https://vine.co/v/OE52JE3uZjj
PHILADELPHIA — Villanova will head into the postseason as red-hot as any team in the nation not named Kentucky.
After a close first half, the No. 4 Wildcats destroyed visiting St. John’s, 105-68, at Wells Fargo Center for their 12th straight win. Villanova’s last loss came Jan. 19 at Georgetown.
After taking a 40-38 halftime lead, Villanova outscored St. John’s 65-30 in the second half. The Wildcats committed just three turnovers in the game, none in the second half.
“Villanova played lights out,” Johnnies coach Steve Lavin said. “There’s a reason they’re 29-2 and a have a No. 1 seed all but locked up.”
Daniel Ochefu went for 21 points and 9 rebounds, JayVaughn Pinkston had 18 and 6 and Dylan Ennis scored 17 points. Darren Hilliard added 14 points and Josh Hart had 13.
“I think we’re playing as well as anybody in the country, I really do,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “I think we can beat anybody in the country, and I think we can get beat by a lot of teams.”
http://web.sny.tv/media/video.jsp?content_id=42357383
St. John’s, which played without junior big man Chris Obekpa (ankle) and senior guard Jamal Branch (groin), saw their four-game winning streak snapped but have still won 7-of-9 entering the postseason. Lavin said he learned Saturday morning that Obekpa was “not at full strength and it didn’t make sense to risk further damage.”
“If they’re injured it doesn’t make sense to put them in harm’s way and potentially do long-term damage,” Lavin said. “I have confidence with a full week now…we at least position our kids to be closer to full strength [for the Big East Tournament].”
Philadelphia native Rysheed Jordan led the Red Storm with 21 points and 8 assists — including the nasty dunk above — and Phil Greene IV added 16 points and D’Angelo Harrison had 15.
“I think when Obekpa’s playing, Branch is playing, everybody’s healthy, you run into that team in the Big East Tournament, that’s gonna be a tough matchup,” Wright said of St. John’s.
Lavin said he’s not worried that such a lop-sided loss will hurt their NCAA Tournament chances, which had appeared all but locked up.
“Our team knows, even with our 0-3 start in the league…you just gotta keep playing, it’s the best team in the country on their home floor,” Lavin said.
The teams could meet again in Friday night’s Big East Tournament semifinals assuming both win their quarterfinal matches.
Villanova (29-2, 16-2 Big East) was locked into the No. 1 seed coming into the game. They are also listed as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.
In the last two Big East seasons, Villanova has gone 32-4.
“They’re playing at a very high level, they’re playing the best basketball of any team in the country,” Lavin said of Villanova.
The Wildcats will face the winner of the 8/9 game in the first Big East quarterfinal at noon on Thursday.
“We love the Big East Tournament, it’s important to us and we want to do well,” Wright said.
St. John’s (21-10, 10-8) is the No. 5 seed and will play No. 4 Providence at about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. The Friars lost earlier Saturday to Butler, 68-64.
“We play Providence so we gonna go back to the drawing board and get ready for Providence,” Greene IV said.
FREE THROWS
Lavin said Villanova point guard Ryan Arcidiacono “deserves” the Big East Player of the Year award. An informal SNY.tv poll of Big East head coaches indicated Villanova’s Darrun Hillard will win.
