Villanova’s late first-half run sinks St. John’s

Eric Dixon put up a game-high 18 factors and contributed to a 17-2 scoring swing on the finish of the primary half that propelled host Villanova to a 78-63 victory over St. John’s on Wednesday night time.

Villanova (7-5, 1-0 Massive East) gained its fifth straight sport due to 4 double-digit scorers, together with Brandon Slater’s 16 factors and Jordan Longino’s and Caleb Daniels’ 13 apiece.

The Wildcats shot 47.5 % on the night time and made 16 of 17 foul photographs, whereas St. John’s (11-2, 1-1) went simply 3-for-6 from the road.

Joel Soriano earned his Division I-leading eleventh double-double of the season with 17 factors and 13 rebounds for St. John’s. AJ Storr added 15 factors off the bench.

The Purple Storm’s 5 starters every made a basket because the workforce started the sport 5-for-7 from the ground. Longino hit a 3-pointer to push Villanova forward 12-11, however a minute later Montez Mathis’ triple set off a 13-2 St. John’s run that additionally featured two 3-pointers from Storr.

Villanova Wildcats guard Caleb Daniels (14) and Saint John’s Purple Storm guard Posh Alexander (0) battle for a unfastened ball.

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Daniels and Longino made baskets on consecutive possessions to attempt to get Villanova up and working, however St. John’s scored the subsequent 5 factors to seize its largest lead, 29-18, with 6:16 left within the half.

Villanova’s 17-2 run started with Dixon’s quick jumper at 5:42. Throughout the last 2:30 of the half, the Wildcats made 4 photographs in a row; Slater knocked down a 3-pointer to tie it at 31, and his layup 47 seconds later restored Villanova to the lead.

St. John’s Purple Storm guard Dylan Addae-Wusu (5) strikes previous Villanova Wildcats guard Chris Arcidiacono.

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The Wildcats had been up 35-31 at halftime, led by Dixon’s 9 factors. The Purple Storm missed 14 of their final 16 photographs of the half and had 4 turnovers down the stretch.

Dixon drained his second 3-pointer within the opening minute of the second half earlier than Soriano received St. John’s on the board with free throws. Soriano scored the Purple Storm’s first six factors of the half as he tried to maintain his workforce in placing distance.

However Dixon’s three-point play at 15:42 gave Villanova its first double-digit lead, a part of a torrid 10-for-14 capturing stretch as a workforce.

The Wildcats’ largest lead was 62-45 with 8:45 to go. Soriano and Andre Curbelo helped the Purple Storm creep inside 12 factors earlier than Slater banked in a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock with 33 seconds to play.