VILLANOVA, Pa. _ Villanova wanted to bounce back from its first Big East loss of the season but knew it would be a difficult task against a Providence team seeking payback from a home loss to the Wildcats last month.
It was a tense contest Wednesday night at Finneran Pavilion, but 13th-ranked 'Nova eventually gained control behind the shooting of Eric Paschall, who scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half, to lead the Wildcats to an 85-67 victory over the Friars.
Phil Booth added 22 points for the Cats (20-5, 11-1), who led by one point with just less than 7 minutes to play before exploding on a 15-2 run that was led by five points from Paschall.
After Isaiah Jackson hit two free throws and a layup to get Providence (14-11, 4-8) to within 62-61, Paschall's layup got the run started. Booth followed with a conventional three-point play and a free throw, and Saddiq Bey knocked down a 3-ball from the left corner to make it 71-63.
Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, who had a strong effort with 12 points and seven rebounds, made an old-fashioned three-point play, followed by a 3-ball from Paschall, that gave 'Nova a 77-63 lead with 3:22 remaining.
Nate Watson scored 18 points to lead the Friars, who made just one of nine shots during Villanova's decisive run. Teammate Alpha Diallo added 11 points.
The Wildcats led, 39-34, at the half, and after Providence scored seven straight points early in the second half to tie the game at 45, they went on an 8-0 run behind a pair of 3-point baskets by Paschall, taking a 53-45 advantage with 14:31 left to play.
Villanova became foul prone, however, leading to free throws by the Friars. On one Providence possession, the Wildcats were whistled for four personals, leading to a one-and-one conversion by Jackson.
Kalief Young and Dean Edwards each followed with a pair of free throws, and baskets by Jackson and Maliek White ended a 10-0 run that put the Friars in front, 55-53, with 10:31 remaining. But, it would be their last lead of the night.
'Nova's first-half scoring was boosted by 14 of 14 at the free-throw line. Booth scored 11 points to lead the Cats, who shot 40.7 percent from the floor and went just 3 of 11 on 3-point attempts.
The Friars stayed in the game with their offensive rebounding, scoring nine second-chance points off eight boards. Watson scored eight points to lead them at the break.
The game was tied at 10 after eight minutes, but Booth's 3-point basket sparked a 10-4 Villanova stretch over the next four minutes. Joe Cremo also knocked down a 3 during that time, and Collin Gillespie sank two free throws after Providence's David Duke was called for a technical foul after being knocked down on a drive to the basket.
The Friars closed the gap to two points twice the rest of the period, with back-to-back tip-ins by Young. But Jermaine Samuels laid in a lob pass from Gillespie, and Booth sank a turnaround jumper in the lane to kick off a 9-3 stretch that Gillespie ended with a layup for a 39-31 advantage with 46 seconds to play.
Diallo's 3-pointer on Providence's last possession reduced the deficit to five at halftime.
