http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/players/achraf_yacoubou/181324 Recent articles about Achraf Yacoubou en-us With each top-five upset, Villanova put more fans on the court than some schools can get in the seats. Wins over Louisville and Syracuse at the Wells Fargo Center created a mad dash for students to celebrate with Ryan Arcidiacono, Achraf Yacoubou and all the other Wildcats who put a team coming off a 19-loss tailspin a year ago into the hunt for an NCAA tournament bid. Coach Jay Wright has restored order to a program more used to playing for tournament seeding this time of year than a postseason berth. With the Wildcats on the brink of putting themselves in position to secure at least an at-large bid, one major obstacle looms: No. 5. Georgetown. With one more game left at their NBA off-campus arena, the Wildcats (18-12, 9-8 Big East) need to pull off another top-five stunner to solidify their March credentials. Villanova's resume-building wins over the best in the Big East took a hit with two straight losses against Seton Hall and Pittsburgh. The Wildcats need a win over the Hoyas (23-4, 13-3) on Wedn Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:17:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/cats_aim_for_3rd_win_over_top_5_team/13061953 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/cats_aim_for_3rd_win_over_top_5_team/13061953 'Cats aim for 3rd win over top-5 team http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/cats_aim_for_3rd_win_over_top_5_team/13061953 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Tonight at 8 on Fox Sports Ohio and whatever carries the Big East Network in your region, the Cincinnati Bearcats play an absolutely huge home game against the Villanova Wildcats. The Wildcats come in at 15-9. The important record is that they are 6-5 in the Big East, the same as Cincinnati. The Wildcats are fighting for their NCAA tournament lives. The Bearcats are fighting to avoid a 3 game losing streak. There is a lot on the line for both clubs.  Ignoring the Villanova half of the equation, this is a gigantic game for Cincinnati. The rest of the schedule doesn't matter. They need a win. From a confidence perspective, from an execution perspective, from any kind of perspective. It seems like the Syracuse game was a fulcrum. If that game was won, you are 17-3, 5-2 in the conference and you have a shot to win it. Since it has been lost, the air seems to have come out of the team some. Maybe that funky 9 day layoff after Syracuse and before Rutgers messed with the rhythm of ... Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:19:10 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/cincinnati_vs_villanova_preview/12900688 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/cincinnati_vs_villanova_preview/12900688 Cincinnati vs Villanova Preview http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/cincinnati_vs_villanova_preview/12900688 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Look out, Top 25 teams. There's a storm warning in effect for parts of Philadelphia. No, not because of snow or ice, just a stampede of hundreds of college hoops fans storming the court in celebration of another upset victory. Villanova and La Salle gave their fans plenty of reasons to run. With Philadelphia teams headed toward an NCAA tournament shutout, the Wildcats and Explorers instead combined for one of the wildest weeks in Philadelphia basketball history: 4 for 4 against Top 25 teams and more students on the court than total baskets made over that span. They're not ranked in The Associated Press' Top 25 poll yet, but they've at least squeezed their way into NCAA tournament consideration. As a bonus, Villanova's wins over No. 5 Louisville and No. 3 Syracuse, and La Salle's wins over No. 9 Butler and No. 19 VCU, injected life into a dreary Philly sports scene. The question is, was it a wonderful quirk in the schedule that won't mean much in two months, or a spark for both Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:20:54 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/la_salle_villanova_give_philly_a_jolt/12778219 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/la_salle_villanova_give_philly_a_jolt/12778219 La Salle, Villanova give Philly a jolt http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/la_salle_villanova_give_philly_a_jolt/12778219 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Look out, Top 25 teams. There's a storm warning in effect for parts of Philadelphia. No, not because of snow or ice, just a stampede of hundreds of college hoops fans storming the court in celebration of another upset victory. Villanova and La Salle gave their fans plenty of reasons to run. With Philadelphia teams headed toward an NCAA tournament shutout, the Wildcats and Explorers instead combined for one of the wildest weeks in Philadelphia basketball history: 4 for 4 against Top 25 teams and more students on the court than total baskets made over that span. They're not ranked in The Associated Press' Top 25 poll - yet - but they've at least squeezed their way into NCAA tournament consideration. As a bonus, Villanova's wins over No. 5 Louisville and No. 3 Syracuse, and La Salle's wins over No. 9 Butler and No. 19 VCU, injected life into a dreary Philly sports scene. The question is, was it a wonderful quirk in the schedule that won't mean much in two months, or a spark for b Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:33:28 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/upset_city_la_salle_villanova_give_philly_a_jolt/12777445 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/upset_city_la_salle_villanova_give_philly_a_jolt/12777445 Upset City: La Salle, Villanova give Philly a jolt http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/upset_city_la_salle_villanova_give_philly_a_jolt/12777445 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has to be impressed with his third-ranked Orange, no matter what he says in the heat of the moment. After a pair of gritty two-point wins in a three-day span - at then-No. 1 Louisville last Saturday and at home Monday against No. 21 Cincinnati - Syracuse sits alone atop the Big East standings. The Orange have only lost once in 29 conference regular-season games in the past calendar year and have beaten their opponents this season by an average of 19.2 points. Winning two close games in a row is a good sign for a team that hasn't been tested too much, but another challenge awaits Saturday with a road matchup against a Villanova team coming off its own victory over Louisville. Aside from a four-point loss to Temple at Madison Square Garden just before Christmas, Detroit gave Syracuse its biggest scare the night Boeheim won his 900th game. The Titans rallied from 20 points down in the final minutes before the Orange escaped with a 72-68 win Dec. 17, thanks in large part to 22 po Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:01:01 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/syracuse_villanova_preview/12751909 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/syracuse_villanova_preview/12751909 Syracuse-Villanova Preview http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/syracuse_villanova_preview/12751909 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/c/8c372720fd710100597ae63e161c1a8c80541ab7/mini/syracuse-depaul.jpg After a six day break, the longest remaining on the schedule, Duke takes the court again tonight against Miami in their second road game of the season. The last one didn’t go so well, as the Blue Devils fell to NC State in their first game without senior forward Ryan Kelly. The game against Georgia Tech last week showed that this Duke team still has a lot of work to do for it to be talked about in the same conversation as the one with Kelly in the lineup. Hopefully the week of practice they’ve had since last Thursday will have been enough to get the win against a tough Miami team (4th in RPI, 19th in Kenpom). *Be sure to check out the link Duke Of Hoops found at the bottom of this post. A ridiculous notion that the state of Kansas is the best college basketball state in the nation. By Duke Of Hoops - Duke, Miami to battle in ACC basketball showdown Duke is No. 1 in the country, but the team that the Blue Devils meet Wednesday night is tops in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Duke goes... Wed, 23 Jan 2013 09:45:10 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/duke_morning_fist_beat_miami_edition/12732157 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/duke_morning_fist_beat_miami_edition/12732157 Duke Morning F.I.S.T. – Beat Miami Edition http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/duke_morning_fist_beat_miami_edition/12732157 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Achraf Yacoubou was lost in a swarm of Villanova fans who had rushed the court, mobbing the Wildcats in celebration of one of their biggest wins in recent history. Yacoubou ignited the wild scene with a 3-pointer. It only made sense he was in the middle of the party. Yacoubou hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3:57 left to help Villanova upset No. 5 Louisville 73-64 on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. The Villanova students packed behind each basket stormed the court after a victory coach Jay Wright's struggling program badly needed. ''Great win for us,'' Wright said. The win came exactly eight years (Jan. 22, 2005) after unranked Villanova beat No. 2 Kansas at the Wells Fargo Center. At the time, the win was a sign Wright had the Wildcats headed back into national prominence. For now, Wright can only hope to build momentum off the gutty performance. The Wildcats (12-7, 3-3 Big East) led by as many as 10 points in the first half and rallied late in the second to send the Card Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:50:20 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/villanova_upsets_no_5_louisville/12730006 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/villanova_upsets_no_5_louisville/12730006 Villanova upsets No. 5 Louisville http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/villanova_upsets_no_5_louisville/12730006 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Achraf Yacoubou hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer late in the second half to help Villanova upset No. 5 Louisville 73-65 on Tuesday night. Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:35:06 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/villanova_upsets_no_5_louisville/12729643 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/villanova_upsets_no_5_louisville/12729643 Villanova upsets No. 5 Louisville http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/villanova_upsets_no_5_louisville/12729643 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Villanova Coach: Jay Wright (11 seasons at Villanova 237-130) Overall 359-215, 18 years 2011-12: Record 13-19 overall, 5-13 in Big East ( Tie 13th) Starters Returning (3) Mouphtaou Yarou, JayVaughn Pinkston, James Bell Preseason Tournament: 2K Sports Classic/Wounded Warrior Classic Top Non-Conference Games: at Vanderbilt, vs. Temple, at St. Joes Transfer In: Tony Chennault (Wake – likely to play immediately); Dylan Ennis (Rice) Transfer Out: Markus Kennedy (SMU), Ty Johnson Early Departure: Maalik Wayns; Dominic Cheek Villanova had a very disappointing season it was the worst record for Jay Wright at Villanova. The Wildcats lose their top 2 scorers from last season. Both of the players left early to enter the NBA draft. Villanova had the worst field goal shooting percentage in the Big East. The positive news the Wildcats return three starters and bring in a very good transfer from Wake Forest. Villanova returns all three starters in the frontcourt. Leading the way is center Mouphtao... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 03:23:52 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/villanova_wildcats_11_big_east_college_basketball_power_rankings/12396265 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/villanova_wildcats_11_big_east_college_basketball_power_rankings/12396265 Villanova Wildcats- #11 Big East college basketball power rankings http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/villanova_wildcats_11_big_east_college_basketball_power_rankings/12396265 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png It’s that time of year again for the early season tournament. This is the best time of the year besides March for college basketball. Check out some of my team previews and who I predict to win the tournament below. Predictions Alabama over Oregon State- This will be a very close back and forth game but in the end the Crimson Tide just have to much depth. Oregon State’s Ahmad Starks is coming off a 33 point game. In their last games Oregon State only got 4 points off its bench will the Crimson Tide got 25. Villanova over Purdue- Purdue doesn’t have the dominate scorer like they have had in years past. Villanova freshman point guard Ryan Arcidiacono has a very strong start to his career. The Wildcats will this game because the Boilermakers won’t be able to sop JayVaughn Pinkston and Mouphtaou Yarou inside. Championship Alabama over Villanova- The Crimson Tide will win this game because of their strong backcourt, where they have 5 players that can light it up on any given night. The t... Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:07:28 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/2k_sports_classic_preview_and_predictions/12221647 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/2k_sports_classic_preview_and_predictions/12221647 2K Sports Classic Preview and Predictions http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/2k_sports_classic_preview_and_predictions/12221647 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Welcome to The Sports Bank’s third annual college basketball season preview series.  Two years we looked at 99 teams in 99 days.  Last year, we were slightly more aggressive and expanded to 111 teams in 111 days and will do so again as we look ahead to the 2012-2013 season. We will rank the 75 power conference teams and top 36 mid-majors in reverse power ranking order.  We’ll break down rosters, transfers, incoming freshmen, non-conference schedules, and pick a player to watch for each team. Last season, the Villanova Wildcats finished with their worst record during Jay Wright’s 11-year tenure as head coach, also missing out on the NIT or NCAA Tournament for the first time in his regime.  Nova loses their top two scorers from last year but it could be a case of addition by subtraction as I expect the Wildcats to be a middle of the pack Big East squad. VILLANOVA WILDCATS Last Season: T-13th, 5-13 in Big East, 13-19 overall Predicted Big East Finish: 7th Projected Depth Chart F/C: Mo... Wed, 26 Sep 2012 08:37:40 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/68_villanova_wildcats_college_basketball_111_in_111/11813053 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/68_villanova_wildcats_college_basketball_111_in_111/11813053 #68 Villanova Wildcats: College Basketball 111 in 111 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/68_villanova_wildcats_college_basketball_111_in_111/11813053 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png With today's 72-68 win over Villanova and some help from Bob Huggins and Marquette, the Cincinnati Bearcats are the 4th seed in the Big East Tournament. I have no idea how it happened either. At the beginning of the year if you told me that UC would be the 4 seed, I would have bought it. If you told me after the first 8 games of the season that UC would be the 4 seed, I would kindly ask you pass me whatever legal substance that was altering your mind so I could be so crazy. This team finished with 22 wins. The 12 wins in Big East play is a new high. This team won 12 Big East games. Just a remarkable season. The time for patience is over. Cincinnati is going to the NCAA tournament. It's a good day. As for the game itself, the Bearcats played a great first half where they were an offensive buzzsaw against the Wildcat defense. UC shot 52%. The second half was not as good. The offense went jump shot crazy, even though UC was getting a ton of points in the paint. Maalik Wayns con... Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:19:12 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/bearcats_best_nova_get_4th_seed_for_big_east_touranment/10224457 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/bearcats_best_nova_get_4th_seed_for_big_east_touranment/10224457 Bearcats Best Nova, Get 4th Seed for Big East Touranment http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/bearcats_best_nova_get_4th_seed_for_big_east_touranment/10224457 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Tomorrow at Noon on ESPN regional channels and ESPN3.com, the Cincinnati Bearcats host the Villanova Wildcats. This is a crucial game for the Bearcats. Just like the last home game against St John's, the Bearcats host a middling Big East team. Villanova is the only Big East team with a sub .500 record. They have not won a road game. They've won 1 neutral site game. Never mind the 4 game grinder that follows this one, you can't lose back to back conference games at home. Not in a year where you are chasing wins especially. It's not quite must win level, but it's pretty damn close for a game in the middle of January. You can lose games to good teams, you can lose a game to a bad team. You can't lose multiple games to bad teams if you want to make the NCAA tournament. UC has done that at least 2 times this year. If you count 'bubble' teams, they have 2 losses against them as well. There is work to be done. It continues tomorrow.  Record: 13-4, 3-1Coac... Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:29:40 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/know_your_opponent_villanova_wildcats/9326186 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/know_your_opponent_villanova_wildcats/9326186 Know Your Opponent: Villanova Wildcats http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/know_your_opponent_villanova_wildcats/9326186 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Most of the pre season tournaments are over, but the Jimmy V Classic is not. This night is all about Jim Valvano and his fight with cancer. Valvano gave one of the best speech’s you will ever hear at 1993 ESPY awards, that is my favorite part of the night when they replay his speech. Tonight’s games will feature Missouri vs. Villanova and Washington vs. Marquette. Missouri vs. Villanova Missouri has been one of the most impressive teams this season. In my mind they are the quickest team in the country. Coming into the season I thought Florida had the best backcourt but after watching Missouri I think I have changed my mind. Most of time they play with 4 guards on the court. Leading the way is Marcus Denmon. On the season Denmon is averaging 20.3 ppg, 5.7rpg, and shooting 48 % from three. Next, is Kim English who is averaging 16.9 ppg, and shooting an impressive 57 % from three. Michael Dixon is more of a driver that is averaging 11.6 ppg on the season. Brothers Phil (Fl... Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:39:14 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/preview_and_predictions_jimmy_v_classic/8558659 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/preview_and_predictions_jimmy_v_classic/8558659 Preview and Predictions: Jimmy V Classic http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/preview_and_predictions_jimmy_v_classic/8558659 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png