Villanova Men's Basketball
Villanova Reaction: Strong Second Half Pushes ‘Cats Over Hoyas
Villanova Men’s Basketball’s defense bounced back against Georgetown on Wednesday, Jan. 21, forcing 17 turnovers and holding the Hoyas to just 51 points on a night they honored the life of alumnus and basketball legend George Raveling.
The Wildcats (15-4, 6-2 Big East) endured their own offensive struggles in the first half but took control of the game with a 16-1 run out of the break. Villanova head coach Kevin Willard said that rather than the hot restart having anything to do with his halftime speeches, it stemmed from the players switching ends of the court in the second half.
Instead of having defensive possessions in front of their head coach’s bench, allowing them greater communication to understand and defend their opponent’s plays, switching to attack that basket boosts their offense after a defense-oriented first half.
After St. John’s overpowered the Wildcats with physicality on Jan. 17, their ability to put the hurt on against Georgetown’s bigger lineup — Villanova outscored the Hoyas 34-14 in the paint — marked a step in the right direction. Here’s the reaction from fans and media after another Wildcats’ win.
