Nova Game

[jibsey]

Before the write up that’s coming on Nova I was just wondering what in layman’s terms, not too detailed, what we will expect to see from them. If we tighten up the 3 point line as we have lately will they just drive to the rim every play as other teams are doing ? Or will they pound it to their big man inside? Will rebounding be an issue again for us?

 

[husky429]

Before the write up that’s coming on Nova I was just wondering what in layman’s terms, not too detailed, what we will expect to see from them. If we tighten up the 3 point line as we have lately will they just drive to the rim every play as other teams are doing ? Or will they pound it to their big man inside? Will rebounding be an issue again for us?

Too impatient to wait for the @Hey Adrien! report?

Not very good defensively. Very good shooting the rock IIRC.

Primarily a one-man show with Dixon averaging 26ppg. He will be a tough check for anyone, but I can't imagine it will be a good game for Samson trying to defend him. We'll be relying

Brickus shoots the bejesus out of the ball. I expect Hass will keep him in check though.

We should have size at almost every position. Cannot be a game we lose the battle of the boards.

This is all from memory... don't quote me if I'm wrong.

 

[GlastonTim]

I think Dixon will be a problem. Will need to double him inside unless Reed Jr. is on him. Double bigs possible. Don’t think they’ll shoot as well as they did against DePaul.

 

[RuffRuff]

Dixon is the machine that makes them go, and a really tough guard. Poplar is secondary. I'm not sure who the right player is to guard Dixon, as a big bodied 6'8"guy that is deadliest from 3 at 50%. He's out there playing the 5 at times, and then the 4. Will be interesting to see if Hurley goes with a big or with AK/Stew.

I'm not sure what light flipped on for this Nova team, but since that Virginia game, they have played really well with their only losses coming at Maryland and at Creighton, two games we would likely be dogs in. This will be a very big game for them as recent run has them back on the flat bubble and they could use a signature win. This one ain't going to be easy.

 

[bendm]

we've got 4 guys that will take turns guarding dixon and foul trouble for our bigs hasnt really been an issue lately. he's no johni broome.

 

[aceboon]

PFs with Dixon's body type and style of game have been giving AK issues for 2+ years now and Dixon is the best he's faced, he's gotta be much better on that end than he was yesterday.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Before the write up that’s coming on Nova I was just wondering what in layman’s terms, not too detailed, what we will expect to see from them. If we tighten up the 3 point line as we have lately will they just drive to the rim every play as other teams are doing ? Or will they pound it to their big man inside? Will rebounding be an issue again for us?

Villanova is current 2nd in the nation in 3pt % and shoots about 27 per game.

Providence and DePaul were both above-average volume 3pt/game teams (26 & 29), and we held them to only 13 & 12 attempts.

I expect us to do the same selling-out on 3's to the point that we'll likely see a lot of blow-by's and BY lamentation about "bad perimeter defense"

To win this game, we'll need to play tough recovery/switch defense and try to force them to take "bad" mid-range 2's. A whistle that lets both teams play might be helpful.

 

[RuffRuff]

we've got 4 guys that will take turns guarding dixon and foul trouble for our bigs hasnt really been an issue lately. he's no johni broome.

Broome - 18.6 ppg, 11.1 rebounds, 57% shooting.

Dixon - 25.9ppg, 5.4 rebounds, 53% shooting, 49% from three.

He may not be Johni Broome, but he's not that far off. Dixon leads the country in scoring by close to 3 points over the second guy and is averaging over 7 points more than Broome a game. It's not a product of volume either given those percentages. He is the head of that dragon and right now right up there with Kam Jones for BEPOY. He presents a really unique matchup for anyone as too versatile for 5's and too strong for 4's.

 

[Gurleyman]

Physically, Stewart might be the best matchup, but he has struggled on the defensive end which is holding him back from more minutes. He needs to look at this as a personal challenge game if he does get minutes on Dixon. If he can show he can guard a guy like that - make life a little difficult on him even if he makes some tough shots - he could earn more run.

 

[PlayItLeo]

Having this same debate right now with some friends. Could we go with the Purdue/Edey approach where we allow him to get whatever he wants and therefore try to shut down everyone else? He'd overpower Samson down low and would probably be too quick for Reed on the perimeter. I don't love the idea of him pulling Reed away from the basket, thus sacrificing our help defense in the process. He's gonna be one of our toughest scouts this year.

 

[Umami Zen]

Have not seen Nova this year but have seen Dixon's evolution over the years. His numbers this year are impressive. Nova's starters are shooting mid 80s from FT line and are an excellent 3 point shooting team.-41.5 %. At home and in front of a crazy crowd-Dixon will get his. I would think that Dan has to protect our best three point shooters from foul trouble- Karaban and Ball- for us to keep it close. IMO-Our portal guys and our sophs need to show up and continue to grind it out. Could come down to a FT shooting contest.

Will be a war and a great game. Looking forward to it.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I hope to see a variation of the 'chip game strategy with Edey.

Let Dixon get his- whether it's 3's or in the paint and shut down everyone else.

 

[QDOG5]

Too impatient to wait for the @Hey Adrien! report?

Not very good defensively. Very good shooting the rock IIRC.

Primarily a one-man show with Dixon averaging 26ppg. He will be a tough check for anyone, but I can't imagine it will be a good game for Samson trying to defend him. We'll be relying

Brickus shoots the bejesus out of the ball. I expect Hass will keep him in check though.

We should have size at almost every position. Cannot be a game we lose the battle of the boards.

This is all from memory... don't quote me if I'm wrong.

Brickus sounds like the DePaul 3 point shooting slogan.

 

[Greedo]

I’m disappointed I go to the Nova game every year, but it doesn’t look like it’s in the cards this year. Finally on campus too instead of at Wells Fargo, oh well.

Need to keep Dixon in check. Do that and they should be fine.

 

[huskyharry]

Very tough challenge. They have won 7 of 8 with the only loss Creighton on the road.
Dixon is dominating as noted above. Poplar and Brickus have been playing much better during this stretch. Boakye is a load inside.

 

[huskyharry]

Very tough challenge. They have won 7 of 8 with the only loss Creighton on the road.
Dixon is dominating as noted above. Poplar and Brickus have been playing much better during this stretch. Boakye is a load inside.

The 6’9” fresh Walker has also looked really good and Longino has been better of late as well

 

[Jaydumo20]

Agree with everyone about Dixon being tough to stop.

But....we will score a ton of points on them. They really stink on D. Like really bad.

 

[bendm]

Broome - 18.6 ppg, 11.1 rebounds, 57% shooting.

Dixon - 25.9ppg, 5.4 rebounds, 53% shooting, 49% from three.

He may not be Johni Broome, but he's not that far off. Dixon leads the country in scoring by close to 3 points over the second guy and is averaging over 7 points more than Broome a game. It's not a product of volume either given those percentages. He is the head of that dragon and right now right up there with Kam Jones for BEPOY. He presents a really unique matchup for anyone as too versatile for 5's and too strong for 4's.

i dont think you should be comparing a future lotto pick and best player on the best team in the country, with the best player on a very average team who's prob going overseas after his 5th year of college bball. if broome were on Nova instead of auburn his numbers would look very different.

 

[RuffRuff]

i dont think you should be comparing a future lotto pick and best player on the best team in the country, with the best player on a very average team who's prob going overseas after his 5th year of college bball. if broome were on Nova instead of auburn his numbers would look very different.

Send along the last mock that has Broome as a lottery pick and I’ll stand corrected. He’s a senior, if he was a lottery pick he would have been gone already. If anything I can see Dixon and his outside shooting as a more valued NBA skillset. This is a perfectly fine comparison. Point is Dixon is putting up ridiculous numbers this year.

 

[superjohn]

i dont think you should be comparing a future lotto pick and best player on the best team in the country, with the best player on a very average team who's prob going overseas after his 5th year of college bball. if broome were on Nova instead of auburn his numbers would look very different.

Dixon isn't some guy putting up these #'s for Sacred Heart. He's a two time second team all-Big East guy putting up these #'s in the Big East and he'll be Big East POY and an all-American unless something goes really wrong. He had 38 against Maryland, 31 against Cincinnati, and 27 against Creighton.

He compared Dixon's stats to Johni Broome's stats, another 5th year senior who is probably a second round pick, he didn't compare him to Jordan.

 

[CTBasketball]

Wooga Poplar scares me the most because Stewart, Ross, and especially Ball have been beyond abysmal on defense.

 

[UConnDad]

I’m disappointed I go to the Nova game every year, but it doesn’t look like it’s in the cards this year. Finally on campus too instead of at Wells Fargo, oh well.

Need to keep Dixon in check. Do that and they should be fine.

I like going too but like it at Wells Fargo and on the weekend.

 

[Bomber36]

Before the write up that’s coming on Nova I was just wondering what in layman’s terms, not too detailed, what we will expect to see from them. If we tighten up the 3 point line as we have lately will they just drive to the rim every play as other teams are doing ? Or will they pound it to their big man inside? Will rebounding be an issue again for us?

If you just want to boil it down to stats, they don’t look bad.

2024-25 Men's Basketball Cumulative Statistics - Villanova University

The official 2024-25 Men's Basketball cumulative statistics for the Villanova University Wildcats

villanova.com