Villanova may have dominated the Big East since it first took its current form back in 2013-14, but lately, the Wildcats haven’t been able to figure out one of their conference brethren.
Butler hands No. 1 Villanova first loss, 101-93
The win was the Bulldogs’ third straight over the Big East’s ultimate powerhouse.
Butler’s third consecutive victory over Jay Wright’s team may have been the most surprising yet. The Bulldogs controlled the game from start to finish, pulling off a 101-93 upset of the top-ranked and previously unbeaten Wildcats Saturday at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Surprisingly, a Butler team that entered Saturday barely ranked in the nation’s top 100 in points per game torched a Villanova squad that ranked No. 9 in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Bulldogs shot 60.0 percent from the field as a team and got a combined 66 points from its starting trio of Kelan Martin (24), Paul Jorgensen (23), and Kamar Baldwin (19). They led by as many as 23 points in the second half.
Villanova was beaten for the first time this season despite 31 points from Player of the Year candidate Jalen Brunson. The loss dropped the Wildcats to 13-1 on the season, while Butler improved to 12-3.
A season ago, Butler was responsible for two of the three losses Villanova was handed before the NCAA tournament. On Jan. 4, the Bulldogs did a deed that looked eerily similar to what transpired on Saturday, toppling then 14-0 and top-ranked ‘Nova 66-58 at Hinkle. Butler then pulled off the season sweep with a 74-66 road win over a Wildcats squad that was No. 2 in the country at the time. The two wins made Butler just the second team since the formation of the “new” Big East to sweep Villanova, joining Doug McDermott’s 2013-14 Creighton squad.
The main difference between those wins and Saturday’s win, of course, is that Butler’s most recent triumph over Villanova comes under the guidance of first-year head coach LaVall Jordan. The former Butler assistant now has both a 2-0 start in conference play and his first signature win.
For Villanova, the loss is a setback in its quest for a fifth straight Big East regular season title, but not one significant enough to strip the team of its status as league favorites. The Wildcats will host Marquette on Jan. 6 before No. 6 Xavier, the team most view as ‘Nova’s biggest threat in the conference, visits the Wells Fargo Center four days later.
No. 3 Arizona State, which will face No. 17 Arizona Saturday night in Tucson, is now the last remaining undefeated team in the country.
See More:
