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Villanova's Scottie Reynolds (1) beats Siena's Alex Franklin (42) and Tay Fisher (4) to the basket. Reynolds scored 25 points in Villanova's second-round victory over Siena on Sunday in Tampa, Fla.
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2008 NCAA Tournament
Full video coverage of the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2008 NCAA Tournament
Mike Carlson/AP Photo
Villanova's Scottie Reynolds (1) beats Siena's Alex Franklin (42) and Tay Fisher (4) to the basket. Reynolds scored 25 points in Villanova's second-round victory over Siena on Sunday in Tampa, Fla.
Scottie Reynolds never envisioned himself anywhere else but the University of Oklahoma.
He liked the coaches, especially head coach Kelvin Sampson. He liked the passionate Sooners fans. He liked the chance to play in the ultra-competitive Big 12.
"I was excited about the whole situation," Reynolds said. "I didn't have a backup plan. I didn't think I needed one."
A domino effect then took place altering the college career path for the highly touted guard out of Herndon High in Virginia. In an amazing sequence of events, Reynolds wound up at Villanova, which will face top-seeded Kansas (33-3) in the Midwest Region semifinals Friday night in Detroit. The Wildcats (22-12) were one of the last teams to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and proceeded to knock off fifth-seeded Clemson, 75-69, as well as 13th-seeded Siena, 84-72, in Tampa, Fla.
Leading the way as usual was Reynolds, their standout sophomore guard.
Reynolds originally committed to Oklahoma, but asked to opt out of his scholarship after Sampson left for Indiana.
Suddenly, Reynolds found himself searching for an opening. He scoured his options from coast to coast and became intrigued when Kyle Lowry left Villanova and entered the NBA Draft after his sophomore season.
Reynolds called Villanova coach Jay Wright and asked if he was interested. Keep in mind that Villanova didn't even recruit Reynolds.
"I was thrilled," Wright said. "When you get a chance like that, you take it. I was happy to have a gift basket come to me."
How did Reynolds decide on Villanova?
"I knew they had a guard-oriented offense, and I knew I could fit right in," Reynolds said. "They had great guards like Lowry, Randy Foye, Allan Ray and Mike Nardi. There would be openings when those guys graduated. When Kyle went to the NBA, it opened up for me. I made the right choice for me, and it has worked out well. It's kind of funny how things work out because I always thought I would be in Oklahoma. It just didn't work out. I'm very, very happy here."
Villanova is happy to have him.
Reynolds scored 21 points against the Tigers and followed that up with a 25-point performance against Siena. Coming up big in big games is nothing new for the diminutive yet explosive guard.
As a freshman, he poured in 40 points at Connecticut. He played a steady all-around game when the Wildcats traveled to Norman, Okla., to face the Sooners last season. In that particular game, a 67-51 Villanova victory, he was booed every time he touched the basketball.
"It was in that game that I saw his poise, confidence and leadership," Villanova junior forward Dante Cunningham said. "I was like, 'this kid is focused.' He's our leader and can score from anywhere on the court."
Villanova needed Reynolds' leadership more than ever this season.
On Feb. 4, the Wildcats were trounced by rival Saint Joseph's, 77-55, at the Palestra. The devastating loss, their fifth in a row, dropped them to 13-8 and put them on the verge of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years.
After that defeat, Reynolds really began to assert his leadership. Despite not being a very vocal person, he knew he had to motivate his team, a group that include no seniors.
"I remember Mike Nardi used to get in our faces in a positive way to get us pumped up," Reynolds said. "I really didn't understand it because I'm not that way. I'm kind of a quiet guy in general. I knew we needed something. We had plenty of talent. We just needed some confidence. I think once guys started to relax after we got a couple of big wins, we were going to be OK."
The Wildcats rallied to win seven of their final 11 games, including huge victories over Connecticut and West Virginia. After beating Syracuse in the first round of the Big East Tournament, they were ousted by Georgetown in the quarterfinals.
They had to nervously wait until Selection Sunday to hear their name called.
Now, Villanova is getting ready to play in its third Sweet 16 in four years.
This might not be happening if Reynolds had chosen to leave school after his freshman year. He pondered leaving for a little while before ultimately deciding to return.
"I thought about it, but I felt like this was the best place for me this year," Reynolds said. "I feel comfortable here. It was weird how I ended up here at Villanova. The timing was wrong in Oklahoma, and it was right at that certain time to come to Villanova. I think it all worked out for me, though it was a roundabout kind of way."
More like this
- 'Nova halts OU streak December 7, 2006
- Commentary: Reynolds puts fine point on Villanova's run March 25, 2008
- Wildcats cruise into date with KU March 23, 2008
- Gary Bedore's KU basketball notebook 5 comments / March 25, 2008
- Wildcats feel like underdogs March 23, 2008
UPDATED: 2008-09 Kansas Men's Basketball: Past, Present and Future March 11, 2009
Sherron Collins: One-on-One November 3, 2008
KU trumpets its triumphs with new I-70 turnpike signs July 2, 2008
Jayhawks up for ESPY honors July 1, 2008
Bill Self at the White House June 3, 2008
Comments
KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says...
Why would he be thrilled with the "passionate fans" at OU? Good grief. They don't even know there is a basketball program. And Sampson? Another head scratcher. All in all he is in a much better situation now.
March 26, 2008 at 4:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
actorman (anonymous) says...
Funny you should say that, KeithMiles, because the single loudest crowd I've ever heard at a basketball game was in Norman. I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the fact that they were playing KU, who was # 1 at the time, and that OU got off to a ridiculous lead (something like 46-15, as I recall), but I was impressed with the fact that it wasn't just the students making the noise but the alums making just as much noise. I imagine it's quite different in a "lesser" game, so I probably don't have a very accurate gauge of how the place is in general, but if Reynolds was at a big game he probably experienced something close to what I did.
March 26, 2008 at 6:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KU (anonymous) says...
I think our games against Texas will prepare us well for Scottie Reynolds. He's a very good point guard. He can control the game's tempo, get the ball where it needs to go and can score. I think Augustin is a little better than Reynolds, so our guys can gauge what they need to do to be successful against a top-shelf point guard off their experience with the Longhorns.
Also, we've played a number of games against teams that are perimeter-heavy with bigs that shoot the 3, so we won't be going into this game without a clue.
It would be nice to go up against Brian Butch and the rest of the Badgers, wouldn't it? I thought we were going to get him out of high school and then he opted to stay in-state. Can't blame the kid. If you're thinking beyond your basketball career and what type of connections you can develop with alumni for your career and you love your state, it's a no-brainer choice to state in-state.
Speaking of kids from the Great Lakes area, I think Cole Aldrich is more athletic and has more potential than Butch.
I still don't like the fact that we get the late game Friday. Shouldn't the higher seeded team play before the lower seeded team (UW) so they get more rest? As it is, we will only get about 36 hours of rest before we have to play the most grueling game of the year. Wisconsin will be far and away the most physical team we've played all year.
March 26, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
albraun (anonymous) says...
It's about ratings. The 6:30 game that UW is playing is at 4:30 pm on the west coast. Our time slot is near-prime-time everywhere. I'm guessing that's the reason.
March 26, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
okjhok (anonymous) says...
He probably liked Sampson because of all the attention he gave him. I mean, I'm sure he got twice as many phone calls from him than from any other coach recruiting him.
KU, I think the only time rest plays a factor when determining game times in the NCAAs is when the play-in game winner plays Fri-Sun vs. Thurs-Sat. Other than that, I've never heard the committee mention it. Personally, I think it's a non-issue. When you factor in KU's bench, TV timeouts, and the fact that these guys are in incredible condition (how many games did these guys play in a weekend during AAU days?), 40 hours of rest will be plenty. I know that Rush, for instance, has said that he's never tired after a game.
March 26, 2008 at 8:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says...
Yep, he's no Augustin or Abrams.
March 26, 2008 at 8:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jhawks (anonymous) says...
scottie don't!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 26, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tdub (anonymous) says...
Nice okjhok. Wonder what desperate school will pick up Sampson next?
Haven't seen as much of Reynolds this year, but I remember him being more of a driver than a shooter. He should be much easier to shut down than Augustin due to the lack of a pure touch from outside.
March 26, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bennettcl (anonymous) says...
36 hours is plenty of rest for our guys. These guys are in the best shape of their life and are used to grueling practices for 2+ hours everyday so I'm pretty sure they'll be able to be rested in 36 hours. Besides I bet you 100% that the time between games is the last thing on their mind. I'm pretty sure their only focus is winning Friday and then winning Sunday. I really doubt any of them are going "geez I wish we had another day to rest". Besides look at the big 12 we play 3 games in 3 days and you remember which game we played the best in, yes the last game against the toughest competition. We showed no sign of being tired then and we won't show any signs this weekend.
March 26, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tashe2 (anonymous) says...
Who cares about Scottie Reynolds. We're going to pound Villanova by 15. Bring them on. Rush might score 100. Rock Chalk
National Champions 2008
March 26, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ESUjayhawk (anonymous) says...
Scottie doesn't know
March 26, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DueFan (anonymous) says...
On a Totally unrelated note..
Could Self Leave KU?
Taken from Seth Davis's SI article.
" On another Kansas-related note, I am still hearing that Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder is considering jettisoning Sean Sutton so he can make a run at Bill Self, an OSU alum. And if Holder can't get Self, word is he's deeply interested in Kentucky's Billy Gillispie. Why would Holder think he could pry away coaches from two of the most storied programs in college basketball history? Because he has Boone Pickens, the billionaire alumnus who donated $165 million to the Oklahoma State athletic department two years ago. I've heard some crazy contract figures being tossed around -- anywhere from 10 years, $30 million to five years, $20 million, which is tip money for Pickens -- but at the end of the day I have a hard time envisioning either Self or Gillispie leaving their current gigs. It would be a shame if Oklahoma State fired Sutton, who did a very respectable job this season under trying circumstances, all in a careless effort to buy a big-name coach who ends up turning them down."
March 26, 2008 at 10:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Chicago_JHawk (anonymous) says...
The later slot is better for TV ratings, like albraun said. That's why I'm surprised at our slot - our matchup with Villanova is probably NOT as appealing to the rest of the country as UW-Davidson - it has better odds to be a close game, and Davidson is the tourney's feel good story so far.
March 26, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Ksstreaker (anonymous) says...
KU has faced some of the best slashers in the country, in the big 12 and elsewhere. I'm sure Russell Robinson, Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins can pretty much take care of Reynolds and if for some reason he gets thru, our bigs like Darrell Arthur & Darnell Jackson will slam dunk him. This team is the most unselfish team I've seen since Danny and the miricles in 1988. Go hawks ! 1988-2008!
March 26, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BrockIII (anonymous) says...
Could you imagine OU with Reynolds and Damion James this year? They could have been a top 10 team. Reynolds was the player OU desperately needed these past two seasons. Too bad Capel couldn't talk both of them into staying.
March 26, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cklarock (anonymous) says...
Okie State will come after Self, but he won't go. He can't fulfill his ambition at Okie State, aluma mater or no.
Kansas is a destination job, and Self knows it.
Gillespie, on the other hand, is discovering why Kentucky is one of the worst jobs in America, despite its loftly reputation. Did anyone else notice how haggard and *old* Billy looked at the end of this year?
Kentucky < Oklahoma State < Kansas
March 26, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cklarock (anonymous) says...
^ I'm firing my editor.
March 26, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
soapboxstew (anonymous) says...
Billy G looked like 'Dr. Quinn, program destroyer' (Quinn Snyder of Mizzou) on the sidelines this year. Bags under his eyes, gray hairs abound, 50 years older than he actually is, etc...
He did do an admirable job taking his team to the Tourney after losing so many games in the beginning, then losing key players to injury.
But they don't care for 'admirable' jobs in Kentucky (or they would have not fired Tubby). They want 3 National Championships every year (even that is not enough).
Who wouldn't leave aTm for UK? If you want to further your career, you leave for a top 5 program.
But you can't put a price on comfort. Billy G was a LOVED man in Aggieville. He was a stud, eligible bachelor, and he got to hang out with the Prez (GB1). He couldn't be fired, he made good dough, but he wanted more...
I can't blame him. He wanted to be in the 'All Time Greats' list of coaches. Easier to do that in Kentucky than in aTm.
But if it doesn't work out at Kentucky, he'll never get another aTm.
March 26, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
actorman - care to offer some insight on DueFan's post? ;)
March 26, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lance1jhawk (anonymous) says...
soapbox- Kentucky didn't fire Tubby... He decided to not renew his contract and then left for Minnesota. Can't really blame him though, Kentucky is one of the most prestigous jobs and one of the worst jobs in the country.
March 26, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lance1jhawk (anonymous) says...
DueFan- Didn't you post this same thing yesterday? maybe it was someone else...
I've grown tired of the topic anyway.
1. Coach Self is not going anywhere.
2. Coach Sutton will be given another year.
3. Coach Gillispie is not going anywhere.
The talking heads are just trying to create controversy and conversation... don't fall for it.
March 26, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
lance - I think it was northleavitt that posted it yesterday. I hope you enjoyed imbibing for two Saturday night - - it apparently worked like a charm!
March 26, 2008 at 1:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lance1jhawk (anonymous) says...
txrockchalk- I'm here to help ;) Hopefully I can give my liver a break Friday, although as I learned in Key West... "The Liver is Evil and MUST be punished" along with any team that dares to get in KU's way this year.
March 26, 2008 at 1:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lance1jhawk (anonymous) says...
tx- Hope you had a very enjoyable dinner that evening.
March 26, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
It was good lance, thanks! Resting your liver to save up some momentum for Sunday afternoon's game may be the way to go. Watching the Badgers' style of play can drive anyone to drinking, however. I bet NH_Hawk and others would be willing to fill in Friday night in the unlikely event they are needed :)
March 26, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lance1jhawk (anonymous) says...
tx-LOL
You're right, The Badgers style of play will drive a sober person to drink. Hopefully The Hawks will dictate tempo in that one, when and if we get past "Nova" (knock on wood).
March 26, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tdub (anonymous) says...
Pickens only cares about football anyways. And I doubt the state of Oklahoma will allow him to pay thier employee. The story has more holes in it than swiss cheese. As some have said, it's an attempt to drum up some controversy and turmoil.
March 26, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CaramelMacchMan (anonymous) says...
"After the 2003 season, Roy Williams left the University of Kansas to take his "dream job" at the University of North Carolina. This left a vacancy at KU and many speculated that Self would take what was thought to be his own "dream job" with the Jayhawks."
-- Wikipedia (Bill Self)
March 26, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MILFdestroyer (anonymous) says...
Reynolds is going to get clowned on
March 26, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
aeroku (anonymous) says...
I feel uptight on a Friday night
Nine o clock, the radios the only light
I hear my song and it pulls me through
Comes on strong, tells me what I got to do
I got to
Get up
Everybodys gonna move their feet
Get down
Everybodys gonna leave their seat
You gotta lose your mind in detroit rock city!!
March 26, 2008 at 11:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
actorman (anonymous) says...
"actorman - care to offer some insight on DueFan's post? ;)"
(Ding, Ding) Next in the flagellating of an expired equine contest, it's .... DueFan!!! (Raucous applause.)
March 27, 2008 at 12:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )