Full Court Press: Syracuse-Villanova Preview

Corey Fisher, who singlehandedly lifted Villanova over DePaul, gets chance to do it again as Wildcats host Syracuse tonight at Wells Fargo Center. (Photo courtesy of New York Daily News)

If Big East basketball teaches you anything, it is to expect the unexpected at all costs. Remember when St. John's was consistently in the lower half of the conference? I do, and now the Red Storm are ranked 23rd in the country. To expand on that, not many expected Villanova to walk into the Carrier Dome and handily defeat a Syracuse team that was still undefeated five days before that matchup. One month after an 83-72 win in upstate New York, it's the Wildcats' turn to host the Orange in the back end of a home-and-home series between two ranked teams looking to improve their NCAA Tournament seeding; and so the preview begins.

#17 Syracuse Orange (22-6, 9-6 Big East)

Head Coach: Jim Boeheim

Probable Starting Lineup:
PG: Scoop Jardine (6-2 Jr., 12.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.7 SPG, 41% FG, 66% FT)
SG: Brandon Triche (6-4 So., 11.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.9 APG, 44% FG, 81% FT)
SF: Kris Joseph (6-7 Jr., 15.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 46% FG, 71% FT, 39% 3pt)

PF: Rick Jackson (6-9 Sr., 13.0 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 58% FG, 51% FT)
C: Fab Melo (7-0 Fr., 2.0 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 55% FG, 37% FT)

Key Reserves:

F C.J. Fair (6-8 Fr., 6.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 55% FG, 58% FT)

G Dion Waiters (6-4 Fr., 5.9 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 37% FG, 85% FT)
F James Southerland (6-8 So., 5.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 41% FG, 75% FT, 36% 3pt)

C Baye Keita (6-10 Fr., 2.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 56% FG, 48% FT)

Keys To Victory:
Not Now, Chief, I'm In The Zone - Any analysis of Syracuse begins (and sometimes ends) with their world-famous 2-3 zone defense that mystifies opponents throughout the night. The key to the Orange while not controlling the ball is junior forward Kris Joseph, who is the centerpiece to the defense as its 6-7 wing man. Syracuse's guards are also known for closing to the three-point line faster than most other teams, something Villanova backcourt partners Corey Fisher, Maalik Wayns and Corey Stokes must keep in mind if they are intent on crushing the Orange a second time.

The Jackson 5 - Rick Jackson may be a power forward, but he plays like a dominating center. With an average of 13 points and 11 rebounds a night, Jackson is the man who runs the offense once the ball gets inside. Not afraid to use his physicality to his advantage, Jackson takes high-percentage shots while also displaying his all-around talent with his unusually high (for a big man) assist and steal totals; and he'll be playing with a little extra incentive tonight, as he and high school teammate Scoop Jardine return home to the Philadelphia area where they grew up for what will be the last time in their collegiate careers.

Charity Begins At Home - At just 66 percent, Syracuse isn't exactly one of the most efficient teams from the free throw line. In fact, only Joseph (71 percent) and Triche (81 percent) are the only starters shooting over a 70 percent clip. Given that Villanova is much more proficient at the stripe, (77 percent as a team) the bigger key here will be to keep Jackson and the platoon of Fab Melo and Baye Keita out of foul trouble, as free points at the line will tip the victory closer into the hands of the Wildcats.

#14 Villanova Wildcats (21-6, 9-5 Big East)
Head Coach: Jay Wright

Probable Starting Lineup:
PG: Corey Fisher (6-1 Sr., 16.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.7 SPG, 45% FG, 78% FT, 39% 3pt)
SG: Maalik Wayns (6-2 So., 13.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 41% FG, 82% FT)
SG: Corey Stokes (6-5 Sr., 14.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 43% FG, 94% FT, 42% 3pt)
PF: Antonio Pena (6-8 Sr., 10.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 50% FG, 73% FT)
C: Mouphtaou Yarou (6-10 So., 9.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 49% FG, 67% FT)

Key Reserves:

G Dominic Cheek (6-6 So., 5.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 36% FG, 76% FT)
G James Bell (6-5 Fr., 2.8 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 49% FG, 92% FT, 36% 3pt)

C Maurice Sutton (6-11 So., 2.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 61% FG, 60% FT)
F Isaiah Armwood (6-7 So., 2.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 48% FG, 63% FT)

Keys To Victory:

The Coreys - Definitely not lost boys, Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes have been the backbone of this team, and have become the heart and soul of Villanova basketball just as last year's senior pair of Scottie Reynolds and Reggie Redding were. Fisher has vaulted himself into consideration for the Big East player of the year award, joining a short list of fellow guards Kemba Walker, (UConn) Ben Hansbrough, (Notre Dame) and the red-hot Dwight Hardy. (St. John's) Fisher comes into this matchup fresh off a career-high 34 points against DePaul, a game in which he redeemed himself after committing a late foul in regulation by draining the game-tying three and taking over in overtime.

Guard U - That has been Villanova's nickname over the years, and head coach Jay Wright has made no secret of intimating his desire to play "four quick," with one forward on the court. Wright emphatically assured me at Big East media day that we would see this kind of a lineup during the season, and has not disappointed yet. If the Wildcats do indeed run their "four quick" set, expect Dominic Cheek to be the first option off the bench; and it's quite possible if 'Nova draws fouls on the undersized (at least after Melo and Keita) Syracuse big men.

Bigger And Better Than Ever - It's usually the smaller players that command most of the attention on the Main Line, but Jay Wright has done an impressive job with reforming his frontcourt after the departures of Taylor King and Jayvaughn Pinkston. Antonio Pena is in the midst of his best season, while sophomore Mouphtaou Yarou is one of the most improved players in the country, let alone the Big East.

So, Who Wins?

In the world of the Big East, it's actually a safe bet to say each game will be highly competitive, and just leave it at that. However, both teams will have something to play for immediately following this game; which makes tonight all the more important. Syracuse continues their road trip by heading down to our nation's capital for a Saturday matinee with Georgetown, while Villanova remains inside the Wells Fargo (formerly CoreStates/First Union/Wachovia) Center for a Saturday contest against 23rd-ranked St. John's, making their long-awaited return to the polls for the first time since November 2000, when yours truly was a freshman in high school. (For a more detailed look at the long road traveled by the boys from Queens, my friend and WSJU Radio colleague Dan Martin puts it into perspective here)

http://johnnyjungle.com/columns/over-the-airwaves/storming-top-25/

Back to the game at hand if I may. Syracuse is the gunslinging team with the zone defense, while Villanova is the guard-oriented squad with deceptive strength in every aspect of the game. This will be the epitome of knock-down, drag-out brawl, with Villanova just coming away victorious.

Your Final: Villanova 79, Syracuse 76