18-1 and rolling

[GannonFan]

Like I said, defense is nova's Achille's Heel. They can play offense better than anyone in the country (even Kansas), but they give up more open and easy looks than I've seen any other elite team do. 103 to Georgetown? I know G-town is streaky like that, but that's just crazy. nova makes a good look of it with the aggressiveness in terms of attacking the ball handler, but I think that just makes the overall D a little worse once they run into a team that can handle the rock. I still think nova should be a very, very heavy favorite to make the Final Four, but they are much more exposed than other teams to running into a roadblock somewhere in the tourney if they come up against a team that can slow them down a little (that's all you'll be able to do) and then can take advantage of all the open looks they'll get.

On the bright side, it'll be a good March for Big 5 teams in the tourney - I still think Temple will make some noise - not sure if they'll join nova in the Sweet 16, but there's a chance if the brackets break nicely for them.

After losing badly to Richmond -- RICHMOND!! -- that "noise" sounds like OWWW!

Not as bad as it would seem - Richmond is 7-2 in the A-10 and could very well be one of the 5 A-10 teams to make the tourney this year. Besides, with the A-10 tourney still being in Atlantic City you have to like Temple's chances of going deep in that.

[GannonFan]

I wasn't expecting to win that game.. The circumstances were just too bizarre. It felt way too much like 2005 when Villanova beat Kansas. I think the defense will ultimately sort itself out when Jay streamlines the bench like he usually does toward the end of the season. They're capable of playing better defense than they did that game and that was by far the worst game they've played this season.

The thing is, I don't know how they do that this year. nova's problems on defense are that they are almost too ball-hawking and that ends up with lots of easy looks by the opposition and/or lots of fouls and the opposition shooting tons of free throws (which is where nova has been abysmal this year). Jay has to go deep on the bench because you have to spread those fouls around. nova's a lot more talented than the vast majority of teams out there, and on offense alone they'll go far in the tourney. But I don't see how they can just flip a switch and play a much better style of defense, especially against the good teams.

[Fact]

See: UNC last year with regards to defense

[Ivytalk]

VU beating WVU by 9 with 2+ to play.

[GannonFan]

See: UNC last year with regards to defense

Last year's UNC team? The one that was a better offensive team than nova this year and a markedly better defensive team? Come on, the only liability UNC had last year on defense was Ty Lawson and he certainly brought a lot more to the table. nova's problems this year, and it reared itself again last night, is that they can't stop sending the other team to the line - WVU had 32 FT's last night, and if they had shot better than 56% from the line they could've stolen that game, even with them being cold from the floor all night. UNC (and I despise UNC) never had that problem last year as they were one of the nation's leaders in keeping people off the foul line. If they keep playing defense like this, it will bite them in the end, and the end will come long before the national title game.

[GannonFan]

After losing badly to Richmond -- RICHMOND!! -- that "noise" sounds like OWWW!

Not as bad as it would seem - Richmond is 7-2 in the A-10 and could very well be one of the 5 A-10 teams to make the tourney this year. Besides, with the A-10 tourney still being in Atlantic City you have to like Temple's chances of going deep in that.

Saw yesterday that a guy on Bracketology for CNN/SI actually had 6 A-10 teams in the tourney, second only to the Big East in terms of conferences.

[Ivytalk]

Nova looked very efficient in dispatching WVU last night. Great second half for Scotty.

[Ivytalk]

Nova beats Providence to keep up with the 'Cuse.

[Fact]

Big win, hopefully Louisville can pull a shocker today at the dome.

[bluehenbillk]

Well UConn comes to play some games & some game sthey don't, but last night they sure came to play. Teams with some length & athleticism seem to hurt the 'Cats. Fisher was too much of the offensive playmaker last night IMO, Reynolds should be that guy.