Get ready to meet a big time collegiate post player:
Daniel Ochefu, 6’11” 260 pounds of angry Senior muscle who leads them in scoring and rebounding. No way is he the listed 245. The Bucs front court couldn’t handle 6’8” 230 Kenneth Lowe from Green Bay who outhustled and outfought us for 9 rebounds and 23 points. Ochefu is even faster and more relentless. He will beat you down the floor, throw move after move at you, outquick you and just plain outmuscle you. He is Lowe’s meaner big brother, averaging 16.5 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He will be a real challenge for the Bucs inexperienced front court. We will need a max effort from Peter Jurkin, Nigel Holley, and probably Toriano Stokes, too.
With the exception of Ochefu, they are NOT long (a 6’7” 190, a 6’8” 225 and a 6’6” 240 in the rotation ) but they are physical and aggressive. We let Green Bay beat us down the floor too many times and outhustle us on the boards. We cannot do that against these guys. Their coach, Jay Wright says that he likes to press and run to compensate for the lack of height. They certainly defend well, holding opponents to 58.5 (60.9 last year) on 32% shooting from the field. They take care of the ball, averaging 20 assists and only 10 turnovers.
9 guys have gotten 13 minutes of playing time or more in the first couple games:
6’11” 260 Sr.Daniel Ochefu, 21.5 min., 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks
6’5” 205 Jr. Josh Hart, 28.5 min., 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.5 t.o.’s, 1 block, 2 steals
6’3” 195 Sr. Ryan Arcidiacono, 25.5 min., 13.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 0.5 t.o.’s, 2.5 steals
6’6” 240 Jr. Kris Jenkins, 23.0 min., 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 t.o.
6’2 ½ 199 Fr. Jalen Brunson, 24 min., 10.5 points, 5 assists, 1 t.o.
6’3” 185 So. Phil Booth, 21.5 min., 9.0 points, 4 assists, 1 t.o. , 1 steal
6’7” 191 R-Fr. Mikal Bridges, 18.0 min., 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 1.5 t.o.’s
6’8” 225 Jr. Darryl Reynolds, 17.5 min., 4.5 points, 5.5 rebounds
6’5” 200 Fr. Donte Divicenzo, 13.5 min., 2.5 points, 3.5 rebounds
In their first two games they have not been shooting 3’s very well: 19 of 66 for .28%. But they will! Hart (52 makes on 46%), Arcidiacono (55 makes on 37%) Jenkins (48 makes on 37%) and Booth (32 makes on 48%) could all bury it last year. Let's defend the perimeter and not make this their breakout game.
The Wildcats have an experienced core of 2 Seniors and 3 Juniors. The Seniors have won 95 games - more than any class in the storied history of Villanova. They know how to play and win within their system.
http://www.si.com/college-basketball/201...jay-wright
The Bucs should be as quick and athletic as these guys, or more so. We'll need to defend them aggressively, but within the new rules. We can't afford to let the refs give them 38 free throws like they did Green Bay.
A win here would be huge - but not impossible.
Oh, and one thing that I would not lose much sleep over: "trouble finishing". The Bucs are averaging 105 points per game on .526 shooting.
The 105 per game is 4th in the country! http://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men...t/team/145
That .526 is 32nd in all of D1 ball. If we shoot .526, score 105 and don't beat Villanova, it will NOT be because of "trouble finishing".
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/basketball-men...t/team/148
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Official Game Thread: #11 Villanova (L 51-86)
