Villanova Wildcats Edge Out Pittsburgh Panthers in Thrilling Big East Conference Win

Strategic Insights -

The Villanova Wildcats, despite struggling offensively, managed to outlast the No. 13 Pittsburgh Panthers 64-63 in a tightly contested Big East Conference matchup. The Wildcats' freshman guard Malcolm Grant stepped up to lead the team with 22 points, including 14 in the first half, while the team's reserves outscored the starters 39-25. The victory marked the 17th-ranked Wildcats' first win in the conference, with the team now standing at 11-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big East.

Key Takeaways:

  • Freshman guard Malcolm Grant led the Wildcats with 22 points, including 14 in the first half, as the team's reserves outscored the starters 39-25.
  • The Wildcats' opportunistic defense forced 22 turnovers by the Panthers, who were missing two injured starters, and outscored Pitt 28-11 on turnovers.
  • Forward Dante Cunningham sank a pair of free throws with 10.3 seconds left to give the Wildcats a 64-63 win, with Cunningham also battling DeJuan Blair for the rebound.
  • Scottie Reynolds, the Wildcats' leader with a 16.5-point average, managed just four points while battling an injured right knee and a sore left hand.
  • The Panthers, led by Sam Young with 16 points, were almost stymied by the Wildcats' solid defense, despite their rebounding advantage.
  • Villanova coach Jay Wright praised Grant, saying "He's a freshman, but I'd say he's the heart and soul of our team already... He's got a heart the size of the world."

Statistics:

  • The Wildcats' reserves outscored the starters 39-25.
  • The Panthers handed Villanova a 43-31 pounding on the boards, led by DeJuan Blair's 15 rebounds.
  • The Wildcats forced 22 turnovers by the Panthers, outscoring Pitt 28-11 on turnovers.
  • The Panthers scored 21 second-chance points.
  • Scottie Reynolds missed all five of his three-point shots and is 5 of 18 overall in his first two Big East games.

Sources:

  • (c) 2008, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Visit Philadelphia Online, the Inquirer's World Wide Web site, at http://www.philly.com/
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