LSU travels to Eugene, where they openned the 2003 NCAA tourney to take on Villanova, the only team to defeat the Defending Champion UCONN Huskies last year. Villanova lost heavily due to graduation but they return 6-0 point guard, Courtney Mix, a solid player who knows how to run the team. As observed last year, 'Nova is not a team that will score a lot in transition or out muscle someone. But they play solid ball and are well coached in the basics by Harry Peretta. Peretta is a student of the game and very capable of identifying an opponent's weakness. How well he can get his young team to exploit that weakness will determine how successful he is this year. LSU can run against Villanova and may be able to out muscle them on the boards (even without Crystal White and Wendolyn Jones) but they have to be ready for a team that plays meticulously within their system and who can use that system to make a run. LSU likes to play haphazardly but they have to stick to a game plan or this game will get away from them. I expect LSU to take a lead but only to have Villanova whittle away at it throughout the game. If LSU is to win this game, they will need to keep their composure late and rely on the veteran playmaking of Tameka Johnson who always has a feel for the game. http://villanova.ocsn.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/111103aaa.html
