If there was a way that Villanova was going to break out of its shooting slump, it was to try to get to the basket more and share the ball more than it had in its last two games – both losses by 20 or more points.
And that’s just what the 23rd-ranked Wildcats did Tuesday night against No. 18 Xavier, driving into the paint time and again and putting the defense a little off-balance. It was that style that helped the Cats break open a close game and defeat the Musketeers, 71-58, in a Big East contest at Finneran Pavilion.
Justin Moore led the way for the Wildcats (8-4, 1-1 Big East) with 17 points, Caleb Daniels added 16, and Collin Gillespie and Eric Dixon 15 points apiece.
The defense also had to take a bow, especially in the second half when the Wildcats limited Xavier (11-2, 1-1) to 32% shooting and an 0-for-14 nightmare on three-pointers.
Xavier scored back-to-back baskets by Jerome Hunter and Dwon Odom to draw to within two points, 57-55, with 4 minutes, 4 seconds remaining, but the Wildcats scored the next eight points and held the Musketeers scoreless for the next 3:08 to claim the victory.
Villanova shot 53.8% in the second half and 49.1% for the game.
What’s with the shooting?
The Wildcats entered the game in a two-game shooting slump, making just 28.2% of their overall field-goal attempts and 20% (10 of 50) from three-point territory. The two-point shooting was a little better in the first half Tuesday night, but the deep shots just weren’t finding the range.
The Cats finished the period at 44.8% (13-of-29) but converted just 1-of-10 from three. Justin Moore hit the team’s second three-point try but they were 0-for-8 from that point. It looked even worse when the Musketeers knocked down their first six from deep.
Nate Johnson, the Big East leader in three-point shooting at 47.3%, sank three in the opening 14 ½ minutes to give Xavier its largest lead at 10, 30-20. The Wildcats ran off six straight — all on layups — but the Musketeers answered with six in a row to regain the 10-point margin, and led 38-30 at the buzzer.
The Wildcats broke out of their three-point fog in the second half, scoring their first three baskets of the period on threes. They finished the half 5-of-11 from deep, and 6-of-21 for the game.
Doing it with defense
Villanova had one of its worst defensive showings of the season Friday night at Creighton, and did not exactly play inspired basketball at that end of the court in the first half against Xavier, allowing 52% shooting by the visitors.
But the defense roared out of the locker room in the second half with a steal by Gillespie and two by Brandon Slater on Xavier’s first three possessions. The count was five turnovers on nine possessions and then seven of 12. Villanova scored six points off the turnovers and regained the lead 42-41 on Dixon’s layup with 14:02 left.
The Wildcats also cooled off the Musketeers’ shooting. When three-point baskets by Daniels and Gillespie capped an 8-0 run to give ‘Nova a 57-51 lead with 4:44 left to play, Xavier was 5-of-17 from the floor and had missed all nine of its three-point tries.
