KU takes on ‘Nova
KU men’s basketball coach Bernie Driscoll is confident about his team’s chances against the Villanova Wildcats at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Driscoll is so confident, he predicted a 67-65 KU win.
During the interview in his office, the 52-year-old Driscoll, who will be entering his 10th year as coach of the Golden Bears, seemed casual about the upcoming game against Villanova, which reached the semifinals in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament in March. Even his attire – navy blue wind pants and a faded KU basketball T-shirt – reflected his relaxed attitude.
“We’re going to compete,” Driscoll said. “We’re not going down there to lose.”
When asked how his players will respond to the pressure of playing a Division I powerhouse like Villanova, Driscoll asserted that he feels the pressure is actually on the Wildcats.
“Playing us is really a double-edged sword for Villanova,” Driscoll said. “What happens if the game is close? What happens if we beat them? It will really make things difficult for their coaching staff and for their team. … We’ve done so well against Division I schools in the past that Cornell won’t play us anymore.”
Despite his intrepidity about playing Villanova, Driscoll reluctantly admitted that his team probably does not have the same caliber of talent as the Wildcats. Regardless of the talent discrepancy, he said, he still expects the same level of effort from his team if the opponent is a McDonald’s All-American, and his players “had only ever eaten at McDonald’s.”
Driscoll also admitted that the oddsmakers would probably favor Villanova heavily in the game. Laughing, he refused to speculate on what he thought the gambling line would be.
Jay Wright, who has been coaching the Wildcats since 2001, has had success with his team by implementing a style of offense in which all five of his players on the court can shoot the ball from the perimeter. When asked how he thought his team would defend against that, Driscoll acknowledged a weakness in his team.
“We don’t defend against anyone real well,” Driscoll said. “We’re not a real in-your-face defensive team. Each school has its own philosophy. We want to run. We want to put pressure on their big men.”
Though Driscoll maintained that he thinks KU will win the game, he was willing to discuss what his reaction will be if they do not.
“I don’t mind losing,” Driscoll said. “There are games that we play well and lose. If we played hard and the other team just happened to be better at that time, you just have to tip your cap to the other team.”
Driscoll said that the opportunity to play against a well-known team like Villanova is beneficial for KU because it can help draw recruits. When asked why Villanova, one of the elite college basketball programs in the country, would want to play against a Division II school like KU, Driscoll speculated that the game will provide an opportunity for the Wildcats to get accustomed to playing in the Wachovia Center.
Asked if any of his players had ever played in a venue like the Wachovia Center, Driscoll said, “No, but I think it will be a feather in our cap. … This is a great stage for them to participate. For them to have this opportunity, it’s something they’ll never forget. Neither will the members of our staff, because we’ve worked real hard to put our program in this position where we can go down and play.”
Driscoll concluded the interview by talking about his own worries about playing on a bigger stage. He said, “Jay Wright wears $500 suits, and I’m in khakis and hand-me-down blazers. Trust me, I’m as nervous as the kids are.”
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