Game Day Essentials: Game #2 at Villanova

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0) vs Villanova Wildcats (1-0)

 

 

Date: Tuesday, Nov 18th, 2015
Time: 7:30 p.m. CST
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Arena: The Pavilion
Capacity: 6,000

 

Broadcast Information

Television: FS1

Announcers: Bill Raftery and Gus Johnson

 

Radio

Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka
Expert Analysis: Matt Davison

 

Scouting Villanova

Villanova

 

Head Coach: Jay Wright
Location: Villanova, PA
Conference: Big East
Nickname: Wildcats
Mascot: Will D. Cat
Last time out: Beat Fairleigh Dickinson
Other Home Court: Wells Fargo Center (Home of the 76ers)
Style: Extra pass, many 3s

 

Miles Presser
http://www.huskers.c...dbml?id=4688045

 

The Skinny

 

MSVU is a pretty awful team. However, things like making 3s, destroying awful teams, or looking cohesive, didn't happen often last year so it was nice to see even against lower competition. There definitely will be growing pains and painful loses but it's quite obvious this is the deepest squad Miles has had in his 4 years at Nebraska.

 

Jay Wright has been at Villanova since 2001 and he's routinely racked up 20+ win seasons with a combination of his motion offense, an aggressive defense, and an ability to pull in top notch talent. After winning the Big East and Big East tournament, he has the Wildcats back as the consensus pick to win the conference again behind Co-Big East player of the year Ryan Arcidiacono, 5 star recruit Jalen Brunson, and a lot of returning talent.

 

Nebraska matches up size-wise well with the Wildcats except for 6'11" 245 Senior Daniel Ochefu who will be a size problem on both ends. The Wildcats fed the big man first game and he responded with 16 points and 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes of play. The more the Huskers have to sag into the paint, the more Villianova will be able to hurt them from 3. Expect the Huskers to start out in more of a 3-2 pack and adjust as the game progresses. Trying to frustrate Brunson and Arcidiacono willl be a big part of that and what you need guys like Parker and Webster to contribute. Protecting to the ball to limit Nova fast breaks and empty possessions will be the main point of emphasis for this team. There will be open looks if we can hang on to the ball.

 

Most Nova fans were pissed to draw Nebraska in this matchup. Had Villanova drawn Maryland, Ohio St, Michigan St, etc they probably would have played this game at the Wells Fargo Center instead of at their much smaller home court. There is a possibility this team is overlooking the Huskers. On the other side of the coin, do you think the Huskers just started prepping for this game on Sunday morning? Given the next 3 creampuffs the Huskers have at home it's quite probable the staff has been scouting this team for quite a while. Will the Huskers catch the Wildcats sleeping?

 

The Huskers probably don't pull off the upset but they also look like they belong in the B1G as well.

 

Prediction: Villanova 83 - Nebraska 70

Click here to view the article

[hhcmatt]

Anyone have any thoughts on what the rotation will be tonight?

 

Also

[hal9000]

Ah huh. 

[kldm64]

I'm guessing it will be a short rotation unless we get in foul trouble.  I could see just 8 or at most 9 people getting minutes tonight with the starters (other than Hammond) getting to play a ton of minutes.

[FredsSlacks]

Anyone have any thoughts on what the rotation will be tonight?

 

Also

 

Probably the same as last game with white and shields getting a lot more minutes. benny and tai will need to step to stay in the starting lineup.

[NUdiehard]

It will be interesting to see McVeigh's role tonight.  This is a game where his outside shooting and length will be very valuable, but his lack of quickness and athleticism could become a problem on defense.  Can he guard one of their athletic wings?  it will be a tough match up for him tonight?

 

Curious whether and how much Miles will double in the post.  Nova's center sounds like a quite a load and will be a significant challenge for Hammond, Morrow or anyone else to guard 1 on 1. Yet, if we help, susceptible to 3 ball which is their specialty.

 

Will Nebraska try to play uptempo or slow it down in the half court?  If we play fast, it may allow us to get some quick and easy buckets.  But it may also play right into Nova's hands and we could be down 20 before we know it.   

[Red Don]

Probable Starters

Nebraska           stats

No. Name ******            Yr. Ht. Wt.     G/GS PPG RPG Other

0 Tai Webster        G     Jr   6-4   196  1/1   2.0   4.0   1.0 apg

3 Andrew White     G     Jr   6-7   216  1/1  18.0  1.0   0.0 apg

24 Jake Hammond F     So 6-10  235  1/1   4.0   3.0  1.0 apg

31 Shavon Shields G/F Sr  6-7    225  1/1 13.0  3.0   2.0 apg

32 Benny Parker    G    Sr  5-9    175  1/1   0.0  1.0   6.0 apg

 

 

Nova           stats

No. Name ******              Yr. Ht. Wt.    G/GS PPG RPG Other

1 Jalen Brunson        G   Fr  6-2   199  1/1   12.0   2.0   4.0 apg

2 Kris Jenkins            F   Jr   6-6   240  1/1   14.0   7.0   2.0 apg

3 Josh Hart                G   Jr   6-5   202  1/1   10.0   6.0   3.0 apg

15 Ryan Arcidiacono G   Sr  6-3   195  1/1   12.0   3.0   4.0 apg

23 Daniel Ochefu       F   Sr  6-11 245  1/1   16.0  10.0   2.0 bpg

 

This is from the Huskers.com 'Game Notes' section, but does not include our Deep Bench and Incoming freshmen, who are likely to contribute significant minutes! 

 

(Sorry but I didn't have time to make a chart of all the Husker Players who might play  )

[Blackshirt83]

Imo the most important key for us is that we attack their zone well. They are better in man usually but are going to want to play lots of zone against us to keep both 'bigs' underneath (they don't want their forwards defending the perimeter). We need to drive well and force them to abandon the zone and then whoever is playing the 4 when Nova is in man (Shields/McVeigh) needs to be able to hit from range enough to draw Jenkins out and make Ochefu defend the paint more one on one and open up rotation behind the slashing lanes where we can use our length to create shots. They are going to likely get in the low 80's even with us doing well on Defense - It comes down to wether we can do the same. That means frustrating their defense and forcing them to defend outside in. We can do it but it won't be very easy.. and it still may not be enough if they are hot deep.

[jimmykc]

I predict we will win if they are only able to shoot 1 for 33 from beyond the arc like our first opponents.