Smothering D Helps Carry Wildcats Previous Seton Hall 64-56

Overview
 
The Villanova Wildcats used a suffocating protection and well timed offense to put up a 64-56 win over Seton Hall of their BIG EAST opener Tuesday evening on the Prudential Center.
 
It was a whole defensive effort in head coach Kevin Willard‘s first matchup with this system he guided for 12 seasons. The Wildcats restricted the Hall to 21-of-63 capturing for the evening (.333), together with simply 3-of-13 from past the 3-point arc (.231).
 
Acaden Lewis led a balanced assault with 16 factors, 5 rebounds and three steals. Bryce Lindsay added 15 factors whereas Matt Hodge had 12 factors and 6 boards.
 
“That defense,” stated Willard of Seton Hall, “makes it so exhausting to execute. If they hold enjoying protection like that they could be a second spherical NCAA Tournament staff.
 
“Our defense was good tonight. I didn’t think it was that good in the first half. We went back and looked at it at halftime. We looked a little tired. The size of Wisconsin kind of wore us out a little bit. In the second half I thought we were much more aggressive with our hands, much more active and made them take a lot of tough two’s.”
 
The Acaden Angle
 
After Seton Hall scored on a 3-pointer by Mike Williams III Lewis helped get his squad into the sport. He sank a 3-pointer from nook and was fouled within the act. He added the free throw and scored a bit later within the lane to provide Nova its first six factors.
 
For good measure, he added three rebounds.
 
A Lindsay deep 3-pointer pushed the VU edge to 9-5 after 4:25 of motion.
 
Defense Does Its Part
 
Over the course of the previous 20 years, the battles between the Wildcats and Pirates have shared a typical theme: usually, stingy protection from each groups made this right into a gritty tussle. The center a part of the primary half displayed extra of that from each side.
 
Seton Hall compelled six Villanova turnovers within the first 8:41. Meanwhile, the ‘Cats restricted the Hall to 5-of-14 capturing in that span. It resulted in a 14-12 edge for Villanova.
 
The Pirates had been in a position to capitalize on the offensive glass, grabbing six of the primary seven offensive boards over 12 minutes to forge a tie at 18.
 
Villanova bought triples from Hodge and Lindsay that helped it craft a 31-27 benefit at intermission.
 
The Wildcats held that lead due to a defensive effort that restricted the Hall to 11-of-32 capturing within the interval (.344). They additionally helped themselves with a 6-of-14 effort from lengthy distance (.429).
 
Sharp Start
 
Seton Hall scored the primary basket of the second half to slender the hole to 31-29. Villanova answered with an 11-0 burst that stretched their result in 42-29. The Wildcats held the Pirates with out a level for 4:26 whereas Lewis and Hodge once more contributed 3-pointers on the different finish.
 
A Tyler Perkins 3-ball and a Lewis transition bucket made it a 16-0 surge. The Wildcats expanded their result in 55-35 at one level earlier than a 6-0 Pirates run minimize the margin to 55-41. But Hodge scored on a putback of a Lewis miss close to the rim and the VU edge was 57-41 on the 8:15 mark of the second half.
 
Seton Hall’s full court docket defensive stress brought on the Wildcats some complications over the ultimate minutes – “we’ve got to work on our press offense,” famous Willard – and narrowed the ultimate rating to 64-56.
 
What They Said
 
Willard on teaching towards the Pirates at Newark’s Prudential Center: “It was emotional for my spouse and I final evening with my boys. When I bought this (Seton Hall) job, I had a 1-year previous and a 3-year previous. Now, I’ve a senior in highschool and a freshman in school. This place helped increase my household in a really particular method.
 
“Tonight, once the game started, we had a game to win.”