No. 1 Villanova Romps Past American For 18th Straight Win
By Dan Gelston
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Josh Hart scored 20 points to lead No. 1 Villanova to its 18th straight win, 90-48 over American on Wednesday night.
The Wildcats (12-0) shook off a sluggish first half and crushed the Patriot League's Eagles over the final 20 minutes. The Wildcats, seeded third, rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat American in the opening round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament in Philadelphia. Playing on campus, this one was never that close.
The Wildcats made 9 of 10 shots during a 21-2 run and scored on 15 of their first 20 possessions in the second half to blow this one open. Hart again was sensational in Villanova's final tune-up before beginning Big East play next week. He made two 3-pointers and 7 of 14 shots overall.
Mikal Bridges and Eric Paschall scored 15 points each and Jalen Brunson had 14 points and six assists. The defending national champion Wildcats have not lost since the Big East Tournament title game and had only one serious challenge over the first 12 games. The Wildcats shot 63 percent (15 of 24) in the second half.
Delante Jones led the Eagles (3-8) with 12 points.
BIG PICTURE
American, which entered as a 32-point underdog, can take solace in the fact it played a solid first half against the Wildcats. American had the game tied midway through the first half and wouldn't let Villanova build a double-digit lead until late in the half. The Eagles were done in by 10 turnovers in the first half.
Villanova is done with nonconference games until a Jan. 29 meeting with Virginia. The Wildcats can expect a stout test early in the Big East season with back-to-back road games against Creighton and Butler.
HOME COOKING
The Wildcats won their 44th straight game at the Pavilion and are inching closer to the school record of 46 straight wins from 2007-2011.
BOOTH, OUT
The Wildcats again were without national championship game star Phil Booth. Booth, who scored 20 points against North Carolina in the title game, missed his ninth straight game with left knee inflammation. There is no timetable on Booth's return.
UP NEXT
American plays Loyola (Maryland) on Dec. 30.
The Wildcats open the Big East season at Dec. 28 at home against DePaul. Villanova has 12 straight wins in the series.
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