Villanova rolls over Tennessee
UNCASVILLE, CONN. » The game between Villanova and Tennessee was billed as a classic matchup between the Wildcats veteran leader, Collin Gillespie, and the Volunteers’ young star-of-the-future, Kennedy Chandler.
This one went to the old man. Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels, and Brandon Slater each scored 14 points as No. 5 Villanova eased to a 71-53 win over No. 17 Tennessee on Saturday in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament.
Justin Moore added 13 points for the Wildcats (3-1), who had a 20-point lead at halftime.
Santiago Vescovi scored 23 points for Tennessee (2-1. He was the only Volunteer to get to double figures. Chandler was held to six points on 1-of-9 shooting.
“When you’re that guy (Gillespie) they are coming at every night and you’re trying to just lead your team and not get into a one-on-one, that’s a hard thing to do,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said.
Villanova scored the game’s first nine points, holding Tennessee without a basket for over six minutes. The Volunteers missed their first six shots before Vescovi made a 3-pointer from the right wing.
A dunk from Samuels, who had 11 rebounds, on a lob pass from Justin Moore capped a 14-0 first-half run that pushed the Villanova lead to 33-11. A break-away dunk by Moore just before the halftime buzzer sent the Wildcats into intermission with a 35-15 lead.
Vescovi tried to get the Vols back into the game by himself n the second half, scoring all eight points during a Tennessee run that cut a 22-point deficit to 17. But he picked up his fourth foul a few seconds later and the Wildcats’ lead was never challenged.
LA SALLE 61, ARMY 58 » Jhamir Brickus registered 14 points as La Salle (2-2) edged Army (3-2).
Khalil Brantley had 12 points for the Explorers. Haverford School All-Delco Christian Ray added 10 points and eight rebounds. Clifton Moore blocked six shots. MONMOUTH 87, SAINT JOSEPH’S 75 » Shavar Reynolds Jr. scored a career-high 25 points as Monmouth (3-1) topped Saint Joseph’s (2-2). Marcus McClary added 24 points and seven rebounds for Monmouth.
Jordan Hall scored a career-high 24 points and had 10 rebounds and five assists for Saint Joseph’s. Taylor Funk added 16 points and Erik Reynolds II had 13.