fax- (610) 519-7323 Email- [email protected] 2008-09 MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES Defense Did the Trick Reynolds Wrap Dante’s Inferno On a night where its offense sputtered en Scottie Reynolds remains at the center of Over the course of his career, Dante route to a season-low 64 points Villanova Villanova’s offensive and defensive attacks as Cunningham has been one of Villanova’s most turned to its reliable friend, the defense, to stave he enters his third season as a Wildcat. He dependable defenders, rebounders and leaders. off an early challenge from Towson on Friday picked up 14 points in the win over Towson and His offense,though, has typically taken a back- night at the Palestra. now has 1,108 points in his Villanova career. seat to that of such gifted scorers as Reynolds, “We weren’t ourselves in the first half,” He needs 14 more points to move past John Randy Foye, Kyle Lowry, and Curtis Sumpter. stated Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “We Olive (1,122) into 47th place on the all-time But if Wright has his way, that is in the were excited to be here and it seemed like we school scoring list. process of changing. were rushed for whatever reason.” Reynolds was named a pre-season All BIG “We need Dante to be a scorer,” he says. So the ‘Cats leaned on their defense and it EAST selection last month. On Nov. 7, it was “He has been a good scorer in some games but was there for them. Towson was limited to 18- announced that he is one of 50 players national- he hasn’t done it consistently because he does- of-55 shooting for the night (.327) and was just ly included on the Wooden Award Preseason n’t ask for it. As a coaching staff we have to 7-of-25 (.185) in the second half. watch list. demand it too. He can really score in a lot of “I felt good about our defense, especially One of Reynolds’great offensive strengths ways.” in the second half,” stated Wright. is his ability to get to the free throw line. He is Cunningham connected on 4-of-8 from the Last season, especially early in the cam- 23-of-25 (.920) at the line thus far this season, field and finished with 12 points in the win over paign, VU struggled with 3-point field goal per- averaging better than six attempts per outing. Towson. He leads Villanova in scoring at 17.3 centage defense. As late as early February of In 72 career games, Reynolds has attempt- ppg. Nearly as impressive is the fact his 86 2008, it ranked 15th among all BIG EAST ed four or more free throws 52 times. In those points have come in 142 minutes of action. clubs in that department. The late season games, Villanova is 38-14 (.730). He is now 33-of-54 (.611) from the floor improvement seen in 2007-08 has carried over Last season Reynolds helped nurture this season. His run of five straight double-digit into the new year. young guards Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes scoring efforts to open the season matches is Opponents are 32-of-117 (.282) from after he benefitted from the guidance of former his best stretch as a collegian, supassing a four deep. VU limited Towson to 5-of-27 (.185) ‘Cat guard Mike Nardi in 2006-07. Reynolds game double digit run in January 2007. shooting from beyond the arc on Saturday became the primary point guard for Villanova “I have been working a lot in the off-sea- night. That element figures to be vitally impor- late in the season. He scored 92 points in the son on my range and understanding where shots tant as they face a team of talented long range Wildcats five postseason games last season - an come from and where I can be comfortable on shooters in Rhode Island, led by Jimmy Baron. average of 18.4 ppg. the court,” stated Cunningham. Reynolds also added a steal against Cunningham also leads VU in rebounding Take Note Towson, giving him 109 for his career. That at 6.8 rpg. He now has 569 careeer caroms, moved him into 27th place on the Villanova all- which places him 32nd among the all-time top Please note the start time for Villanova’s time list with the man he succeeded in wearing rebounders on the Main Line.