By Will Vandervort (Contact / Staff Bio)
March 21, 2008 - 12:17 a.m. EST

No. 12 Villanova Wildcats vs. No. 5 Clemson Tigers

When: Tonight, 9:50 p.m.

Where: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Fla.

TV: WSPA-TV 7

Radio: WCCP 104.9 FM

Records: Clemson 24-9; Villanova 20-12

Coaches: Oliver Purnell (350-248 in 20 seasons; 94-67 in five seasons at Clemson); Jay Wright (268-167 in 14 seasons; 146-82 in seven seasons at Villanova)

Projected starting lineups

Tigers

Pos. HT Name PPG

G 6-3 Cliff Hammonds 11.5

G 6-5 K.C. Rivers 14.7

C 6-7 Trevor Booker 11.2

F 6-5 Sam Perry 3.1

F 6-9 James Mays 10.9

Wildcats

Pos. HT Name PPG

G 6-2 Scottie Reynolds 15.6

G 6-1 Corey Fisher 9.1

C 6-8 Dante Cunningham 10.4

F 6-8 Antonio Pena 7.0

F 6-6 Dwayne Anderson 6.4

Three things to watch for

Junior forward Dwayne Anderson gave Villanova a key spark in the home stretch. Anderson was inserted into the starting lineup on Feb. 9 and averaged 10.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per outing as a starter to help the Wildcats win seven of their last 11 games.

The Wildcats own more wins as an underdog seed (12) in the NCAA Tournament than any other program. UCLA has the next highest total with 11. Villanova is 5-3 in the NCAA Tournament action in its previous three appearances under Wright.

Clemson last appeared in the event in 1998 and lost in the first round to Western Michigan. The Tigers last won an NCAA game in 1997 when they beat Miami of Ohio and Tulsa to advance to the Sweet 16.

Key player

James May handles the front of Clemson’s press and whether or not he can apply the necessary pressure or not on guards Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher will be the key to this game. Clemson have up 34 transition points to North Carolina in the ACC Championship game.

Bottom line

Villanova was the last at-large team to make the Tournament and will be looking to plant one of the tourney’s patented first-round upsets over a No. 5 seed. But Clemson matches up well with the Wildcats underneath, and if Mays and Booker can take over, then Clemson should be able to advance.

—Will Vandervort