Rutgers-Villanova preview

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RUTGERS STARTERS: Jerome Seagears (Fr., G, 6-1, 7.7 ppg, 2.3 apg); Myles Mack (Fr., G, 5-9, 9.7 ppg, 2.1 apg); Eli Carter (Fr., G, 6-2, 13.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg); Dane Miller (Jr., G/F, 6-6, 7.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg); Gilvydas Biruta (So., F, 6-8, 10.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg).

VILLANOVA STARTERS: Maalik Wayns (Jr., G, 17.2 ppg, 4.5 apg); Tyrone Johnson (Fr., G, 6-3, 3.3 ppg, 2.2 apg); Dominic Cheek (Jr., G, 6-6, 13.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg); JayVaughn Pinkston (Fr., F, 6-7, 9.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg); Mouph Yarou (Jr., C, 6-10, 10.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg).

RUTGERS REPORT: You can bet ESPN2 will replay the end of last year?s meeting between these clubs, when Jonathan Mitchell recorded a four-point play with 0.8 seconds left to lift Rutgers to a 77-76 upset. This time around the Scarlet Knights are favored as they look to surpass last season?s Big East win total. At a glance guard-oriented Nova would seem to be a good matchup for small and quickRutgers. Protecting the defensive glass will be paramount; the Cats rank fourth in the conference in rebounding margin (plus-4.6) and first in total rebounds per game (39.7). Villanova holds a 26-9 edge in the series, including 13-7 on the road. Rutgers is 10-6 at home this season.

VILLANOVA REPORT: Injuries have added insult to a season that already was deeply disappointing. Ankle sprains have limited Wayns and Pinkston recently and 6-6 sophomore James Bell (7.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg) was sidelined for Saturday?s loss at Georgetown. The Wildcats rank 15th in the Big East in scoring defense (71.8 ppg), and last in field-goal percentage (.409) but, oddly enough, first in free-throw shooting (.762). They also average 14.0 turnovers per game, which is not as many asRutgers? league-worst 15.0 but bodes for a sloppy night. Villanova, which has lost four straight and seven of its past eight, is 1-9 on the road this season. The Cats are not a good team, but they have the talent to beat just about anyone.

 

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Sitting at 5-11 in the Big East, but coming off a huge win at Seton Hall, Rutgers has opportunity laying ahead of itself. The struggling Villanova Wildcats come to the RAC followed by the St. John's Red Storm. Both teams have not had great Big East seasons, and these are the kinds of games a team on the rise should take advantage of. Adding to that, the Scarlet Knights have a chance to get momentum heading into the Big East Tournament.

Keys to the Nova game


1. Control the Tempo: When most people say this, they mean slow the game down, and draw out half court possessions. This is not necessarily what I mean in terms of this Rutgers team. This means they need to pick their spots. Rutgers needs to know when to take a long, smart offensive possession, and they need to know when to fast break. They did this for a few brilliant spurts against the Pirates. They needs to replicate that formula tomorrow.

2. Keep Gilvydas Biruta Involved: The Wildcats are the kind of team Gil should be able to eat alive. As longs as Myles Mack, Eli Carter, and Jerome Seagears keep getting him the ball in quality situations, he should be able to score a ton. Especially with the level of play he's been bringing since Syracuse. He also needs to keep out of foul trouble.

3. Rebound: Villanova is a good rebounding team. Rutgers needs to make sure they find a body and box out no matter what kind of defense they're playing. Whether they try to fluster Nova with the zone or the switching man to man, they need to make sure they finish a defensive possession off by coming away with the ball.

4. Forget Jonathan Mitchell: The Wildcats sure won't forget the classic game from last year, but Rutgers needs to. This is an entirely different Scarlet Knight team, and the ones who were still around can't sit around and wait for a hero to show up. They can't wait for a miracle finish. They just need to win.

5. Dane Miller, Dane Miller, Dane Miller: Whatever you ate or drank before the Hall game... just do it again.




--On the Banks -
Rutgers

 

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Bell could be back at Rutgers Thursday


G James Bell has practiced on a limited basis this week and is listed as day-to-day for Thursday's road finale at Rutgers. Bell (7.5 ppg) missed the last three games with a sprained left ankle that he suffered Feb. 15 at South Florida. Bell has started 18 games this season for the Wildcats.

 

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Takin? it to the RAC


The Rutgers Athletic Center is the site of one of the most shocking losses in Villanova?s history, when Jonathan Mitchell completed a 4-point play with less than a second remaining in the game to complete a wild comeback bid last February. Villanova had a 10 point lead in that game with 2:42 left on the clock but didn?t score in over a minute and a half, allowing Rutgers to will within 3 with a minute left.

This season, Villanova again travels to Piscataway, but this time with lower expectations. The unranked Wildcats are now the underdogs looking for an upset, a game behind Rutgers in the Big East standings.

Despite having a worse record, KenPom.com ranks Villanova a spot higher than the Scarlet Knights, but predicts that Rutgers would win this game 64% of the time.

Junior point guard Maalik Wayns returned to the starting line-up for the Wildcats in their last game at Georgetown and will again be available against Rutgers. James Bell has also missed games recently with a sprained left ankle, as has JayVaughn Pinkston, both starters prior to their injuries and both will be listed as day-to-day heading into the Rutgers game.

Bell has practiced on a limited basis this week, but will be a game-time decision for Jay Wright.

The Wildcats have struggled with injuries and without them this season, with bad defense giving way to bad offense in many cases. The ?Cats have a long way to go to look like the team they were expected to be this year.

?The (mistakes) are often results of inexperience,? stated Villanova coach Jay Wright. ?All those little things, all those details are a part of inexperience and that?s been a big part of our struggle this season. Individually inexperienced and then just always having different groups together. One guys is in, one guy?s out, one guy?s hurt, one guy?s out. We have not been good enough to overcome that this year.

?The guys give us effort, though. We just have to continue to keep pushing through it and get better.?

Rutgers, meanwhile, is coming off of an upset win over in-state rivals Seton Hall on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights knocked off the Pirates, 77-72 in overtime in Newark.

The Scarlet Knights are led by Eli Carter with 13.4 points per game and 2.2 assists. Gilvydas Biruta is close behind with 10.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while Dane Miller provides a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game. Biruta is also their best 3-point shooter at 36.8% while seven Rutgers players have connected on more than one-third of their attempts from deep.

They also share the ball, with four players averaging over 2 assists per game, with Jerome Seagears leading the way with 2.3 per game. Seagears has averaged 15 points in his last two outings and knocked down the game-winning triple against Seton Hall.

Villanova will have a challenge on their hands in this game and may be shorthanded as they were against Georgetown if injured players are unable to return. Wayns will need to find his legs again in order to become as effective as he was before the injury, since the Wildcats will need his scoring without Pinkston and Bell available or at full-strength.

--VUhoops.com