Wednesday night, Scottie Reynolds took control of the game and reminded everyone why he is the leader of the Villanova Wildcats. Eight seconds into play, Reynolds drained a three and the Wildcats took command. He went on to score a game-high 19 in the Wildcats’ 77-62 victory over the Niagara Purple Eagles.
Corey Fisher added 15, Reggie Redding had 14, and Dante Cunningham tacked on 11 in their third game in six days.
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The Wildcats now have a much-deserved break with almost a week until their next game.
But all was not good news for the 'Cats. While they never trailed, they looked tired, committing unnecessary fouls and losing three of their big men to foul trouble in a very physical game. Cunningham picked up his third foul 13 seconds into the second half and fouled out with 3:28 left in regulation.
Fortunately, Guard-U was able to back up its nickname and win the game, despite having Corey Stokes held back by a sprained left thumb.
For the most part the game was close, with each team having separate droughts and spurts. Villanova lead the Purple Eagles by as much as 13 in the first half but went into the break only up six.
The Purple Eagles looked to take advantage of a physically exhausted team after halftime, making it a one-basket game with 16:52 left. The Wildcats then found it within themselves to put together a 22-10 run, with nine points coming from Reggie Redding and Reynolds adding another five.
The game finished with the typical two-minute drill: Foul the guy with the ball and make him earn it. In the last two minutes, though, Niagara managed only one point while the Wildcats hit seven of 10 free throws.
The Wildcats shot .737 from the line (28-38) but managed to hit them when it counted.
The Purple Eagles, on the other hand, shot .640 and left nine points on the table.
As is normally the case, had they not missed so many free throws, they may very well have been in it and not had to foul continuously for the last two minutes.
But the same can be said for the Wildcats: Had they hit more of their free throws, they may have been able to put the game away earlier.
With the win over the Purple Eagles, the Wildcats kick off their season 3-0 for the third time in five years and extend their winning streak at the Pavilion to 18 games.
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about 1 month ago
I agree! Nova did look somewhat tired and the foul trouble was definitely a little troubling. I think 2 games in 3 days is tough at the beginning of the season. By the NCAA in March, it's a whole other story. I think the week off will really do them some good.
from about 1 month ago
The fact that they were able to win all three games speaks well to their ability and determination.
The Big East is going to be tough for everyone this year, so putting together a physically tough schedule early in the season is a great approach to take (the games may not have been overly demanding, but playing that many games will take its toll on anyone).
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