The third-seeded Villanova Wildcats have the advantage of opening the 2009 NCAA Tournament in front of a friendly Philadelphia crowd and against the 14th-seeded American University Eagles in East Region action.
Villanova plays some of its home games at the Wachovia Center, so the team knows the arena quite well. The winner will move on to the second round to take on either sixth-seeded UCLA or 11th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth.
American is making its second consecutive appearance in the "Big Dance" after winning the Patriot League regular season and tournament titles this season. The Eagles are riding the nation's second-longest active win streak with 13 consecutive victories, and they have won 19 of their last 20 outings. Their 24 overall wins are tied for the most in program history, and the team's 11 road wins are tops in the NCAA.
As for Villanova, it is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under the guidance of head coach Jay Wright. The Wildcats, who are 26-7 overall, went 13-5 versus Big East competition during the regular season. Villanova, which won its only national title back in 1985, has more wins as an underdog seed (13) in the NCAA Tournament than any other program, but the club will be playing the role of a heavy favorite tonight.
Villanova has won all eight previous meetings with American, and the most recent bout took place in 1993.
While American enters this game as a huge underdog, there is enough talent on the roster for the team to be competitive। Patriot League Player of the Year Derrick Mercer is a steady performer who averages 11।5 ppg and 4।4 apg. Mercer is the only player in league history to record 1,200 points and 500 assists and is the school's all-time leader in games played.
Villanova plays some of its home games at the Wachovia Center, so the team knows the arena quite well. The winner will move on to the second round to take on either sixth-seeded UCLA or 11th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth.
American is making its second consecutive appearance in the "Big Dance" after winning the Patriot League regular season and tournament titles this season. The Eagles are riding the nation's second-longest active win streak with 13 consecutive victories, and they have won 19 of their last 20 outings. Their 24 overall wins are tied for the most in program history, and the team's 11 road wins are tops in the NCAA.
As for Villanova, it is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under the guidance of head coach Jay Wright. The Wildcats, who are 26-7 overall, went 13-5 versus Big East competition during the regular season. Villanova, which won its only national title back in 1985, has more wins as an underdog seed (13) in the NCAA Tournament than any other program, but the club will be playing the role of a heavy favorite tonight.
Villanova has won all eight previous meetings with American, and the most recent bout took place in 1993.
While American enters this game as a huge underdog, there is enough talent on the roster for the team to be competitive। Patriot League Player of the Year Derrick Mercer is a steady performer who averages 11।5 ppg and 4।4 apg. Mercer is the only player in league history to record 1,200 points and 500 assists and is the school's all-time leader in games played.
The top scorer for the Eagles is Garrison Carr, who is netting 17.8 ppg on the strength of 108 three- pointers. Brian Gilmore contributes 12.4 ppg and 5.4 rpg to bring balance to the floor. Strong defense has been an obvious key to AU's success this season, as the team is limiting opponents to 58.4 ppg on 39.4 percent shooting from the field. Offensively, the Eagles are scoring a modest 64.5 ppg.
Villanova is undoubtedly battle-tested, as the team played top-notch competition most nights during the Big East season. The Wildcats have a number of key contributors in the fold, and forward Dante Cunningham has been the team's most consistent player this season. Shooting 52.9 percent from the floor, Cunningham is averaging 16.0 ppg to go along with 7.2 rpg and 41 blocked shots. He can score on the interior and has a tremendous mid-range jumper. Scottie Reynolds is an explosive guard who is netting 15.5 ppg in addition to handing out 118 assists and coming up with 53 steals. Reynolds is a streaky player who can dominate a game when he is on track. Corey Fisher is the third and final double-digit scorer on the roster, as he brings 10.8 ppg to the mix. Villanova is generating 76.5 ppg while allowing just 67.0 ppg.
The Wildcats are the clear choice in this game, as they are superior to American in every aspect. Expect 'Nova to start fast and cruise to victory.
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