Villanova Edges Out No. 9 UConn in Nail-Biting Basketball Showdown

Villanova triumphed over No. 9 UConn, 68-66, in a thrilling encounter Wednesday evening at a boisterous Finneran Pavilion. The Wildcats (10-5, 4-1 Big East) built a 32-25 lead by halftime by forcing nine turnovers during the first half and restricting UConn’s explosive offense to a 37 percent success rate from beyond the arc.

Eric Dixon spearheaded Villanova with an impressive 23 points, sinking two three-pointers and hitting a flawless 9-for-9 at the free-throw line. Wooga Poplar contributed 18 points, while Jordan Longino added 12—including a pivotal block during the closing minute. The Wildcats excelled at the charity stripe, achieving 92.3 percent accuracy (12-of-13) and effectively transformed crucial defensive stops into scoring opportunities, maintaining control as the game neared its conclusion.

UConn (12-3, 4-1 Big East) rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half, fueled by efforts from Solo Ball and Jaylin Stewart. Ball amassed 16 points, netting four three-pointers, while Stewart added 14. The Huskies briefly took the lead late in the game, courtesy of a 13-2 run, but Villanova responded; Dixon’s scoring around the basket and Poplar’s shooting from the outside propelled the Wildcats to a three-point advantage.

A potential game-tying three-pointer and two last-minute free-throw attempts slipped away from UConn in the final seconds. Villanova managed to hold on when Alex Karaban missed two free throws with three seconds remaining. The Wildcats are set to host St. John’s next, while the Huskies aim to regroup following their initial conference defeat.