--Jason Collins' flagrant type 1 foul on Cavaliers star LeBron James was replayed over and over for all to see on national television Saturday morning. On the play, which James called "borderline dirty," he drove to the basket and ran hard into Collins' arm and shoulder before falling to the court.
Collins on Sunday responded to James' claim. "It's just one of those plays that happened," he said. "I wasn't going to get dunked on. I was just going to give him a hard foul and wrap him up. But he fell too quickly for me to wrap him up.
"He's entitled to his opinion. There was no intent to hurt him. There was just intent to give him a hard foul and wrap him up. I think he understands that."
--Wolves coach Kevin McHale doesn't need to worry about the mental well-being of assistant coach Ed Pinckney for another six days, now that Villanova has reached the Final Four for the first time since Pinckney led the Wildcats to its stunning championship upset victory over Patrick Ewing and Georgetown in 1985.
--Wolves guard Randy Foye spoke to his former team after practice in Philadelphia Tuesday before the Wildcats left for Boston and the East Regional and admits he has followed his alma mater with great interest.
He, however, has not lived it quite like Pinckney, a former Villanova assistant whom McHale jokes might look for the nearest tall bridge if his college team loses out before it wins the championship.
"I'd love to argue with that point, but I do kind of lose it when they lose," Pinckney said. "I helped recruit a lot of them. Just to watch them do what they did (Saturday), I'm enjoying it all."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "A great night for the boys." -- Wolves guard Randy Foye, on his former Villanova team overcoming Big East rival Pitt Saturday to advance to this weekend's Final Four.
