No. 1 Villanova crushes Georgetown
WASHINGTON » Top-ranked Villanova led by as many as 44 points — 44! — and gave Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing a rude welcome back to the schools’ rivalry, handing the Hoyas their worst loss in more than 40 years, 88-56 on Wednesday night.
Jalen Brunson led the way with 18 points and seven assists for Villanova (17-1, 5-1 Big East), which finished 17 for 33 on 3s, while Georgetown went 4 for 15.
Mikal Bridges scored 17 for the Wildcats, winners of seven consecutive games against the Hoyas, Villanova’s longest streak in a series that dates to 1922.
The last time Ewing faced Villanova in any capacity was in the last game of his college playing career at Georgetown, a surprising 66-64 victory for the underdog Wildcats in the 1985 NCAA championship game. It was quite clear, quite quickly, on Wednesday that there would be no such tight outcome —nor any chance of an upset by Georgetown (12-6, 2-5).
RUTGERS 80, IOWA 64 PISCATAWAY » Corey Sanders scored 18 points, Geo Baker finished with 17 and the Scarlet Knights (12-8, 2-5) beat the Hawkeyes (10-10, 1-6).
Rutgers shot 52.7 percent and made seven of its 17 attempts from beyond the arc. Its 80 points were a season-high in a Big Ten contest.
Issa Thiam added 16 points and Deshawn Freeman had 14 for Rutgers, which had lost five of its last six.
Jordan Bohannon had 23 points for Iowa, which couldn’t rally from a 17-point deficit like it did in its previous game — a 20-point comeback to beat Illinois in overtime.
TCNJ 98, RUTGERS-CAMDEN 88
EWING » Randy Walko scored 24 points, Eric Murdock Jr. added 17 to go with eight assists and the Lions (13-3, 8-1) took care of the Scarlet Raptors (3-13, 1-9) in an up and down contest.
Both teams made 31 field goals and 15 3s, but the difference came at the free throw line where TCNJ was 21-for-27 and Rutgers-Camden was 11-for-15.
Ryan Jensen finished with 16 pints and Joe Montano added 13 for the Lions, who have won four in a row.