Arcidiacono’s 18 helps Wildcats rally past Purdue
NEW YORK, N.Y. – FacLnJ D VHYHn-SRLnW GHfiFLW with exactly one minute remaining in regulation, Villanova staged a spirited rally to force overtime against Purdue en route to a stirring 89-81 triumph Thursday night, Nov. 15 at Madison Square Garden in a 2K 6SRUWV CODVVLF VHPLfinDO.
Sophomore Darrun Hilliard netted a career-high 22 points, including several key shots in the comeback, and Langhorne’s own Wildcat Ryan Arcidiacono contributed 18 more for Villanova, which pushed its way to 3-0.
“I liked the way we kept fiJKWLnJ DJDLnVW D WRuJK Purdue team,” stated Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “That was a tough, physical game between two young teams. It wasn’t pretty but it was a good step for our team.”
Purdue took an early 6-3 lead before Villanova bounced back with an 8-0 run sparked by a 3-point goal from James Bell and a traditional 3-point play from sophomore JayVaughn Pinkston. The `Cats pushed the advantage to 2013 before the Boilermakers responded with a 9-0 run of its own to even the score with 6:14 to play in the half.
But Arcidiacono connected on a 3-point goal to give Villanova back the lead, 2522. Then, when the freshman guard and product of Neshaminy High School went to the bench after picking up his second foul of the contest with 2:51 to play in the period, the `Cats built on the lead, thanks to the work of Pinkston, who FORVHG WKH fiUVW KDOI wLWK nine points.
Villanova connected on 12-RI-27 (.444) RI LWV fiUVW KDOI fiHOG JRDOV DnG KHOG its own on the boards, collecting one fewer than the Boilermakers (22-21). The `Cats held Purdue to .342 VKRRWLnJ Ln WKH fiUVW KDOI but were harmed by nine turnovers in the period. The Wildcats outscored Purdue 14-6 in extra time. Arcidiacono ended up shooting 3-RI-14 IURP WKH fiHOG.
,n KLV fiUVW WwR JDPHV for Nova, the freshman from Langhorne shot .500 IURP WKH fiHOG, LnFOuGLnJ a 25-point performance against Marshall. Against Alabama in the 2K Sports Classic, he shot 3-of-11 IURP WKH fiHOG DnG wDV 1-RI8 from three-point range.
AIWHU wLnnLnJ WKHLU fiUVW three games, the Wildcats have lost three straight to the Crimson Tide, Columbia and LaSalle.
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