Another thing that I’ve gotten away from for a while. The exchange of questions with an opponent blogger.  Chris from the I Bleed Blue and White blog contacted me and we exchanged questions about Wednesday game. You can find my responses to his questions here. This is what he had to say to me.

1. Scottie Reynolds, a junior at ‘Nova. Amazing. It seems he is always on the cusp of greatness and ready to go to the NBA, but is just not quite there. His numbers haven’t changed dramatically in each season, but this season there seems to be a more balanced team around him so he doesn’t have to carry the full load. Especially with Pena and Cunningham inside.

Is that reality? Or is it still, ultimately about what Reynolds can do?

It seems so long ago that Reynolds was lighting it up as a freshman. Without being too harsh, it does seem as though he has never met the expectations he put on himself. It would be a shock if he left early for the NBA (something that seemed inevitable after his freshman year). With the emergence of other players on the team such as Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Dwayne Anderson and especially Dante Cunningham, Villanova has been able to win games even when Reynolds hasn’t been putting up 20 points.

He’s been put (or put himself) in a role where he is playing a more distributive role. Even though he had 40 against Seton Hall, it seems as though the days of that are long gone. As Corey Fisher matures though you’ll see Reynolds playing more off the ball, where’s he most dangerous. That’s when you’ll see Villanova reach its potential.

2. Almost 1/3 of Villanova’s shots are from the perimeter. Does it seem like the guards are taking more or less of their shots from outside versus driving to the basket? Is there a bit more driving and dishing with Cunningham in full (healthy) bloom and Pena’s growth? Is this a more balanced ‘Nova team than the past couple years or is it still all about the guards? I’m trying to get a better feel for the way the Wildcats play this year.

Cunningham may be the team’s best player, but the majority of the offense is created by the guards. A guy like Corey Stokes is going to shoot it from the outside, while Corey Fisher takes it inside most often. Reynolds is a mix of the two. So it really depends on the personnel as fare as shot selection. Pena is making good strides, but he still doesn’t realize how good he can be.

As for balance, 3 years ago this team was starting 4 guards and couldn’t spell post-presence. Dante Cunningham has changed that. He can get it done inside and his new-found jumper came out of nowhere. You’ll see Villanova look to him a lot, where as in the past he was lucky to get 2-3 shots a game. But this is Villanova. It’s run by the guards. When it clicks for Fisher and Stokes this will be a fun team to watch.

3. Last game at the Spectrum. What does this really mean? Don’t get me wrong, there are great memories of the place. That said, it isn’t the Pavillion where Pitt hasn’t won in ages. What kind of crowd do you expect?

Last game at the Spectrum indeed, although I wouldn’t put too much significance behind it. I think Jay Wright and his boys would love to close the place out with a win, and I think that the students are getting behind this idea a little, but in the end, I don’t see it having a major impact on the game. The Pavilion, as you noted, is a true home court advantage in the Big East. I’ve personally never been to a game at The Spectrum (just The Wachovia Center) so I’m excited to take in this one.

It should be a good crowd though. The students will always be there and because Pitt is such a big name in the conference, I wouldn’t expect to see too many empty seats. Hopefully that provides Villanova a little extra edge.

4. Right back at you. Both teams play tough defense. Villanova goes with more of an attacking defense that tries to force the turnovers and disrupt the plays. Pitt plays mainly straight man, that forces clock to run and force contested and bad shots. How do you see this one playing out?

Pitt is always a frustrating team to play because they like to slow the pace down. If Villanova had their way they would press, press and press some more and try to run a little. Pitt won’t let that happen. I think Antonio Pena needs to continue his string of successful play and frustrate Blair. It would be nice if Scottie Reynolds had a big night too, but I won’t count on it against the smothering Pitt D. This could be a game where the total score barely reaches 100.

Last night at the Spectrum, there’s got to be a little mojo behind that. Plus, Villanova has taken a few close losses to Louisville and UConn.They are due for a win against one of the big boys. I’ll go with Villanova 62, Pitt 60.

Thanks to Chris for the exchange. The game is Wednesday night at 7pm on ESPNU.