Corey Fisher has to want to be the guy to replace Scottie Reynolds

NEW YORK - For the past four years, the name associated with Villanova basketball was Scottie Reynolds.

Starting with a 40 point outburst at UConn as a freshman, continuing with a coast-to-coast game winner to send the Wildcats to the Final Four as junior, and culminating with an all-american season as a senior, Reynolds will go down as one of the best guards in the history of one of a program known for producing back court players.

I don't envy the guy that has to replace a Scottie Reynolds.

For Villanova, that guy is expected to be Corey Fisher.

"He's always concerned about everybody else, wanting to keep everybody happy," Jay Wright told John Branch of the New York Times on Wednesday. "But he's got the ability to dominate. So finally this year he's starting to understand that's what he's got to do for this team."


Part of dominating, part of being a leader, is putting your team on your back when need be. If you want an example, all you have to do is look at Scotty Hopson. In both games this week -- including Tennessee's 78-68 win tonight -- Hopson started to take over down the stretch. He attacked the rim, drew fouls, and was as influential as anyone on this team in getting the Vol's the Preseason NIT title. Its why he was named the tournament's MVP.

And there is no question that is what Wright and company want out of Fisher.

"We chart in practice now, the first time we've done this, how many shots he takes in relation to his team's shots, every day," Wright said in that same New York Times article. "Whatever drills we did that day, if there were 40 shot attempts by his team in the 5-on-5 competition, we want him to have 18 or 20 of them. We want him to have close to half, in practice. I know in a game people aren't going to make it that easy on him."

After tonight, the question many will be asking is if Fisher is up for the challenge.

Because, as Wright said, teams like Tennessee are not going to make it easy for him.

Fisher struggled in the first half tonight. He shot 1-6 from the floor. He turned the ball over four times -- he had four turnovers all season coming into tonight. He was dribbling into traffic and forcing it up against Tennessee's stable of big men. Simply put, he wasn't himself. In all reality, he hasn't been himself all season. Coming into tonight, Fisher was averaging 18.4 ppg, but he was shooting just 39% from the floor and 24% from three. After tonight, those numbers fall to 15.8 ppg, 35% FG, and 21% 3PT.

Much of tonight's performance was due to the defense he faced against Tennessee.

Melvin Goins is a terrific defender. He's listed at 5'11", 180 lb but he looks closer to 210 lb. He's a brick wall with long arms, broad shoulders, and the athleticism that would have made him a D-I cornerback had be played football. Scotty Hopson is 6'6" with long arms which makes it difficult for a smaller guard to shoot over him. He's also quick enough that he can stay in front of some of the best guards in the country.

Those were the two players that defended Fisher all night.

"I just think it was one of those night," Wright told reporters after the game. "On ball screens the bigs help. [Brian] Williams can get out there and move his feet."

"They're a very good defensive team. They didn't give Fish many 1-on-1 opportunities."

Fisher wasn't alone. Maalik Wayns, Villanova's touted sophomore point guard, was just 3-11 for the game, shooting 0-4 from three and turning the ball over five times. Corey Stokes went just 3-9 from the floor. All three -- Fisher, Wayns, and Stokes -- were in foul trouble throughout the game and eventually fouled out.

But this is supposed to be Fisher's team.

When the rest of his team is struggling, he is supposed to be the guy that rises to the occasion and pulls them out of a slump. He's supposed to be the guy that carries them to a win in a game they get outplayed. He's supposed their leader.

What was more worrisome for me than Fisher's struggles was that he seemed to shy away from the ball late in the game.

Everyone has an off-night. Its part of being human. But when the best are having an off night shooting the ball, they attack the basket and get to the foul line. They draw a defender and find an open teammate. They do something else -- anything else -- to try and carry their team to a win.

Fisher disappeared in the second half.

He took just four shots from the field, missing all four. He didn't get to the foul line. He had just one assist, compared to two turnovers.

The best rise to a challenge.

Fisher seemed to shy away tonight.

There will be plenty of challenges of this caliber for Fisher come Big East play. If Villanova wants to be a team that competes for the Big East title and the Final Four, they are going to need Fisher to want to be the leader.

Because he's talented enough to do it.