Jordan Longino’s three-point try late within the first half was fairly indicative of how issues have been going Monday night time inside Finneran Pavilion for Villanova.
The clock was winding down on the primary 20 minutes, and Longino, a sophomore ahead, was huge open. The ball barely grazed the rim, if it hit it in any respect.
Villanova, out of the Related Press prime 25 this week for the primary time since February 2019, missed its first 17 three-point pictures and struggled all night time with visiting Delaware State, a crew that entered Monday having not earned a Division I win since March 2021.
The pictures ultimately began falling, however the outcome was an unpleasant 60-50 win that, on the heels of a Friday night time loss to Temple, leaves the Wildcats with extra questions than solutions as they navigate the primary a part of a brand new season below new coach Kyle Neptune.
Villanova’s Eric Dixon led all scorers with 17 factors whereas including seven rebounds. He was 7-for-12 from the sector. Brandon Slater joined him in double figures with 15 factors (12-for-12 from the free throw line).
Khyrie Staten led a balanced Delaware State scoring assault with 10 factors.
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Villanova, favored by greater than 35 factors, trailed the complete first half.
Whereas Delaware State (1-2) discovered success across the basket and on midrange jumpers, the Wildcats merely couldn’t put the ball within the basket.
The Wildcats missed all 16 of their pictures from three-point vary within the first half. It wasn’t like Friday night time, when Temple’s perimeter protection triggered chaos. A large chunk of these 16 makes an attempt have been open appears, and got here from six Wildcats shooters. Longino and Mark Armstrong missed 4 apiece.
If not for Dixon’s dominance inside and Villanova going 12-for-13 from the free-throw line, the 27-24 halftime rating may need been uglier. Eight Delaware State gamers made first-half baskets. Villanova had solely two gamers — Dixon and Longino — make a basket within the first 20 minutes.
“That is basketball. That occurs,” Neptune stated. “I feel all however perhaps one or two pictures have been nice pictures, we simply missed them. If we are able to take those self same pictures each sport, we’d take these pictures. Typically they simply don’t go in.
“The vital piece is that I feel our protection held and we have been in a position to power them into some robust pictures and maintain them down whereas we weren’t making pictures.”
The streak of misses from past the arc stopped at 17 when Slater drilled a nook triple to chop the Del State result in 29-28 three minutes into the second half and awakened a sleepy dwelling crowd.
“I’m with these guys each single day,” Dixon stated. “They stand up tons of and tons of of pictures. I don’t suppose they ever had any wavering confidence.”
Villanova (2-1) obtained an enormous enhance from its freshman guards, Armstrong and Brendan Hausen. Armstrong’s drive to the rim and end gave the Wildcats their first lead, 35-34. He later scored seven straight for Villanova, together with a three-pointer from the wing and a pull-up jumper from the foul line on consecutive possessions to place Villanova up 4.
Hausen made his capturing presence felt. After not enjoying within the first half, Hausen scored seven important factors within the center minutes of the second half. These minutes included two key three-pointers. The freshman even drew some quiet jeers when he was faraway from the sport at one level with fewer than six minutes remaining, after which loud cheers when he got here again with 4 minutes, 12 seconds to go.
“I used to be happy with the best way he performed,” Neptune stated of Hausen. “He didn’t get into the final sport and, to his credit score, plenty of guys would sulk or blame different guys, or really feel sorry for themselves. He was simply able to play, so hats off to him.”
Even with all the pieces beginning to go Villanova’s approach, Delaware State stayed in it. Villanova’s largest run with the sport within the stability was 7-0, although that did come at a important time.
It wasn’t till Dixon’s nook three with 2:20 to go that Villanova may really feel snug, up 58-48.
Villanova completed with 5 makes on 27 makes an attempt from three-point vary.
How’s this for an upcoming stretch of video games for a Villanova crew nonetheless discovering its approach?
The Wildcats journey to East Lansing for a sport with Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans Friday (8 p.m., FS1). Michigan State had essentially the most votes of any crew not on this week’s AP prime 25. Name the Spartans No. 26 (and Villanova No. 28).
Then, subsequent week, Villanova spends the Thanksgiving weekend in Portland on the PK Invitational. The Wildcats begin that match on Thanksgiving Day with a 3:30 p.m. sport vs. Iowa State (ESPN2). A win would doubtless imply a Nov. 25 showdown with present No. 1 North Carolina.
Different groups on the PK Invitational embrace No. 18 Alabama; No. 25 UConn; Michigan State; Oregon; and Portland.