Villanova Shocks No. 9 St. John’s in Thrilling Big East Showdown

Villanova, Pennsylvania – In an electrifying game on Wednesday night, Villanova’s men’s basketball team stunned the visiting No. 9 St. John’s, pulling off a 73-71 victory that snapped the Red Storm’s impressive 10-game winning streak. This important Quadrant 1 win for the Wildcats was a nail-biter that saw a total of 11 lead changes and eight ties.

Midway through the second half, it looked like Villanova was in control, leading 59-48. However, under the guidance of coach Rick Pitino, St. John’s rallied back with a 14-0 run in less than four minutes, putting the pressure on the home crowd. But Villanova’s leading scorer, Eric Dixon, quickly turned the tide with back-to-back three-pointers, scoring a crucial 12 points in the second half.

As the game wound down, both teams exchanged blows, with St. John’s Simeon Wilcher hitting a go-ahead three-pointer with just 28 seconds left on the clock. Villanova’s Tyler Perkins then took matters into his own hands, sinking a clutch three-pointer with nine seconds remaining, giving the Wildcats a 73-71 lead and sending the crowd at Finneran Pavilion into a frenzy.

St. John’s had one last chance to tie or win, but Wilcher’s final shot missed as time expired. With this victory, Villanova improved to 15-10 overall and 8-6 in the Big East, extending their winning streak to three games. They will look to continue their momentum on the road against Providence this Saturday.

As for St. John’s, they remain at the top of the Big East standings with a record of 21-4 and 12-2 in the conference. They are set to face Creighton this coming Sunday in a highly anticipated matchup.

Meanwhile, in Lubbock, Texas, college basketball followers were treated to another thriller as the Red Raiders edged out Arizona State 111-106 in a double-overtime barnburner. In a game that featured an astonishing 18 lead changes and shooting over 50% from the field for both teams, JT Toppin starred for Texas Tech with a season-high 41 points.

The drama didn’t end there, as the Red Raiders held steady to secure this key victory, improving to 19-5 and 10-3 in the Big 12, sitting alone in third place.

With thrilling matchups continuing in both conferences, fans can expect more excitement as teams vie for top positions as the regular season comes to a close.