VILLANOVA, Pa. _ With Villanova looking lost on offense in the opening moments of its game Tuesday night against Xavier, the Wildcats were looking for anything to get themselves going against the nation's No. 15 team.
They found it in the usual spot, the defensive end. The third-ranked Cats picked up their defensive intensity in overcoming an early eight-point deficit and rolled to a 79-54 Big East victory over the Musketeers at the Pavilion.
The Wildcats (16-1, 4-1 Big East) limited Xavier (13-3, 3-1) to 1-for-15 shooting in the final 11 minutes of the first half to take a 34-28 lead. They found their offense in the second half, connecting on 15 of their first 20 shots in the period to extend their margin to 24 with just less than six minutes to play.
Kris Jenkins knocked down four of his team's eight 3-pointers and scored 20 points to share team-high scoring honors with Josh Hart. Jalen Brunson added 11 points and six assists. The Wildcats shot 68 percent in the second half and 54 percent for the game after opening the contest 5 of 19.
The Musketeers' scoring duo of Trevon Bluiett and Edmond Sumner combined to have a poor shooting night, going 5 of 25 from the field. Sumner finished with 11 points and Bluiett had 10. The two were averaging a combined 33 points coming into the game.
The Wildcats struggled early on offense. They went on a dry spell that lasted nearly 5 { minutes of the first half while the Musketeers scored six straight points during that time and took their largest lead of the period, 24-16, on two free throws by Bluiett with 7 minutes, 25 seconds left in the half.
But Xavier was having a drought of its own on offense. Although the visitors led by eight, they had missed four straight field-goal attempts, a run that would see them make just one of their last 15 shots over the final 11:15.
Brunson's driving layup launched a 15-2 run for Villanova over the next 4 { minutes. Jenkins and Hart each scored five points during the spurt, with Hart's 3-point basket giving 'Nova a 31-26 lead with less than two minutes left in the period.
The Cats led 34-28 at the break and took off in the second half with the help of back-to-back dunks by Darryl Reynolds. Xavier stayed close at 52-42 on Sean O'Mara's follow-up basket with 11:45 to play but the Wildcats got a Jenkins three and a conventional three-point play by Donte DiVicenzo to increase their margin to 16.
Villanova then put the game away with an 8-0 run sparked by Hart's dunk and held a 72-48 lead on Jenkins' two free throws with 5:54 to play. The margin grew to as high as 29.
Reynolds and DiVincenzo each added 10 points for 'Nova.
