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Villanova in the Pros

Villanova in the Pros: DiVincenzo, Hart Set Season Highs

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Villanova Wildcats Mascot March 18, 2022 David Hague/PSN

Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard and 2018 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player Donte DiVincenzo, who led Villanova to a national championship during that run, put up 22 points off the bench on Friday, Dec. 27, his best performance since joining the Timberwolves as part of the Karl Anthony-Towns trade.

DiVincenzo nailed 58.3 percent of his shots, including six of ten from three, with four rebounds, four assists, a block and two steals, also setting a season high with 37 minutes played. The end result? A crucial 113-112 road win against the Houston Rockets, the current No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

Although he’s only averaging 9.4 points per game this season (a rate that looked even worse before his current hot streak), DiVincenzo has put up an average of 15 points over his past five games. If he’s starting to figure things out in his new role off the bench, that could go a long way to helping the Timberwolves shake out of their early season funk.

Villanova Knicks

Elsewhere in the NBA, Villanova alumnus Josh Hart set his own season high in points scored, putting up 23 — his fourth time crossing the 20 point barrier this year — to go with 13 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. While Hart’s role with the Knicks prioritizes his defense, the scoring burst is a nice feather in his cap… especially coupled with their 108-85 road blowout of a tough Orlando Magic team.

Fellow Wildcats Jalen Brunson (26 points, nine assists) and Mikal Bridges (17 points) also contributed to the big win, one that played a big impact in the standings. New York sits as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, and now holds a three game lead on that spot over the fourth-seeded Magic. Bridges’ performance comes on the heels of a 41 point outburst on Christmas.

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