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Heat. Hey, it's hot. Back in Rome, let's look at the first half statistics. Villanova shot much better at the basket. One more three-pointer scored from the field. But the story of that first half for Villanova was one of losses. And we must give credit to Notre Dame as we welcome them along with Bill Raptor. I'm Kevin Cougler. We'll hear from Kim Adams in a moment. Of those losses, 10 were steals. That's already more than Notre Dame had in any game last season.
Well, the important thing, Bill, is that they never took care of the ball, and Notre Dame's passing distance, speed, and tenacity were formidable. In addition to being aggressive on the offensive rebound. They have been truly impressive. Villanova, on the other hand, is undergoing many changes, trying to find a group that fits. Well, there was no sense of panic from Kevin Willard when he was talking to Kim before going to the locker room No, you know, again, they're testing the waters trying to see which group plays well together, who can do damage be solid, particularly in the losing category. Don't take risks
They have Villanova's original starting lineup. It seems they remember the fouling problems from the first half. Swiggo and Royal each had two. And on the other hand, for Notre Dame, they had two from Duncan and two from Kaylor. So, if you were to sit down with both coaches and ask them which players they don't want to see in foul trouble, those four names would be quickly mentioned. Absolutely. Try to steal a few minutes here and there with them. But Kaylor returns to start the second half. And I love her son. I, you know, have seen it quite a bit in recordings. Brady Shrewsbury is so good without the ball. It's quick to prepare.
Good shot and he's not afraid to make good passes. Well, he only played six minutes in that last exhibition game against DePaul after suffering a back contusion against Dayton. So it's good to see him out there running. A quick triple to start the second half. Simmons gets the rebound from Royal and a foul is called. That's it, that's just a penny and a nickel. That's three yards, that's fatal. Normally, Royal would throw that at the opponent's leg, but he received the contact and adds an important third foul. Let's see what Tyler Perkins can do.
Paired against Braden Shrewsbury. Fegan exiting the screen. Swiggo. The rebound comes after Duna's touch. You ca n't give him too many of those opportunities. He has those abrupt head and shoulder movements. Shrewsbury. Duncan shoots from long range and scores. It's a long two-shot. Two points for Duncan and the game is tied at two in Rome. I suppose we'll go down to painting. Let's see if we can do something. A small boat towards a hook or a step back to pull or find the free man.
Perkins for the three-pointer. Good investment in a ball. We need to make the defense move a little. Notre Dame missed their last nine three-pointers before Perkins found his rhythm. They owned the three-pointers for years, did n't they? Here is the delivery and there is a shortage. The big guy moved. He didn't stand up for himself. It's a shame to try that. And that's Duncan's third foul now. Although he's very good without the ball. Shrewsbury. My God. Kim Adams, you had the opportunity to speak with Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsbury at halftime. What did you find out?
That's how it is. Well, manager Shrewsbury was obviously pleased to have forced so many turnovers from Villanova, but he said: "We gave them back immediately, especially in transition. He wants better control of the ball." And then he said that sometimes the quality of his shots was very poor when Villanova applied the back cover. He feels they settled for what Villanova wanted them to take, those mid-range shots. So he wants them to keep moving the ball, to look for the weak side in this half.
Well, that's the kind of action he would like. Kim, what a great long-range shot. Perfect. They lead 31-33. Villanova with consecutive three-pointers. He just committed his third offense here a moment ago. He attacks Swiggo and scores. Well, that's the reaction too. He went down quickly. Swiggo's reaction was a little slow. for Duncan. Only four points. Burdened with foul problems in this first half and now at the beginning of the second. Perkins, the three-pointer. It's on again. Kev, that's what they love to do. Make it come towards that left hand. Just use a small contact to create space and make a note for Drake.
How about 14 points for the Big East's most improved player a year ago He's a consistent guy. Taylor around Duncan's screen. The shot falls short. Swiggo quickly advances the ball to Simmons and Perkins; The whistle blows, there's a foul and a dangerous moment in this game for Notre Dame. It's money in the right place in that delivery too. It's a kind of small change here. Little is simply too aggressive. He ca n't beat you out there when the ball bounces.
Preston, a dunk that went in and out. He mentioned his injuries. Perkins wants it exactly halfway. He's made three of three-pointers in this second half. And this time, a loss of possession. The problem from the first half returns three minutes into the second half. I'm sure of it, especially regarding vocal awareness during the halftime. Do you think that could have been addressed? Yes, he is quite reserved. I mean, he occasionally uses that voice forcefully, but it's more strategic than anything else He had a great season in his first year at Villanova last year. The most wins for a first-year coach at Villanova.
The guy is a fantastic coach. There is no doubt about it. Brilliant. He was able to do what Seton Hall achieved in the face of strong competition. Simply extra strong on the inside. There's that extra muscle he gained in the offseason. He does n't give up with those long legs. He knows he can stretch and cause harm. This is against a good defender, a physical defender also in Royal. It's the third for Royal. Yes, it simply closed the space too much You look towards the bench to see if the coach will make a substitution and think, my God, Evans possibly had the best first half of anyone on the pitch in certain areas.
And that's the man you bring in when Deon Royal gets into foul trouble. Incredible. Particularly on the defensive side, he was good. Eight-point game. Why are we going with Tommy Evans now when Kaylor is having those foul problems There's the pass. There's Crawford. Magnificent twist. That's what this is all about. That's what it means to get to know each other, to understand one another. The big guy is strong.
Smith blocked, 10-point lead for Villanova trying to extend it here. Taylor pressured by Evans. Not this guy. He does not back down. I mean, release that shot with control. Two big pushes from Evans, too. Those were not friendly touches. They said it's strong. I mean, he looks thin, but so is Durant. You can see that strength in the last two trips around the court. Here we go. One more option. Of course, they got their way. My God. How could you miss that? And there's a ball delivery. And they will get this. This should be a contact game because of the way they're marking with both hands.
Yes. Leave it out. Yes, they failed that one. How's the big guy? Incredible reaction. But they say it's special. Achieve your goal, big guy. Send it inside. Italian style.
