Is perception reality when it comes to Villanova University?
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“It was a great feeling”, said senior Ahmad Thomas, who chipped in 10.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this season.
The Cyclones will face Virginia in their next game later this week and Niang looks determined to make his first Sweet 16 appearance a memorable one. This, after he starred at Neshaminy High School and grew up in nearby Langhorne, Pennwsylvania. “As soon as I started going, I eliminated everything in my mind and just started worrying about playing Villanova basketball”. They are the premier team in the Big 5 and the new Big East. At one point during the Big East tournament, Wright admitted that the Wildcats had “let the conference down” with their second-round exit past year in the tournament.
“Obviously, we look at this game as a great opportunity, ” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. Obviously, none of the current players were on that team.
No one on this roster knows what the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament is like. Tune in to ESPN2 at 4 EDT today to watch the Kentucky women begin their journey to the Final Four. In the press conference Friday she spoke openly about how the Bulldogs had zero Division I wins in her first season, were 9-22 last year, and this year won the Big South Conference.
“Everyone has the right to think what they want, say what they want”, Arcidiacono said. “We haven’t come through in the second round of the tournament”, Arcidiacono said. “Certain games, you’ve got to be our leading rebounder”. I think Iowa will need to be judicious about getting guys rest in the first half to help keep them fresh for the second half, although that carries with it some very significant risks, too.
Villanova lost in the round of 32 as a No. 1 seed last season and as a No. 2 seed in 2014.
“In certain games, we asked him to be more of a defensive player, or he’s got to stop somebody, and he’ll do that”, Villanova Coach Jay Wright said.
Niang was injured when Iowa State lost to UConn in the Sweet 16 in 2014. He had 12 of his points and six of his rebounds in the second half as the Wildcats slowly pulled away to reach the 30-win mark for the second straight year, a program first.
NEW YORK Daniel Ochefu’s ankle was just fine and so was third-seeded Villanova Friday afternoon at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Kris Jenkins scored 12 and Jalen Brunson had 10 points for Villanova, which spent three weeks at No. 1 this season but is under pressure to return to the Sweet 16. All in all, from that 28-21 score, the Wildcats outscored the Hawkeyes, 26-8, the remainder of the half, Iowa scoring just eight points over the final eight and a half minutes before halftime. If you don’t, nationally, you might not be considered. I’m on about five hours of total sleep and running on nothing more than a Dr. Pepper and the leftover adrenaline my body produced after Adam “Woodrow” Woodbury tipped in what should’ve been nothing more than a sucker punch airball. But it is definitely – your national reputation in this sport is definitely based on how you perform.
ROSS: As you noted, there were a lot of reasons behind Iowa’s late season swoon, but if you forced me to pick just one I’d go with Iowa’s struggles at the end of games. That you get to use these as life lessons.
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Villanova had not made it through the first weekend since 2009, when it made the Final Four.
