City of Basketball Love

Eugene Rapay (@erapay5)
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Villanova overcame an early scare, winning in convincing fashion. The Wildcats beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 87-63.

At first…
Nebraska got itself together after falling behind early. A number of turnovers and fouls hindered the Cornhuskers from getting into a rhythm. They eventually settled in, knocking down their shots and playing hard perimeter defense. Villanova was held to just 1-for-7 from long range in the first 13 minutes of the game. At one point, Nebraska led as much as seven, while the Wildcats were ice cold.

Turning point…
With just under seven minutes to go in the first half, Ryan Arcidiacono nailed a 3-pointer that would spark a commanding 22-2 run. The Wildcats started to diversify their attack and got after it on the defensive end, forcing eight turnovers during the stretch. They took a 38-25 lead into the break and never looked back.

Standout stars….
Daniel Ochefu posted his second straight double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Andrew White III led the Cornhuskers with 18 points. He was 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.

Noteworthy numbers…
Villanova forced 22 turnovers, which they converted into 33 points.

The Wildcats had another sub-par shooting night from long range, making 9-of-30 (30 percent) three-point attempts.

Four different Wildcats scored in double figures: Josh Hart (19), Ochefu (17), Arcidiacono (15), Phil Booth (11)

Up Next…
Villanova vs. East Tennessee State (Nov. 20, 7 p.m.)
Nebraska vs. Delaware State (Nov. 19, 7 p.m.)