Saturday, February 25
Villanova, Pa. (The Pavilion)
2:00 PM
Creighton University
(22-7, 9-7BE)
63
at
79
Villanova
(27-3, 14-3BE)
1
2
F
#23 Creighton
33
30
63
#2 Villanova
33
46
79
Marcus Foster
Photo by: Corey Solotorovsky
No. 2 Villanova Topples No. 23 Men's Basketball
2/25/2017 4:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Marcus Foster scores 25 points and dishes six assists
VILLANOVA, Pa. -- Second-ranked Villanova clinched the BIG EAST Conference outright title with a 79-63 victory over 23rd-ranked and visiting Creighton, on Saturday. The contest was not only Villanova's Senior Day, but also the final game at The Pavilion before the start of $60 million in renovations this summer.
Villanova scored the game's first seven points, including a pair of dunks by Eric Paschall, before Creighton went to work from deep. The Bluejays unleashed a 12-2 run that featured three-pointers by Khyri Thomas (2), Cole Huff and Marcus Foster to take a 12-9 lead and prompt a VU timeout.
Nova would embark on a 15-2 run to take a 26-14 lead with 5:33 in the first half before the Jays answered the bell. Foster scored the final eight points of the half during a personal 8-0 run to bring the teams even at the break at 33-all.
The teams traded the lead six times in the opening minutes of the second half. Two Mikal Bridges foul shots with 13:29 left broke a 45-all tie. Jalen Brunson split a pair of defenders before finding Kris Jenkins for a corner trey to push the Wildcats lead to 51-47. VU then scored four straight free throws on its next two trips to move the lead to 55-47 with 10:00 left. That started a stretch of nine straight trips where Villanova scored as the lead expanded to 67-55 with five minutes to play.
CU would respond with the next five points to draw within seven (67-60), but Josh Hart hit a big shot with 2:34 left and Mikal Bridges converted two foul shots at the 1:53 mark to thwart any late comeback hopes for CU.
Foster led Creighton with 25 points while also recording a season-best eight assists. Also in double-figures with 17 points was Thomas and senior Zach Hanson with 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting. The Bluejays shot 43.6 percent for the game, including 40.7 percent from long-range, and were 4-of-6 at the foul line.
Villanova got 19 points from Eric Paschall, while Hart (16) and Jenkins (15) combined for 31 in their final home game. The Wildcats shot 52.7 percent from the field and made 17-of-22 foul shots (77.3 percent) in the victory.
Creighton returns home on Tuesday to host St. John's in a 7 p.m. game that airs on CBS Sports Network. Bluejay seniors Zach Hanson, Cole Huff and Isaiah Zierden will be honored following that game.
NOTES: Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 777 straight games ... Cole Huff has made at least one three-pointer in 14 straight games ... Villanova was attempting to avoid consecutive home losses in BIG EAST play for the first time since 2011-12 ... Marcus Foster has scored 10 or more points in 12 straight games and took over the BIG EAST scoring average lead (18.8 ppg.).
Villanova scored the game's first seven points, including a pair of dunks by Eric Paschall, before Creighton went to work from deep. The Bluejays unleashed a 12-2 run that featured three-pointers by Khyri Thomas (2), Cole Huff and Marcus Foster to take a 12-9 lead and prompt a VU timeout.
Nova would embark on a 15-2 run to take a 26-14 lead with 5:33 in the first half before the Jays answered the bell. Foster scored the final eight points of the half during a personal 8-0 run to bring the teams even at the break at 33-all.
The teams traded the lead six times in the opening minutes of the second half. Two Mikal Bridges foul shots with 13:29 left broke a 45-all tie. Jalen Brunson split a pair of defenders before finding Kris Jenkins for a corner trey to push the Wildcats lead to 51-47. VU then scored four straight free throws on its next two trips to move the lead to 55-47 with 10:00 left. That started a stretch of nine straight trips where Villanova scored as the lead expanded to 67-55 with five minutes to play.
CU would respond with the next five points to draw within seven (67-60), but Josh Hart hit a big shot with 2:34 left and Mikal Bridges converted two foul shots at the 1:53 mark to thwart any late comeback hopes for CU.
Foster led Creighton with 25 points while also recording a season-best eight assists. Also in double-figures with 17 points was Thomas and senior Zach Hanson with 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting. The Bluejays shot 43.6 percent for the game, including 40.7 percent from long-range, and were 4-of-6 at the foul line.
Villanova got 19 points from Eric Paschall, while Hart (16) and Jenkins (15) combined for 31 in their final home game. The Wildcats shot 52.7 percent from the field and made 17-of-22 foul shots (77.3 percent) in the victory.
Creighton returns home on Tuesday to host St. John's in a 7 p.m. game that airs on CBS Sports Network. Bluejay seniors Zach Hanson, Cole Huff and Isaiah Zierden will be honored following that game.
NOTES: Creighton has made at least one three-pointer in 777 straight games ... Cole Huff has made at least one three-pointer in 14 straight games ... Villanova was attempting to avoid consecutive home losses in BIG EAST play for the first time since 2011-12 ... Marcus Foster has scored 10 or more points in 12 straight games and took over the BIG EAST scoring average lead (18.8 ppg.).
Team Stats
CU
NOVA
FG%
.436
.527
3FG%
.407
.211
FT%
.667
.773
RB
28
33
TO
16
10
STL
4
11
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
25
FGM
8
3FGM
6
FTM
3
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
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