Villanova Knicks’ Season Ends After New York’s Best Run in 25 Years

The Villanova Knicks saw their season come to an end in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 31, falling 125-108 to the Indiana Pacers. New York last won ten games in a postseason during the last millennium, capping their 1999-2000 season with an identical 4-2 series loss to those same Pacers.

After a magical season that saw him earn a starting spot in the All-Star Game and the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award before averaging 29.4 points per game in the playoffs, Jalen Brunson’s shooting finally went cold. The seventh-year guard and national player of the year while at Villanova scored 19 points on 8-of-18 shooting, adding two rebounds and seven assists.

Fellow Wildcats alumnus Mikal Bridges provided solid depth scoring with 15 points and four assists, while Josh Hart came off the bench for four points, six rebounds, one assist and three steals. The Knicks trailed 58-54 at the half, but Indiana began the third quarter on a 9-0 run that New York never managed to recover from.

Thus ends Villanova’s chances of adding an NBA Champion to their alumni list; fellow Wildcat Donte DiVincenzo saw his season with the Minnesota Timberwolves end earlier in the week.