VILLANOVA, Pa. — For much of the first half Tuesday night, fifth-ranked Villanova found itself to be the second-best shooting team on its home court at Finneran Pavilion. Howard came off the bus from Washington firing and kept pace with the Wildcats for much of the opening period.
But after watching the Bison shoot an incredible 73.9% from the floor, the Cats found more of a footing on defense in the second half and gradually pulled away to a 101-80 victory.
The Wildcats (2-1), who made all 26 of their free-throw attempts, were led by Brandon Slater with 23 points and Collin Gillespie with 21. Justin Moore added 16. Kyle Foster led Howard (3-1) with 19.
Villanova wasn’t exactly bad in the first half, shooting 57.1%, but the Bison were making everything. In an 8-plus-minute stretch of the opening period, they sank 11 consecutive shots and almost caught the Wildcats after going down by 11 points in the opening four minutes.
But Howard shot just 43.3% in the second half and the Wildcats, who hit at a 56% clip, established some daylight with the help of a 13-0 run that boosted their lead to 21.
Two halves in a game
The Wildcats, who led 52-44 at the half, were more dialed in when the second half began. Slater began the period with five points in the opening 31 seconds. Howard still had some baskets in the tank and reduced the deficit to eight on three separate occasions, the last time at 68-60 with 12:03 to play.
But the Bison came up empty on their next six possessions and the Wildcats went on their run. They were boosted by three 3-balls — one by Jermaine Samuels (his first outside shot of the game to that point) and two by Gillespie. That made it 81-60 with 8:23 to play and the lead would later grow to 24.
Slater fills it up
Slater wasn’t known as a scorer in his first three seasons in Villanova but with all the work he put in this last offseason, the term “scorer” fits him well.
Slater knocked down four 3-pointers in as many attempts in the first half, then scored five points in the first 31 seconds of the second half as the Wildcats took their largest lead, 59-44. He ended up shooting 6 of 8 from the floor including 4 of 4 on 3s, and sank all seven of his free throws attempts.
Slater shoots the 3-ball without hesitation and he doesn’t force it. If the defender is close, he’ll take a dribble and calmly stroke the pull-up jumper.
Extraordinary shooting
The Bison took some time to get acclimated to the Finn, and trailed 14-3 in the first four minutes. They were only 3 of 6 from the floor and trailed 18-9 after seven minutes before Kyle Foster hit a 3-point basket.
That opened the floodgates. Howard went on to make 11 consecutive shots over the next 8-plus minutes in a variety of ways — a back-door layup, step back jumpers, finding the open man on the perimeter. Tai Bibbs hit the final shot in the run, a three-pointer, with 4:11 to play.
But Villanova, which saw its advantage trimmed to two points on a pair of occasions, started finding the range. Leading 26-24, the Cats knocked down six straight threes and four free throws in a 22-11 run — which concluded with nine consecutive points — and grew their lead back to 13, 48-35, with 2:12 to play on Brandon Slater’s basket.
The Bison came right back with a 9-2 run and to close to within six, and Moore’s basket in the final minute ended the half with ‘Nova on top 52-44.
Howard shot 73.9% in the first half, 8 of 12 from 3. Villanova came in at 57.1% with 10 3s in 19 attempts (52.6%).
