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I’m coming to you live from the Wachovia Center where #10 Villanova will host the Hoyas at 12pm. You can catch the game on ESPN.

The Wildcats have won nine of their last ten games, with their offense averaging 86 points per game in the month of February.

The Hoyas are ranked fifth in the conference in terms of field goal percentage defense and scoring defense, so don’t expect Villanova to score more than 80.

Oscar Robinson Trophy finalist Dante Cunningham leads Villanova with an average of 16 points and 7 rebounds per game. Getting Scottie Reynolds involved in the offense will be key for the Wildcats however, as they are 9-0 when he scores 18 points or more. 

Georgetown will more than likely double up on Cunningham on defense, which will create opportunities for Reynolds to get open looks from the field.

Quality defensive play is vital to the Wildcats success as they are 11-0 when holding an opponent to under 60 points, and Georgetown is 61-8 when scoring at least 69 points under coach John Thompson III.

It’s tough to say how this one will turn out, especially considering how Villanova is coming off a surprisingly close win against lowly DePaul. As well as they have played this month, I’m wondering if they are starting to cool off.

Georgetown has more to play for as they are clinging to hope of an NCAA tournament birth and cannot afford a loss today.

It might be hard to believe, but Georgetown hasn’t had a quality win (sorry Rutgers and USF) since January 14, when it took down then No. 8 Syracuse. Saturday gives them their last regular season opportunity to take down a ranked opponent, as the Hoyas travel to Philly to face No. 10 Villanova.

Georgetown has lost 9 of 11 since that Syracuse game, likely playing their way out of the NCAA tournament. But there’s still a matter of pride involved, and whatever shred of hope remains. Not to mention the implications for the Big East tournament. Neither team has its seeding determined, with the Wildcats fighting for a top four spot and two-round bye, and Georgetown jockeying for position among the bottom half of the conference. The game could also serve as a preview: if the season ended today, Georgetown and Villanova would meet in the second round.

It won’t be easy for the Hoyas to take this one from the Wildcats. Besides being on the road, where Georgetown is just 2-6, Villanova has something the Hoyas sorely lack: experience. The Wildcats start three seniors and two junior; the Hoyas have two upperclassmen who play.

I’m not going to discount a desperate Georgetown team’s chances in this one though. I think the Hoyas go as DaJuan Summers goes. The junior forward’s recent decline has mirrored the team’s losing slide. If he can shoot and score like he did earlier in the season, Georgetown stands a chance in the Wachovia Center.

…for next year that is. Not to write off this season just yet (I’ll be back with a preview of tomorrow’s Villanova game later), but for disappointed Georgetown fans it looks like there is reason to believe the future is bright. No one denies that there is a lot of talent on this current Hoyas squad, but its youth and inexperience seem to have kept it from achieving its full potential.

With Jessie Sapp as the team’s sole contributing senior, Georgetown won’t suffer too much attrition from graduation. The question marks have been whether the team’s two stars, freshman Greg Monroe and junior DaJuan Summers, would leave for the NBA. Monroe declared his intentions to stay before the Syracuse game. And at a media event earlier today, Summers did not hesitate to respond when asked about his future plans.

“I’ll be here next year,” he said.

Summers has struggled in the last few games for the Hoyas, including a season low four points on 1-of-8 shooting against Louisville. But this is still the player who was named to the preseason Wooden watch list. Given another offseason to work on his game, he would be an invaluable asset for next year’s team.

Of course nothing these players say now is binding. Coach John Thompson III emphasized today that these decisions are made after the season’s over. But if both Monroe and Summers stick around Georgetown will have nine of its top ten players returning, not to mention incoming freshman Hollis Thompson, who has already enrolled and is practicing with a team. If experience really has been the problem this year, next year’s squad would be a force to be reckoned with.

The Bad News.

Wide receiver Jock Sanders was arrested and charged for a DUI recently. Morgantown police claim that Sanders was swerving over the center line and was pulled over. 

With the loss of Pat White, Jock Sanders will be dearly missed if the “indefinite suspension” Bill Stewart handed down effects his future at WVU.

The Good News.

Apparently Pat White tore it up at the combine. Dont believe me? Listen to what the experts say in this video. Watch here…

White is still a student at West Virginia University so I deem this appropriate content for a Big East blog.

The Reality Check.

Bob Huggins returned to the Fifth Third arena tonight as his Mountaineers traveled to Cincinnati for a conference match up against the Bearcats. 

It was Huggins first time coaching at the Fith Third since 2005 when he was fired from Cincinnati after being arrested for a DUI (sort of like Jock Sanders).

Over his 16 year career at Cincinnati, the Bearcats made the NCAA tournament 14 times, including a Final Four appearance in 1992.   

Gotta give it to the Cincinnati fans for giving him such a warm reception. The university played a tribute video to Huggins before the game. Watch Video

The Bearcats went on to beat the Mountaineers 65-61, in what turned out to be a great game. Read More… 

The Demons came as close as they have all season to beating a conference opponent last night. In the end, they dropped a tough 74-72 loss to #10 Villanova.

The Demons have plenty of excuses; a ten man roster that consists of 5 freshmen and 3 sophomores is just one of many, but it can’t get much worse if you are a DePaul fan.

With a 8 point lead early in the second half, you started to believe that it just might work out for the Demons. The Wildcats then went on a 21-5 run and you could almost hear Allstate arena saying a collective “Here we go again”.

Yet, as time ticked away Will Walker hit 4 three pointers, helping DePaul go on a 12-2 run. Suddenly it was a 62-60 game with just under 3 minutes remaining.

Just then, when all seemed right in Rosemont, Scottie Reynolds had to go and spoil the party by scoring 8 points in the final 2:05 and close the door on the 8-20 Demons.

Villanova coach Jay Wright gave credit to DePaul instead of blaming his team for not playing their best, and even said “we got lucky… They outplayed us.”

So even though the Demons are 0-15 in the conference, give them credit for not giving up, and give DePaul’s fans credit for supporting their team when a lot of fans would not have. 

No disrespect to Villanova (I’ve been pumping them up in this blog for weeks), but I would have loved to see the DePaul faithful rush the court last night. Not because I wish ill on the Wildcats, but because DePaul’s fans deserved it even if the team didn’t.

As the Big East regular season nears its end, four teams still have a lot to play for.

Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Marquette are all still in the running for the Big East regular season championship; with Connecticut and Louisville having the best chances in my opinion to win it.

For the Huskies, it’s simple: beat Notre Dame at home, Pittsburgh on the road, and become regular season champions.  UConn is the only team that is in control of its own destiny.

I think the Panthers will manage to defeat the Huskies on March 7th however. If Pitt wins out, they would finish no worse than 2nd in the Big East. If they win out and Louisville loses a game, they will be the regular season champions.

Louisville, the team I think will win the regular season (of course), probably has the easiest schedule left especially given that Dominic James will not be playing when Marquette comes to Freedom Hall on Sunday. The Cards have to win their remaining three Big East games and have UConn lose a game to clinch the regular season, and I like the chances of that happening.

The Cards should finish no worse than second.

As for Marquette, the chances of a regular season title are slim. They come to Louisville on Sunday then will head to Pittsburgh to play the Panthers on the road and then conclude the regular season at home against Syracuse. Winning all three games and having UConn lose to both Notre Dame and Pittsburgh will be necessary for the Golden Eagles to capture the regular season title.

I’m picking the Cards to win the regular season, followed by Pittsburgh, then Connecticut, and Marquette in fourth.

CBS College Sports analyst and Rutgers alumnus Tim Pernetti was named today as the next athletic director at Rutgers University at a Rutgers University Senate meeting in Newark according to the Associated Press.

Pernetti replaces Robert E. Mulcahy, a 10-year athletic dircetor, who was fired Dec. 31.

He was one of three finalists to the position according to a story that ran in The Star-Ledger along with the current athletic directors of Akron and UNC-Wilmington.

Pernetti, 38, graduated from Rutgers with a degree in journalism and media studies where  also played tight end for the Rugers football team.

He has served as a color analyst on Rutgers Radio alongside SNY’s Chris Carlin since 2001 for football games.

It’s halftime here at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, and we’ve got a good one. No. 2 Connecticut leads No. 8 Marquette 43-37 at the break, but neither team has been able to distinguish itself yet.

The Huskies went on a 16-0 run from about the nine minute mark to the two minute mark, but the Golden Eagles closed with a quick 4-0 mini-run to keep themselves in the running. A few musings:

Shooting the lights out

The Huskies are shooting a robust 55.2 percent from the field in the first half, including a 54.5 percent mark from the 3-point line (6-of-11). Marquette, on the other hand, is shooting just 33.3 percent (12-of-36) from the field.

Both teams have missed just one free throw, and to be honest I’m not quite sure how Marquette has stayed as close as it has. I’m guessing it has something to do with the Golden Eagles’ 15-4 advantage on points off of turnovers.

Injury report

Marquette senior guard  Dominic James played just four minutes before leaving the game to be attended to on the sideline with an apparent foot injury.

I have since been handed a press release that says he has a left foot injury and will not return to tonight’s game. Friends watching ESPN say the network is reporting that he “heard a pop.” Doesn’t sound good to me. Little-used guard Maurice Acker has been playing in his place and has three assists against zero turnovers.

On the rebound

The Golden Eagles are being outrebounded currently at 21-16, and that differential can’t get much bigger for Marquette to keep competing in the second half. Connecticut forward Hasheem Thabeet has eight rebounds to lead Connecticut. Lazar Hayward leads Marquette with four.

In a move that really doesn’t shock anyone in Tampa, USF coach Jim Leavitt promoted wide receivers coach Mike Canales to offensive coordinator Wednesday night. 

Canales, who was the USF offensive coordinator from 1996-2000, replaces Greg Gregory. Gregory was demoted after interviewing for the Florida Gators’ tight ends coaching vacancy, and subsequently left to take the OC job at start-up South Alabama.

Big game tonight in Milwaukee, as No. 8 Marquette squares off against No. 2 Connecticut. Dickie-V and the ESPN crew are in town for a game that will have a huge impact on NCAA Tournament rankings (and positioning in the Big East Conference standings) for both teams.

Also on the line? Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun’s 800^th win. Here’s a quick breakdown.

Home sweet home

Marquette is unbeaten at home since a loss to Georgetown last season (17 straight games). And it’s been close to impossible to win on the road in the Big East (ahem, Pittsburgh). Except, that is, for the Huskies who are 12-0 away from home this season (8-0 in true road games).

Injury factor

Calhoun hasn’t been shy about admitting that his team misses injured guard Jerome Dyson (torn ACL). Dyson was averaging 13.2 ppg and 4.1 rpg and would have posed an interesting matchup for one of Marquette’s three starting guards.

Stopping Marquette

Something has to give tonight as Marquette boasts the top scoring offense in the Big East (80.0 ppg) and Connecticut sports the best scoring defense in the conference (60.0 ppg).

The key for Connecticut to stop the Golden Eagles will be to limit turnovers, and get back on defense. When Marquette can force steals and get out in transition they can pile up points in a hurry.

The Huskies will  also need to focus on perimeter defense, and might not want to resort to funneling guards Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews and Dominic James toward all-everything center Hasheem Thabeet – all three guards are talented finishers with a knack for drawing fouls.

We’ll have more from this one as we go.