"All of us are human. We see everything going on around us," #6 Villanova (26-3, 14-2) head coach Jay Wright was quoted on the school's website. "When we come in to practice, though, or when we get together on the road, we talk about blocking all of that out. We've got to enjoy the moment. We talk about, be here now. We have to enjoy the challenge of this game at Xavier."
Wright was referring to a few things, in order: the Big East regular season title (which they could clinch tonight following Creighton's loss two nights ago), a top five ranking in next week's AP Poll (after Duke lost last night), a Big East tournament title, a number one seed in the NCAA tournament, a deep run, and a championship.
The 13-season head coach (don't let his looks fool you, it's been that long), like more seasoned coaches before him, would like to add a precursor to that list: tonight's game (7:00 pm EST, FOXS1) at Xavier (20-10, 10-7).
The always tough matchup would have been scarier for 'Nova (and more intriguing for fans) if the Musketeers would have won their last game at Seton Hall (15-15, 6-11), who's beaten them twice this year. Two games prior to that, they beat a streaking St. John's team (19-11, 9-8) in New York and an even streakier (at the time) #13 Creighton (23-6, 13-4), who have since lost another game. Losses like the one against the Pirates are exactly what drive college coaches mad - for both parties, actually, as it also may have demonstrated the potential of the annually mediocre Pirates.
Jay Wright hasn't had to worry about losing to bad teams this year. His Wildcats might be the only major conference program that hasn't lost to an unranked team this year - both a comforting stat and one that's led some announcers to brand them as a "match up" team. Likely, they'll need to either win the Big East tournament (and hopefully beat Creighton in the process for the lock) to get that one seed.
At three point favorites tonight, I'm going to take the opposite of Jay Wright's advice and consider everything the Wildcats have done this year (including an 81-58 home victory over Xavier earlier in the year) and pick them for the cover.
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Record: 23-36 (C'mon, 13 in a row, let's do it)
Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)
UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)
Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)
Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)
Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)
Indiana @ Michigan State: L (picked Michigan State, -12)
Iowa @ Michigan: L (picked Iowa, + 1.5)
Colorado @ Arizona: W (picked Colorado, + 14.5)
Illinois @ Ohio State: W (picked Illinois, + 11)
Michigan @ Michigan State: W (picked Michigan, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Marquette: W (picked Villanova, -3)
Utah @ Arizona: W (picked Utah, + 15)
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State: W (picked Oklahoma, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Georgetown: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Michigan State @ Iowa: W (picked Michigan State, + 5)
St. John's @ Creighton: W (picked St. John's, + 12)
Iowa State @ Kansas: L (picked Iowa State, + 8.5)
Syracuse @ Wake Forest: L (picked Syracuse, -10)
Purdue @ Michigan: L (picked Michigan, -12)
Florida @ Mississippi State: W (picked Miss. State, + 15)
Duke @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -3)
Xavier @ Villanova: L (picked Xavier, + 10)
Nebraska @ Michigan: L (picked Nebraska, + 13)
Boston College @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -13)
Oregon @ Arizona: L (picked Arizona, -11)
Oklahamo State @ Texas Tech: W (picked Texas Tech, + 6.5)
West Virginia @ Kansas: L (picked WVU, + 14)
Maryland @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -11)
Iowa State @ West Virginia: L (picked Iowa State, - 1.5)
Michigan @ Ohio State: L (picked Ohio State, -3.5)
Florida @ Tennessee: W (picked Florida, - 1.5)
Syracuse @ Pittsburg: W (picked Syracuse, + 2.5 -- absurd line)
Villanova @ Depaul: W (picked Villanova, -14)
Creighton @ Butler: L (picked Creighton, -8.5)
West Virginia @ Texas: W (picked Texas, -6)
Florida @ Kentucky: L (picked Kentucy, -2)
VCU @ Saint Louis: W (picked VCU, +4.5)
Villanova @ Creighton: L (picked Villanova, -3.5)
Texas @ Iowa State: L (picked Texas, +6)
Villanova @ Providence: L (picked Villanova, -4.5)
Wichita State @ Loyola: L (picked Loyola, + 13.5)
Creighton @ Marquette: W (picked Creighton, -3)
Gonzaga @ BYU: L (picked Gonzaga, +2)
Duke @ North Carolina: L (picked Duke, -2)
St. John's @ Villanova: W (picked St. John's, + 8.5)
Seton Hall @ Creighton: L (picked Creighton, -13.5)
Syracuse @ Maryland: L (picked Syracuse, -4.5
Indiana @ Wisconsin: W (picked Wisconsin, -10.5)
Butler @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -14.5)
North Carolina @ North Carolina State: L (picked UNC, -4)
Arkansas @ Kentucky: W (picked Arkansas, + 10.5)
Missouri State @ Wichita State: L (picked Missouri State, + 17.5)
Syracuse @ Virginia: L (picked Syracuse, +3.5)
Marquette @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -10.5)
Notre Dame @ North Carolina: L (picked North Carolina, -10.5)
Creighton @ Georgetown: L (picked Creigton, -3.5)
West Virginia @ Oklahoma: W (picked OKlahoma, - 8)
Louisville @ SMU: L (picked SMU, +3.5)
