By Sean Kennedy
Yesterday’s Action
Villanova 78, Towson 44
I said going into this game that it was the first real test of the season for Villanova, and did they ever pass that test with flying colors. The Wildcats jumped out to a 14-2 lead as they came out on fire, hitting their first 3 three-point attempts of the game. Villanova also was very aggressive right from the jump; amazingly, they were already in the bonus six minutes into the game and finished the game with a 33-19 advantage in free throws attempted. Jay Wright’s squad parlayed that quick start into a 42-20 halftime advantage, and they would only continue to surge from there.
The three-quarter court press employed by the Wildcats disrupted any offensive rhythm for the Tigers. After any whistle in the half-court defense, Villanova switched to a man defense, and did a great job shutting down Towson star Jerrelle Benimon. Daniel Ochefu and James Bell switched off on Benimon, and held him to just 11 points and 6 rebounds, while also forcing 5 turnovers.
In addition to his solid defense, James Bell had a great outing on the offensive end with a game-high 20 points. Ryan Arcidiacono and JayVaughn Pinkston each contributed 12 points as well. Now 3-0 on the season, Villanova will remain in the friendly confines of the Pavilion to take on Delaware Friday night.
Today’s Action
5:00 PM: Drexel (1-1, 0-0 CAA) vs. Elon (2-1, 0-0 Southern) [NIT Season Tip-Off, Neutral Site]
Drexel begins its run Monday in the completely made-for-television NIT Season Tip-Off, a 16-team tournament featuring powerhouses Arizona and Duke at either side of the bracket. Drexel’s first two games will take place at Rutgers’ home arena; should they advance, the semifinals and finals take place at Madison Square Garden.
The Dragons will look to continue a solid start to the season after splitting a pair of tough road games against UCLA and Illinois State. Chris Fouch and Frantz Massenat have been carrying the load offensively for Drexel, averaging 18.5 and 16.0 ppg, respectively. Their opening round opponent in the Tip-Off will be the Elon Phoenix, a team the Dragons have never faced but with whom they will become well-acquainted with next year when Elon joins the CAA.
Elon changed its name from the Fightin’ Christians to the Phoenix in 2000 when it joined Division 1 athletics. The name stems from how the university was said to ‘rise from the ashes’ after a 1923 fire. The basketball team returns all five starters from last season; a team that won the Southern Conference’s North Division. Elon features a strong defense, and a balanced scoring attack, with all five starters averaging double figures.
The Phoenix are a formidable mid-major opponent but the Dragons have played well in their first two games. Expect Drexel to take this contest and move on to face the winner of the Rutgers-Canisius contest.
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