Villanova

The Wildcats threw the ball away with 11.2 seconds that gave KU possession and two looks at the basket. Dotson missed a contested layup on the final shot as the clock expired and Kansas’ nine- game winning streak ended.

Samuels scored 15 points and Gillespie had 12 for Villanova.

Dotson led KU with 15 points and Udoka Azubuike had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The game was full of long scoring lulls followed by rapid-fire baskets, but each team at last got rolling over the final eight minutes. Samuels sank a 3 as the shot clock expired for a 46- 44 lead and Gillespie made it 51- 49 on a 3 that came on the third shot of the possession.

The crowd at Wells Fargo Center was treated to riveting game between two schools that know how to win big games.

But the first half, however, was a dud. Villanova shot 29 percent and KU 37 percent, but the paltry percentages were due more to two teams missing open looks than any sort of defensive struggle.

The Wildcats made it a game with their one surge that had a packed house roaring. Cole Swider hit a 3, Cole Swider scored a fastbreak layup off a turnover and Justin Moore buried a 3, an 8- 0 run that gave the Wildcats a onepoint lead.

But from there — as a saying in Philly college basketball goes — “bad hoops.” And this fit the definition, missed 3s, missed layups — and so many missed opportunities for either team to pull away.

KU- Vi l l anova has turned into one of the better nonconference rivalries since the turn of the century. Kansas beat Villanova in 2008 in the NCAA Tournament on the way to the national title; Nova got the Jayhawks back in 2016 and 2018 with tourney wins on its road to two national championships. right ankle fractures in an accident at Céspedes’ ranch in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where the club’s spring training complex is located.

New York withheld part of Céspedes’ salary, alleging he was hurt during an activity prohibited by his contract’s guarantee language. The players’ association filed a grievance, and the sides settled on an amended contract before the case was argued.

As part of the new deal

agreed to Dec. 13, Céspedes’ 2019 pay was cut from $29 million to $22.9 million. Information sent to teams this year listed his pay as $14.8 million, so the amended contract appears to indicate he is receiving about $8 million more for this year than the Mets originally paid.

If Céspedes doesn’t start next season on the injured list because of a right foot or ankle injury tied to his May 18 injury, his base salary would escalate to $11 million. His base pay would rise to $11 million as soon as he is on the active roster or on the IL for a non

related injury.

A two-time All- Star, the 34-year- old won a Gold Glove in 2015 and a Silver Slugger the following year. He has played in only 119 games in the first three seasons of the contract, just 38 since the end of the 2017 season.

He was out between April 27 and June 10 in 2017 with a strained left hamstring, then did not play after Aug. 25 because of a strained right hamstring. He was sidelined between May 13 and July 20 in 2018 by a strained right hip flexor, homered at Yankee Stadium in his return,

then went back on the DL.

He had surgery to remove bone calcification from his right heel on Aug. 2, 2018, and his left that Oct. 26. Minor league instructor and former Mets player Endy Chavez posted and then deleted video on Nov. 19 of Céspedes taking swings.

Next season, Céspedes can earn $9 million based on plate appearances: $250,000 each for 200, 250 and 275; $500,000 apiece for 300, 350, 375 and 400; $750,000 each for 425, 450 and 475; and $1 million apiece for 525, 550, 575 and 650