Ray, Villanova Looking to Take Next Step:

Posted By: Tom Braswell

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Sports Writer

And when a shot finally did fall, even that went wrong. Ray thought he was fouled on what would have been his third field goal of the game, and was getting ready to go to the free-throw line for a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds.

But Ray was called for traveling instead, and the Tar Heels escaped with a victory.

Now Ray and the Cats (27-4) are back, as the top seed in the Minneapolis Regional. They face a familiar foe on Friday, fourth-seeded Boston College.

"To tell you the truth, we don't even think about it," Ray said. "Myself, and as a team, coach (Jay) Wright doesn't even bring it up. We've moved on. This is a whole different year. We're trying to do something else here."

The Eagles (28-7) were a charter member of the Big East before leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference after last season. The two teams have met 76 times, with Villanova holding a 52-24 advantage.

"It kind of feels like a conference game to me," Wright said. "You know each other. You know what each of you is going to do. You just have to play the game."

Last year, the Wildcats couldn't do that.

Making their first appearance in the regional semifinals since 1988, they entered the game against North Carolina in disarray.

They lost forward Curtis Sumpter to a knee injury in the previous game against Florida, and were scrambling to reshuffle their lineup.

"At this point last year, we were in catastrophe mode," Wright said. "We were actually putting in new stuff, playing guys at different positions. ... I think we all were quietly apprehensive at this point last year, we didn't know what we were going to do."

They still gave North Carolina all it could handle in what essentially was the birth of 'Nova's high-octane four-guard lineup. With Sumpter out, Wright gambled with playing four guards at one time, and he's stuck with that unconventional strategy for this season.

"Having Curtis on our mind during the North Carolina game, it took a toll on us," guard Randy Foye said. "It might not have shown, but it took a toll on everyone from the coaches to the players. Coming into this year, we're just a year older and much more mature and we know that we have a job to do out there."

This year, there's no last-minute game plan rehashes, no backbreaking injuries and, most importantly, no oohing and ahh-ing over the tournament experience.

"Last year was so bizarre," Wright said. "Now we've been through this before. Everybody's comfortable with what we're doing. I don't think anyone's in awe of what we're doing."

The familiarity also helps the Eagles, who are making their first appearance in the round of 16 since 1994, before coach Al Skinner took over.

"We know what they want to do," BC guard Louis Hinnant said. "There's going to be no secrets in this game. There's nothing we're not aware of and the same thing with them."

While both teams have Big East roots, they couldn't be more different on the court. Villanova loves to hang out on the perimeter, using its sharp-shooting guards to get out in transition.

BC would much rather pound the ball inside, wearing down opponents with a methodical, physical offense that is initiated by forwards Craig Smith and Jared Dudley.

The Eagles don't have a starter under 6-foot-4, while the Wildcats only have one starter taller than that — 6-8 forward Will Sheridan.

"We have to continue to put ourselves in a position to contest shots," Skinner said. "You know they are going to shoot the ball. You know they are going to shoot some 3s, so that's going to be a factor for us."

On offense, Smith and Dudley will try and force Villanova out of its comfort zone, and out of that four-guard lineup.

"We're going to try to use our strength to our advantage," Dudley said. "Basically, it's going to be who can will their style of play to win the game. Turn the ball over, 3s going up left and right — that's not to our advantage. It it's a slow game pounding the ball in, making these guards have to guard the post, it is definitely going to be to our advantage."

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AP National Writer Nancy Armour contributed to this story.

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