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Villanova Men's Basketball

Villanova Authors Double Digit Comeback, Beats Butler 73-65

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Villanova Wildcats forward Eric Dixon (43) March 18, 2022 David Hague/PSN

Villanova Men’s Basketball authored a double digit comeback against the Butler Bulldogs on Wednesday, Jan. 1, claiming a 73-65 win despite looking dead in the water with less than five minutes to play.

At that point, the Wildcats (9-5, 2-1 Big East) trailed 64-51. They then stormed back into the game with a 18-0 run, switching into a full court press that stymied the Bulldogs’ offense. Butler’s last made shot came with 6:03 to go, a layup from Patrick McCaffery, and from there it was all Wildcats, all the way, the lone exception a solitary made free throw after Villanova already held a two possession lead.

Eric Dixon, who dropped 28 points on the night, drained a three-pointer to give Villanova a 65-64 lead with 1:35 to play, and Butler began to melt down from there. The Bulldogs committed three turnovers in a span of 29 seconds — after turning it over just three times in the first 38 minutes — allowing the Wildcats to take control.

How They Got There

Villanova took a quick 8-3 lead to start the game after consecutive three-pointers from Jhamir Brickus and Dixon. The Bulldogs reeled off an 8-0 run of their own, and stayed one step ahead of the Wildcats’ offense for much of the first half.

Villanova made just 42.4 percent of their shots on the night, well off their 48.99 percent clip on the season. Even worse was their performance from three, where the Wildcats made just 34.6 percent of shots after entering with the ninth-ranked three point offense in the nation.

Although the Wildcats took a 41-39 lead early in the second half off a Brickus jumper, Villanova’s offense soon ran ice cold, missing six of their next seven shots as the Bulldogs went ahead 52-44. For a span of more than eight minutes, Dixon made the Wildcats only shots from the floor, a trio of two-pointers.

Dixon drained a three-pointer just inside the five minute mark, and from there the comeback was on. Jordan Longino contributed nine points in that span, while Kris Parker added four points, a block, and a crucial defensive presence as Villanova stormed all the way back.

Villanova will next take the court back at home at the Finneran Pavilion when they host the DePaul Blue Demons at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4.

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