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Nov. 10, 1997 Wildcats Visit MinnesotaVILLANOVA WILDCATS (0-0 Overall) vs. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (0-0 Overall) The BCA Classic November 14, 1997 ~ 9:30 p.m. (ET) Minneapolis, Minn. The Target Center (19,006) ESPN-TV Probable Villanova Starters No. Pos. Name PPG* RPG* #15 F Malik Allen (So., 6-10, 240) 2.0 2.9 #33 F Zeffy Penn (Sr., 6-6, 195) Redshirted #31 C Rafal Bigus (Jr., 7-1, 270) 2.5 2.3 #21 G Brian Lynch (So., 6-6, 185) 3.8 1.6 #13 G John Celestand (Jr., 6-3, 175) 8.3 2.6 Probable Minnesota Starters No. Pos. Name PPG* RPG* #5 F Sam Jacobson (Sr., 6-6, 215) 13.7 4.5 #20 F Quincy Lewis (Jr., 6-7, 215) 8.0 2.6 #42 C Miles Tarver (Jr., 6-8, 230) 1.7 2.9 #10 G Kevin Clark (Jr., 6-2, 180) N/A N/A #33 G Eric Harris (Sr., 6-3, 195) 11.0 2.3 *1996-97 statistics Villanova Quick Facts Location Villanova, PA Enrollment 5,994 Founded 1842 Nickname Wildcats Colors Blue & White Conference Big East President Rev. E. J. Dobbin Athletic Director Tim Hofferth For additional information and interview requests for the Villanova men's basketball team, please contact Wildcat media relations director KAREN FRASCONA at (610) 519-4120. Game Information
Television ESPN-TV
Talent Bob Carpenter
Dick Vitale
Radio WPHT-FM (1210 am)
Talent Andy Musser
Whitey Rigsby
Series Info Tied, 1-1
Last meeting UM 85-64, 11/25/94
VU Coach Steve Lappas
103-56 (.648) / 5 yrs. (VU)
159-118 (.574) / 9 yrs.
UM Coach Clem Haskins
203-139 (.594)/ 11 yrs. (UM)
304-212 (.589) / 17 yrs.
Schedule & Results
Notes Last Year Villanova: The Wildcats finished the 1996-97 campaign with an overall record of 24-10, their fourth-straight 20-win season, and earned a share of the Big East Conference regular-season championship. The No. 3 seed in the NCAA East region, Villanova advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and fell to California by a score of 75-68. Four starters have departed from that squad, with three earning spots on NBA rosters. Freshman phenom Tim Thomas, the National Freshman of the Year, was a lottery selection and a current member of the Philadelphia 76ers. Alvin Williams was a first-team All-Big East selection and the team's leading scorer (17.1 ppg), while Jason Lawson was the league's Defensive Player of the Year and left as the school's all-time blocked shot leader. Chuck Kornegay is the other starter gone from last year's squad. Returning for the Wildcats this season is guard John Celestand, who started 24 games a year ago and averaged 8.3 ppg, and senior captain Zeffy Penn, who sat out last season as a redshirt. Minnesota: The Golden Gophers had a storybook season in 1996-97, posting a record of 31-4 overall, running away with the Big Ten Conference championship, and earning the school's first-ever berth in the NCAA Final Four. Minnesota defeated SW Texas State, Temple, Clemson, and UCLA before falling to Kentucky (78-69) in the national semifinal contest. Bobby Jackson and John Thomas were both NBA first-round draft selections, while starting power forward Courtney James has also departed. Returning for head coach Clem Haskins are two of his top three scorers in Sam Jacobson, who posted 13.7 ppg last season, and senior point guard and team captain Eric Harris, who averaged 11.0 ppg. Villanova-Minnesota Series Notes The two teams have met twice throughout history, with Villanova winning the first contest in 1963, held at the Palestra in Philadelphia by a score of 77-73. Most recently, Villanova and Minnesota played in 1994 at the Great Alaska Shootout with the Golden Gophers winning in a landslide, 85-64. The Last Meeting The two teams last met on Nov. 25, 1994 in the semifinal round of the Great Alaska Shootout, with Minnesota winning 85-64 behind 19 points each from Voshon Lenard and Townsend Orr. After a narrow 36-30 margin at halftime, the Gophers outscored Villanova 49-34 in the second half. Sam Jacobson and Eric Harris both played for Minnesota, scoring seven points between them. Minnesota converted better than 50 percent from behind the three-point arc and outrebounded Villanova by a 52-32 margin. The Coaches
Villanova: Steve Lappas 103-56 (.648) / 5 yrs. at Villanova
159-118 (.574) / 9 yrs. overall
Minnesota: Clem Haskins 203-139 (.594)/ 11 yrs. at Minnesota
304-212 (.589) / 17 yrs. overall
Next Up The Wildcats will face Bradley on Nov. 29, 1997 at Carver Arena in Peoria, Ill., while the Gophers will play Utah State in the Preseason NIT on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
Wildcat Dress Roster
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown
0 Simon Ogunlesi F 6-10265 Fr.-HS Lagos, Nigeria
10 Jermaine Medley G 6-0 185 Fr.-HS Wilmington, Del.
11 Marvin O'Connor G 6-4 190 Fr.-HS Philadelphia, Pa.
12 Brian Noone G 6-1 170 Sr.-2L Syossett, N.Y.
13 John Celestand G 6-3 175 Jr.-2L Piscataway, N.J.
15 Malik Allen F 6-10240 So.-1L Medford, N.J.
20 Joe Jackson G 5-8 170 Jr.-TR Ridgewood, N.J.
21 Brian Lynch G 6-6 185 So.-1L Belmar, N.J.
22 Howard Brown G 6-5 200 Jr.-2L Pottstown, Pa.
31 Rafal Bigus C 7-1 270 Jr.-2L Stargard, Poland
33 Zeffy Penn F 6-6 195 Sr.-3L Harrisburg, Pa.
40 Johnny Holley F 6-6 180 Fr.-HS McKinney, Texas
50 T.J. Caouette F 6-7 215 So.-1L Winthrop, Maine
51 Chris Lee F 6-5 200 Jr.-1L Havertown, Pa.
Wildcats in Season Openers Currently entering its 78th season of basketball, Villanova has recorded a mark of 71-6 (.922) in season-opening contests during that time. Under head coach Steve Lappas, the Wildcats have never lost their first game of the year, recording a mark of 5-0. Wildcats versus the Big Ten Conference Throughout history, Villanova has faced every member of the Big Ten Conference except Northwestern. The Wildcats do not have a losing series record against any of the 10 squads, and overall have fared well versus the conference with a 21-10 record (.677). Villanova is 3-3 against Illinois; 3-2 versus Indiana; 2-1 against Iowa; 2-1 against Michigan; 1-1 against Michigan State; 1-1 against Minnesota; 1-1 against Ohio State; 6-0 against Penn State; 1-0 versus Purdue; and 1-0 against Wisconsin. Villanova head coach Steve Lappas is 2-2 versus teams from the Big Ten Conference. Lappas and Non-Conference Opponents Currently entering his sixth season at the helm of the Wildcat program, head coach Steve Lappas has posted a mark of 44-14 (.759) versus non-conference opponents during his tenure. In his first year on the Main Line, the Wildcats were 5-3; in 1993-94 Villanova recorded a mark of 10-3 in non-Big East games. In 1994-95, the Wildcats registered a mark of 8-3, and in 1995-96 they were 11-2 out of conference. Last season, Lappas posted a mark of 10-3 in non-league contests. Starting from Scratch The Wildcats will be virtually starting from scratch this season, with only one starter returning to the 1997-98 lineup, as Chuck Kornegay, Jason Lawson, Tim Thomas, and Alvin Williams have all departed. Combined, the quartet amassed 4,244 career points and 2,142 career rebounds during their varied tenures at Villanova. In addition, the Wildcat seniors from a year ago (Kornegay, Lawson, Williams) compiled 95 victories during their four-year stint, the most wins by a class in school history. The class of '97 surpassed the class of '85, which posted a record of 92-38 and won the NCAA title in 1985. John Celestand is back as a starter at guard, and is Villanova's leading returning scorer as well with an average of 8.3 ppg from a year ago. Only 30.2 percent of the Wildcats' scoring from a year ago returns, as well as only 30.4 percent of their rebounding. Howard Brown and Malik Allen are the team's leading returning rebounders with an average of 2.9 rpg each from last season. Villanova and the NBA Last season, three Villanova players were taken in the NBA Draft's two rounds, the highest number from any school in the nation. Tim Thomas was selected with the No. 7 pick by the New Jersey Nets, and was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, while Jason Lawson was chosen with the No. 46 selection by the Denver Nuggets. He, too, was traded later in the evening to the Orlando Magic. Alvin Williams went to the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 48 pick. In addition, over the last two years, Villanova has had four players selected in the Draft, with Kerry Kittles chosen by New Jersey with the No. 8 pick. Those four players selected in two years rates as the nation's second-highest number (Kentucky with six is first). Kittles went on to earn second-team All-Rookie honors for the Nets last season. The Hot 100 The Villanova Wildcats have recorded a mark of 75-25 (.750) over the last three seasons, earning three-straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, and a Big East regular-season and Tournament Championship during that time. In terms of victories, Villanova's 75 ranks in the nation's top 10 over the three-year span. The Wildcats' opponent in the BCA Classic, Minnesota, also ranks among the nation's elite during the three-year span with 71 victories. 1997-98 Big East Conference Predictions Syracuse and Connecticut are the choices of the Big East Conference head coaches to win the 1997-98 division titles. Syracuse is picked to win the Big East 7 Division, receiving 10 first-place votes and 81 points. Connecticut garnered nine first-place votes and 69 points to earn the Big East 6 champion, narrowly edging St. John's with 63 points and four first-place votes. Following is the results of the tally: No Longer a Sixth Man Senior captain Zeffy Penn returns for his final year in a Wildcat uniform after sitting out last season as a redshirt. As a junior in 1995-96, Penn played in every game and averaged 4.7 ppg and 3.1 rpg, primarily as a sixth man. Against Minnesota, he will be starting only the second game of his career. His prior start came on Dec. 2, 1995, versus St. John's when he filled in for Chuck Kornegay, who was serving a one-game suspension for fighting. Throughout his career, Penn has become a favorite of the crowd and student body. He is currently student-teaching at Furness High School in Philadelphia, and has already graduated from Villanova with a degree in Secondary Education. In addition, Penn is studying to become a Eucharistic Minister and serves as a mentor for freshman student-athletes at Villanova. Wildcats on the Tube During the Lappas tenure on the Main Line, Villanova has made 50 appearances on five national television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, ABC, and NBC). The Wildcats have recorded a mark of 30-20 (.600) in those games, including an 11-12 record on ESPN. Villanova is 7-1 on ESPN2, 9-7 on CBS, 1-0 on ABC, and 2-0 on NBC during the five years Lappas has served as Villanova head coach. The last time Villanova and Minnesota met, ESPN televised the contest. In addition, it was a Friday night telecast. New Faces Each of the past two seasons, Steve Lappas has lost his top assistant to another school. In 1996, John Leonard departed from the Main Line to accept the head coaching position at Manhattan College, his alma mater. This spring, Paul Hewitt took over the reigns of the program at Siena College With the vacancy on the staff this year, Lappas hired Joe Jones away from Hofstra University. In addition, Peter Zaharis was promoted to assistant coach from his administrative assistant position when Jimmy Salmon departed. The constant through all these changes has been assistant Steve Pinone, a 1987 Villanova graduate and member of the 1985 NCAA Champion squad. Pinone has been with Lappas since 1991, joining him while he was at Manhattan College. Making the Jump Malik Allen has made tremendous strides during the offseason, returning for his sophomore campaign as a dominant player for the Wildcats. In the team's two exhibition contests, Allen posted team-high numbers in scoring with 20 points against Marathon and 13 against Around the World Stars. The Medford, N.J., native hit 11-of-18 (.611) from the field in the two games, and averaged 16.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg. Frontcourt Steps Up In the Wildcats' two exhibition contests this season, the starting frontcourt of center Rafal Bigus, power forward Malik Allen, and small forward Zeffy Penn have performed exceptionally well. The trio has limited experience, with only three career starts on their combined resume, and a career scoring average of only 7.8 ppg (Bigus 2.6 ppg, Penn 3.2 ppg and Allen 2.0 ppg). In the two warm-up games, the trio combined for an average of 38.5 points, with all three posting double figures and 23.5 rebounds. In addition, Bigus, Allen, and Penn shot a combined 26-for-44 (.591) from the field against both Marathon and Around the World Stars. 75 is the Magic Number Over the past five seasons under head coach Steve Lappas, the Wildcats are 72-12 (.857) in games where they have scored 75 points or better. In 1996-97, the Wildcats were 15-3 when hitting a score of 75. Last year, Villanova was 16-1 when producing 75+ points. During the 1994-95 season, they tallied a 19-1 record in such games, while they were 13-4 in 1993-94 and 8-3 in 1992-93.
1997-98 coaches' preseason poll
Big East 7 big east 6
Syracuse (10) 81 Connecticut (9) 69
Georgetown (2) 66 St. John's (4) 63
Miami (1) 65 West Virginia 46
Pittsburgh 44 Villanova 40
Providence 39 Notre Dame 32
Rutgers 30 Boston College 18
Seton Hall 30
Lappas Hits the Century Mark Steve Lappas earned his 100th victory at Villanova on the same afternoon that the Wildcats won the Big East regular-season championship, in an 84-74 win over Rutgers on March 1, 1997. He became only the fourth coach in Wildcat history to reach 100 wins, and is keeping company with a trio of Villanova legends.
Villanova Coaching Legends
Record after
VU Record 100 VU wins
Alexander Severance, 1936-61 413-201 (.673) 100-31, 1936-42
Jack Kraft, 1961-73 238-95 (.725) 100-36, 1961-66
Rollie Massimino, 1973-92 357-241 (.597) 100-81, 1973-80
Steve Lappas, 1992- 103-56 (.648) 100-54, 1992-97
Marathon 87, Villanova 71
The Pavilion, Nov. 1, 1997
MARATHON MIN FG-A FT-A REB A PF PTS
Charles Minlend 31 6-14 2-2 2 2 2 15
Willie Murdaugh 24 4-10 1-2 0 1 4 11
J. McCrimmon 12 2-2 0-0 4 0 4 4
Curt Smith 32 10-15 2-3 1 7 2 23
Mark Meredith 36 6-9 0-0 6 2 2 16
Gregg Butler 17 0-1 0-0 2 1 0 0
Kory Billups 20 5-7 1-2 4 3 3 12
Ron McMahon 17 0-2 0-0 2 4 3 0
Jermaine Harden 11 3-6 0-0 5 0 2 6
TOTALS 200 36-66 6-9 31 20 22 87
Three-point Goals: 9-21 (Meredith 4-7; Murdaugh 2-6; Billups 1-1; Smith 1-3; Minlend 1-4); Team Rebounds: 5; Blocked Shots: 3 (Minlend, Butler, Harden 1); Turnovers: 10 (Minlend, Meredith, McMahon 2; Murdaugh, Butler, Billups, Harden 1); Steals: 13 (Murdaugh, Meredith, Billups 3; McMahon 2; Minlend, Smith 1).
VILLANOVA MIN FG-A FT-A REB A PF PTS
Malik Allen 34 8-12 4-5 12 2 1 20
Zeffy Penn 25 6-8 2-2 6 0 0 15
Rafal Bigus 29 3-5 3-4 6 1 2 9
John Celestand 35 2-11 2-5 4 7 0 6
Brian Lynch 26 3-7 6-6 3 1 2 13
T.J. Caouette 14 1-4 0-0 1 0 3 3
M. O'Connor 14 1-6 0-0 2 1 2 2
Howard Brown 12 1-5 1-2 4 1 1 3
Joe Jackson 2 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 0
Johnny Holley 9 0-4 0-0 1 0 0 0
TOTALS 200 25-62 18-24 43 13 13 71
Three-point Goals: 3-17 (Penn 1-1; Lynch 1-2; Caouette 1-3; O'Connor, Brown, Holley 0-2; Celestand 0-5); Team Rebounds: 4; Blocked Shots: 2 (Allen, Celestand 1); Turnovers: 20 (Allen 4; Penn, Celestand 3; Lynch, Caouette, Brown 2; Bigus, O'Connor, Jackson, Holley 1); Steals: 5 (Celestand 2; Allen, Lynch, O'Connor 1); Halftime Score: 47-41 Marathon; Attendance: 3,912.
Villanova 85, World Stars 53
The Pavilion, Nov. 7, 1997
STARS MIN FG-A FT-A REB A PF PTS
I. Koutsos 22 1-3 0-0 1 1 5 3
C. Tsartsaris 30 2-10 3-3 9 1 4 7
F. Varas 16 0-0 0-0 1 0 2 0
S. McNeil 37 2-11 0-0 3 5 2 5
M. Guler 26 4-5 3-5 3 2 5 14
E. Corbett 18 3-11 2-4 4 0 4 8
O. Ichaki 19 0-5 4-4 1 1 3 4
D. Sylla 12 2-3 2-4 6 0 2 6
R. Mougnol 10 1-4 0-0 0 0 0 3
N. Ycel 7 1-2 0-0 3 1 0 2
H. Senga 3 0-0 1-2 0 0 1 1
TOTALS 200 16-54 15-22 36 11 28 53
Three-point Goals: 6-18 (Guler 3-4; Koutsos, Mougnol 1-2; McNeil 1-3; Corbett 0-1; Tsartsaris, Icharki 0-3); Team Rebounds: 5; Blocked Shots: 1 (Sylla); Turnovers: 22 (Guler 5; Tsartsaris, McNeil 4; Corbett 3; Ycel 2; Koutsos, Varas, Sylla, Mougnol 1); Steals: 7 (Koutsos, Guler, Ichaki 2; McNeil 1).
VILLANOVA MIN FG-A FT-A REB A PF PTS
Malik Allen 31 3-6 7-8 6 1 1 13
Zeffy Penn 23 4-7 1-2 7 1 1 10
Rafal Bigus 23 2-6 6-8 10 0 3 10
John Celestand 29 4-8 2-2 1 5 2 12
Brian Lynch 17 2-7 2-4 1 1 1 8
T.J. Caouette 17 1-4 1-2 3 3 5 3
M. O'Connor 17 0-5 4-4 2 2 5 4
Jermaine Medley 22 3-7 1-3 2 3 1 9
Howard Brown 17 3-5 5-7 8 1 1 11
Simon Ogunlesi 2 0-1 0-0 0 0 1 0
Johnny Holley 2 2-2 0-0 0 0 0 5
TOTALS 200 25-62 18-24 43 13 13 71
Three-point Goals: 8-20 (Celestand 2-3; Medley 2-5; Lynch 2-6; Penn, Holley 1-1; O'Connor 0-3; Brown 0-1); Team Rebounds: 5; Blocked Shots: 4 (Allen, Bigus, Celestand, Brown 1); Turnovers: 14 (Allen, Celestand, Lynch 3; Bigus 2; O'Connor, Medley, Brown 1); Steals: 13 (Celestand 3; Lynch, Penn, O'Connor, Brown 2); Halftime Score: 41-27 VU; Attendance: 5,061.
Team Highs & Lows
VILLANOVA
POINTS High 49 Rutgers (1/18/97)
(First Half) Kentucky (2/9/97)
West Virginia (2/26/97)
Low 20 American (11/29/96)
Georgetown (1/27/97)
POINTS High 55 Pittsburgh (2/12/97)
(Second Half)
Low 27 Syracuse (1/20/97)
TOTAL POINTS High 101 Long Island (3/13/97)
Low 56 Kentucky (2/9/97)
FIELD GOALS High 39 Long Island (3/13/97)
Low 19 Kentucky (2/9/97)
FG ATTEMPTS High 71 Mt. St. Mary's (12/21/96)
Low 40 Butler (11/30/96)
FG PCT High .596 Tulane (34-57) (12/1/96)
Low .375 American (24-64)
3-PT FG High 12 Rutgers (3/1/97)
Low 0 Kentucky (2/9/97)
3-PT FG ATTS. High 24 Syracuse (1/20/97)
Connecticut (2/23/97)
Low 3 Kentucky (2/9/97)
FREE THROWS High 27 Providence (12/4/96)
Low 10 Miami (1/11/97)
FT ATTEMPTS High 34 Rutgers (3/1/97)
Low 14 Miami (1/11/97)
FT PCT. High .900 Rider (18-20) (12/28/96)
Low .485 Butler (.485) (11/3096)
REBOUNDS High 60 Long Island (3/13/97)
Low 17 Kentucky (2/9/97)
UNC Wilm.(12/30/96)
ASSISTS High 25 Tulane (12/1/96)
Long Island (3/13/97)
Low 7 Providence (12/4/96)
TURNOVERS High 24 Kentucky (2/9/97)
Low 10 Syracuse (3/6/97)
Pittsburgh (2/12/97)
Syracuse (3/6/97)
BLOCKS High 12 West Virginia (2/4/97)
Low 2 Penn (12/10/96)
STEALS High 14 Mt. St. Mary's (12/21/96)
Low 4 Providence (1/6/97)
Individual Season Highs
VILLANOVA
TOTAL POINTS 32 Alvin Williams (Rutgers, 3/1/97)
FIELD GOALS 11 Tim Thomas (Long Island)
Alvin Williams (California)
FG ATTEMPTS 21 Tim Thomas (American)
Tim Thomas (Syracuse, 2/1/97)
Tim Thomas (Long Island)
Alvin Williams (California)
FG PERCENTAGE .833 Alvin Williams (5-6) (Butler)
Chuck Kornegay (5-6)(W. Virginia)
3-PT FG 5 Alvin Williams (5-6) (BC)
Alvin Williams (5-9)(W. Virginia, 2/26/97)
Alvin Williams (5-7)(Rutgers, 3/1/97)
Alvin Williams (5-7)(Providence, 3/7/97)
3-PT FG ATTEMPTS 11 Alvin Williams (3-11)(UConn)
FREE THROWS 12 Tim Thomas (St. John's)
FT ATTEMPTS 13 Jason Lawson (St. Joseph's)
FT PERCENTAGE 100.0 Tim Thomas (9-9) (Prov., 12/4/95)
Alvin Williams (8-8) (Providence)
Tim Thomas (12-12) (St. John's)
Jason Lawson (5-5) (UNC Wilmington)
Jason Lawson (11-11) (Seton Hall)
Tim Thomas (8-8) (Providence, 1/6/97)
REBOUNDS 16 Jason Lawson (American)
ASSISTS 9 John Celestand (Long Island)
TURNOVERS 11 Alvin Williams (Kentucky)
BLOCKS 8 Jason Lawson (W. Virginia)
Jason Lawson (Rutgers, 3/1/97)
STEALS 6 Alvin Williams (Notre Dame)
John Celestand (Syracuse, 3/6/97)
Malik Allen So.~6-10~240~F Medford, N.J. Has made exceptional strides during the offseason ... Standout player in the Wildcats' two exhibition contests ... Started both games at the power forward spot ... Scored 20 points on eight-of-12 shooting versus Marathon to lead the Wildcats ... Also posted a game-high 12 rebounds in that game... Villanova's leading scorer versus Around the World Stars with 13 points on three-of-six shooting from the field ... Also had six rebounds in 31 minutes of play.
Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 10 vs. Penn (12/10/97)
Rebounds 10 vs. Penn (12/10/97)
Assists 2 on three occasions
last vs. BC (1/27/97)
Steals 2 vs. Mt. St. Mary's (12/21/96)
Blocks 2 on two occasions
last vs. ORU (1/8/97)
Minutes 23 vs. Notre Dame (2/16/97)
Field Goals 3 vs. Penn (12/10/97)
3-Point Goals N/A
Free Throws 4 on two occasions
last vs. Rutgers (1/18/97)
Allen Game-By-Game Statistics
Opponent GP-GS FG-A FG% 3FG-A 3FG% FT-A FT% O D TOT PF PTS A B S MIN
Minnesota
Bradley
Georgetown
Seton Hall
Duke
New Orleans
Temple
FIU
Hofstra
Boston College
LaSalle
Boston College
Seton Hall
Georgetown
West Virginia
Miami
St. John's
Notre Dame
Miami
Connecticut
Kentucky
Pittsburgh
Providence
Syracuse
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Rafal Bigus
Jr.~7-1~270~C
Stargard, Poland
One of the highlights of the Wildcats' preseason schedule ... Very good offensive skills ... Started both exhibition contests at the center spot ... Scored nine points on three-of-five shooting versus Marathon and posted six rebounds ... Recorded a double-double versus Around the World Stars with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes of play.
Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 12 vs. Mt. St. Mary's (12/21/96)
Rebounds 15 vs. Penn (12/10/96)
Assists 3 on three occasions
last vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Steals 2 vs. Pittsburgh (2/3/96)
Blocks 3 on three occasions
last vs. Rutgers (1/18/97)
Minutes 28 vs. Penn (12/10/96)
Field Goals 5 on three occasions
last vs. Mt. St. Mary's (12/21/96)
3-Point Goals N/A
Free Throws 3 on two occasions
last vs. LaSalle (2/12/96)
Bigus Game-By-Game Statistics
Opponent GP-GS FG-A FG% 3FG-A 3FG% FT-A FT% O D TOT PF PTS A B S MIN
Minnesota
Bradley
Georgetown
Seton Hall
Duke
New Orleans
Temple
FIU
Hofstra
Boston College
LaSalle
Boston College
Seton Hall
Georgetown
West Virginia
Miami
St. John's
Notre Dame
Miami
Connecticut
Kentucky
Pittsburgh
Providence
Syracuse
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Howard Brown
Jr.~6-5~200~G
Pottstown, Pa.
Played in both Wildcat exhibition contests ... Extremely hardworking player ... Posted three points and four rebounds in 12 minutes versus Marathon ... Played 17 minutes versus Around the World Stars, hitting three-of-five from the field for 11 points ... Also registered eight rebounds in the contest and two steals ...
Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 18 vs. St. Joseph's (12/23/96)
Rebounds 9 vs. Syracuse (3/6/97)
Assists 4 on two occasions
last vs. Tulane (12/1/96)
Steals 3 on two occasions
last vs. Notre Dame (2/16/97)
Blocks 1 on 10 occasions
last vs. Connecticut (2/23/97)
Minutes 34 vs. Georgetown (3/2/96)
Field Goals 6 on two occasions
last vs. St. Joseph's (12/23/96)
3-Point Goals 2 on six occasions
last vs. Rutgers (3/1/97)
Free Throws 5 vs. Seton Hall (1/2/97)
Brown Game-By-Game Statistics
Opponent GP-GS FG-A FG% 3FG-A 3FG% FT-A FT% O D TOT PF PTS A B S MIN
Minnesota
Bradley
Georgetown
Seton Hall
Duke
New Orleans
Temple
FIU
Hofstra
Boston College
LaSalle
Boston College
Seton Hall
Georgetown
West Virginia
Miami
St. John's
Notre Dame
Miami
Connecticut
Kentucky
Pittsburgh
Providence
Syracuse
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
T.J. Caouette
So.~6-7~215~F
Winthrop, Maine
Expected to play an increased role in the Wildcats' scheme this season ... Good shooter ... Very tough player ... First player off the bench in the Wildcats' exhibition game versus Marathon ... Posted three points in 14 minutes of play in that game ... Played 17 minutes versus Around the World Stars, scoring three points ... Also dished out three assists.
Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 11 vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Rebounds 6 vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Assists 1 on nine occasions
last vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Steals 1 on two occasions
last vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Blocks 1 on four occasions
last vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Minutes 24 vs. California (3/15/97)
Field Goals 4 vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
3-Point Goals 2 vs. Rutgers (3/1/97)
Free Throws 4 vs. Providence (3/7/97)
Caouette Game-By-Game Statistics
Opponent GP-GS FG-A FG% 3FG-A 3FG% FT-A FT% O D TOT PF PTS A B S MIN
Minnesota
Bradley
Georgetown
Seton Hall
Duke
New Orleans
Temple
FIU
Hofstra
Boston College
LaSalle
Boston College
Seton Hall
Georgetown
West Virginia
Miami
St. John's
Notre Dame
Miami
Connecticut
Kentucky
Pittsburgh
Providence
Syracuse
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
John Celestand
Jr.~6-3~175~G
Piscataway, N.J.
Villanova's starting point guard throughout the preseason ... Played 35 minutes versus Marathon, scoring six points and dishing out seven assists ... Also had a blocked shot and two steals in that game ... Hit four-of-eight from the field versus Around the World Stars for 12 points ... Registered five assists and three steals. Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 19 vs. Georgetown (2/5/96)
Rebounds 9 vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Assists 9 vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Steals 6 vs. Syracuse (3/6/97)
Blocks 2 vs. Notre Dame (1/14/97)
Minutes 38 vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Field Goals 7 vs. Georgetown (2/5/96)
3-Point Goals 3 on three occasions
last vs. Long Island (3/13/97)
Free Throws 7 vs. Providence (1/6/97)
Celestand Game-By-Game Statistics
Opponent GP-GS FG-A FG% 3FG-A 3FG% FT-A FT% O D TOT PF PTS A B S MIN
Minnesota
Bradley
Georgetown
Seton Hall
Duke
New Orleans
Temple
FIU
Hofstra
Boston College
LaSalle
Boston College
Seton Hall
Georgetown
West Virginia
Miami
St. John's
Notre Dame
Miami
Connecticut
Kentucky
Pittsburgh
Providence
Syracuse
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Johnny Holley
Fr.~6-6~180~F
McKinney, Texas
Played exceptionally hard throughout preseason drills ... Played nine minutes versus Marathon ... In only two minutes of play versus Around the World Stars, hit two-of-two from the field, including a three-pointer, to finish with five points ... Very athletic player. Season / Career Highs Career Points Rebounds Assists Steals Blocks Minutes Field Goals 3-Point Goals Free Throws Holley Game-By-Game Statistics Opponent GP-GS FG-A FG% 3FG-A 3FG% FT-A FT% O D TOT PF PTS A B S MIN Minnesota Bradley Georgetown Seton Hall Duke New Orleans Temple FIU Hofstra Boston College LaSalle Boston College Seton Hall Georgetown West Virginia Miami St. John's Notre Dame Miami Connecticut Kentucky Pittsburgh Providence Syracuse Connecticut Pittsburgh Rutgers Joe Jackson Jr.~5-8~170~G Ridgewood, N.J. Walk-on for the Wildcats ... Jet quick ... Good practice player ... Saw two minutes of action versus Marathon and did not play against Around the World Stars.
Career Highs
Career
Points
Rebounds
Assists
Steals
Blocks
Minutes
Field Goals
3-Point Goals
Free Throws
Chris Lee
Jr.~6-5~200~F
Havertown, Pa.
Walk-on who serves primarily as a practice player ... Did not see action in either preseason exhibition game.
Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 2 on two occasions
last vs. Mt. St. Mary's (12/21/96)
Rebounds 2 vs. Mt. St. Mary's (12/21/96)
Assists 1 vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Steals 1 vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Blocks N/A
Minutes 2 vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Field Goals 1 on two occasions
last vs. Mt. St. Mary's (12/21/96)
3-Point Goals N/A
Free Throws N/A
Brian Lynch
So.~6-6~185~G
Belmar, N.J.
Started both Villanova exhibition contests at the two guard position ... Good shooter ... Scored 13 points versus Marathon on three-for-seven shooting ... Was a perfect six-for-six from the charity stripe in that game ... Played 17 minutes versus Around the World Stars and scored eight points.
Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 11 vs. Providence (1/6/97)
Rebounds 6 vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Assists 6 vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Steals 3 vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Blocks 1 vs. Syracuse (1/20/97)
Minutes 27 vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Field Goals 4 on two occasions
last vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
3-Point Goals 2 on two occasions
last vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Free Throws 3 vs. Butler (11/30/96)
Jermaine Medley
Fr.~6-0~185~G
Wilmington, Del.
Very talented point guard with great shooting ability ... Possesses great range ... Expected to be a major contributor this season .... Played 22 minutes versus Around the World Stars and scored nine points to go with three assists ... Shot three-for-seven from the field, including two-of-five from behind the three-point arc. Career Highs Career Points Rebounds Assists Steals Blocks Minutes Field Goals 3-Point Goals Free Throws Brian Noone Sr.~6-1~170~G Syossett, N.Y. Walk-on for the Wildcats in his final season ... Solid practice player ... Did not see action in either of the Wildcats' exhibition contests with Marathon and Around the World Stars.
Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 3 on four occasions
last vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Rebounds 1 on two occasions
last vs. Penn (12/10/96)
Assists N/A
Steals 1 vs. Portland (3/15/96)
Blocks N/A
Minutes 3 on two occasions
last vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Field Goals 1 on three occasions
last vs. Portland (3/15/96)
3-Point Goals 1 on four occasions
last vs. UNC-Wilm. (12/30/96)
Free Throws 2 vs. Penn (12/10/96)
Marvin O'Connor
Fr.~6-4~190~G
Philadelphia, Pa.
Rookie who should see time at the off guard spot ... Played 14 minutes versus Marathon during the exhibition season, scoring two points ... Played 17 minutes versus Around the World Stars and scored four points ... Hit four-of-four from the charity stripe in that game. Simon Ogunlesi Fr.~6-10~260~F Lagos, Nigeria Missed most of preseason drills due to a stress fracture in his right leg ... Did not suit up for game versus Marathon ... Played two minutes versus Around the World Stars. Zeffy Penn Sr.~6-6~195~F Harrisburg, Pa. Team captain and crowd favorite ... Returns for final season after spending 1996-97 season out as a redshirt ... Once a valuable sixth man, looks to make the jump this season as starter at the small forward spot ... Extremely active in the community ... Graduated in the spring with a degree in education, and is currently student-teaching at Furness High School in Philadelphia (10th grade) ... Also studying to become a Eucharistic Minister and serves as an academic mentor at Villanova ... Started both Villanova exhibition games at the three spot ... Scored 15 points on six-for-eight shooting versus Marathon in 25 minutes of play ... Also had six rebounds ... Scored 10 points against Around the World Stars on four-of-seven shooting ... Also had seven rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes of play.
Season / Career Highs
1997-98 Career
Points 11 vs. Miami (2/7/95)
Rebounds 9 vs. Purdue (12/9/95)
Assists 4 vs. North Carolina (1/20/96)
Steals 2 on six occasions
last vs. Georgetown (2/5/96)
Blocks 1 on 13 occasions
last vs. Seton Hall (1/17/96)
Minutes 29 vs. Wisconsin (11/20/95)
Field Goals 4 vs. Miami (1/25/95)
3-Point Goals 1 on three occasions
last vs. Portland (3/15/96)
Free Throws 5 vs. Miami (2/7/95)
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