"They're playing with confidence - they're throwing up alley-oops to their guys and we're missing layups," said Villanova coach Jay Wright. "But we'll get there."
As December local games go, this wasn't trivial stuff. Villanova's confidence could have used the booster shot of a road win, but the early evidence mounted that they aren't going to magically turn into an NCAA team, especially when they only make 18.5 percent of their three-pointers. The Wildcats hadn't lost to both Temple and St. Joe's in the same season since 1987-88.
St. Joseph's had a chance to prove its start was for real, to add another brick to its revival. Bigger tests will come when it faces this atmosphere on the road, but it was historic that the game was played at St. Joseph's. Phil Martelli knew what people would say about moving this one to Hagan Arena from the Palestra for the first time.
"I was out there," Martelli said a few days before the game. "I was the one who said Philadelphia games belong at the Palestra. Now we're changing it. Well [people would say], 'You didn't have a say in it. You're desperate.' I knew all that was going to come. I said when I was asked, 'At this point in time, it's the right thing for this program.' "
After two 11-win seasons, the host school understood it needed to breathe new life into the building, and that in order to add value to the season-ticket package, including the 'Nova game at home was the best option. Especially since St. Joe's has been adding a surcharge, as much as $350 a seat per year, in addition to the per-game cost.
And if the 'Nova game wasn't part of the package, the Drexel game probably wouldn't have been sold out. And if the Creighton crowd hadn't been a full house, maybe the Hawks don't win that one. Getting the students back in force also was key, Martelli said.
