:’Cats Creep to #17 in AP
Finishing up 10-1 in Pre-Big East play, Villanova hopped up one spot in this week’s AP Poll. The Wildcats stayed steady at #16 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
:Rankings
:Caz Injury Update
As I mentioned in yesterday’s Game Recap, Casiem Drummond has been listed with a stess fracture in his ankle.
Here’s a quick blurb in the Daily News about it, but it really doesn’t give any brilliant insight besides that it will be a minimum of 2 weeks to recover.
LaSalle 58: :71 Villanova
Scottie led the way with 19 and Corey Fisher threw in an additional 18 as Villanova won its 14th consecutive Big5 game.
:Story
The bad news of the night was released before the game when Jay announced that Casiem Drummond will be out for an indefinite amount of time with a stress fracture in his right ankle.
:Dec29: #18 vs. LaSalle
vs. 
Location: Villanova, PA (The Pavilion)
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
Radio: 950AM WPEN
Internet: ESPN360
Villanova is 30-26 All-time against the Explorers and currently have a 5-game winning streak. As usual, check out Villanova By The Numbers’ pre-game analysis.
:Jay Wright’s Coaching Family Tree (updated)
We posted a link to Jay Wright’s Coaching Family Tree. We initially put it out there for our VUhoops Google Group members, and this week we extend it to everyone.
CLICK
:NBA Update
This week stat update…
- Malik Allen (NJ Nets) 5.4pts, 3.3reb, 0.8ast
- Randy Foye (Minnesota) Stress Reaction in Left Knee.Hasn’t played in ‘07. Expected to miss another 3 weeks.
- Kyle Lowry (Memphis) 9.8pts, 4.1reb, 3.8ast
- Tim Thomas (LA Clippers) 12.6pts, 5.2reb, 2.8ast. Sprained Left Knee on 22Dec (Day-to-Day)
:Random Villanova Christmas Fact
As people around the world celebrate Boxing Day, VUhoops.com would like to wish you a belated Merry Christmas.
Did You Know… that since 1920, the Wildcats have played in exactly one game on Christmas Day? In 1956, VU lost to NYU 66-73.
:Villanovans Around the Globe Part II
3 Weeks ago, we posted the first part of a series of what the non-NBA Villanovans of the past are up to. Here is some more information that VUhoops.com has researchd and found.
- Austin Marcus is playing for the Brooklyn Comets in the ABA
- The roster for Hellín in Spain shows Andreas Bloch starting for them.
- Howard Brown plays for CAI Zaragoza in Spain’s LEB (2nd Division)
- Chris Charles (below), Jay Wright’s first VU recruit, has made his way to KK Novi Sad (home of Darko Milicic) in the Serbia Superleague.
:Another Look at Some Stats
From Jonathan Tannenwald’s blog…
Record: 9-1
Pomeroy: 70 (60th)
RPI: 22 (31st)
Sagarin: 41 (25th)
BB State: 79 (66th)
SOS: 108
Team
- Offensive efficiency: 116.7 (12)
- Defensive efficiency: 98.9 (140)
- Tempo: 70.1 poss / 40 min (112)
Offense
- Effective FG%: 53.6 (58)
- Turnover Pct.: 18.0 (20)
- Offensive rebounding %: 40.0 (23)
- Free throw rate: 27.9% (85)
- 3-point FG%: 39.5 (46)
- Steal %: 7.0 (11)
Defense
- Turnover %: 24.8 (58)
- Offensive rebounding %: 28.0 (24)
- Block %: 11.5 (70)
- Steal %: 11.7 (73)
- Ratio of threes attempted to all FGA: 46.9 % (339)
- Assist to FGM ratio: 62.3 (304)
Scottie Reynolds
- Percentage of possible minutes played: 88th (85.8)
Shane Clark
- Offensive rating: 43rd (129.9)
Casiem Drummond
- Offensive rebounding %: 3rd (20.7)
- Defensive rebounding %: 11th (29.1)
Drummond is one of only two players in all of Division in the top 20 in both offensive and defensive rebounds.
Malcolm Grant
- Offensive rating: 16th (136.2)
:’Nova creeps to #18 in AP Poll. #16 ESPN/USA Today
The 9-1 Wildcats have inched up to an 18th Ranking in this week’s AP Poll and ranked #16 according to ESPN/USA Today.
