Gillespie’s fast start enables ’Nova to outpace St. John’s
Collin Gillespie had one of the worst games of his career the last time Villanova played St. John’s. The 6-3 senior guard scored just four points, missed all eight of his
3-point attempts and tied a career-high with six turnovers in an
11-point loss to the Red Storm. He didn’t let that happen again. Gillespie set the tone early as the No. 8 Wildcats avenged that loss to St. John’s with an 81-58 victory over the Red Storm Tuesday night at the Pavilion.
Gillespie scored 10 points as Villanova (15-3 overall, 10-2 Big East) built an early 20-9 advantage eight minutes into the game. He hit 4 of
5 from the field during that stretch, including both three-point attempts. He did not score in the first half after that, only playing nine minutes because of foul trouble.
But that fast start, combined with a smothering defense enabled the Wildcats to dictate the tempo and keep the Red Storm’s fast-paced offense at bay, something Villanova was not able to do in the first meeting.
“He is our heart and soul,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said of Gillespie. “He’s our engine. To see him come out like that, so tough, so aggressive and that’s what colleges athletics are all about. He had a tough game against them the last time and he comes back with great confidence, and not trying to do it all on his own, just getting other people shots and making the right plays. That’s what’s amazing about him. It’s the sign of a great leader.”.
The Wildcats were much more aggressive and physical on the defensive end and it showed in the box score. St. John’s shot just 36 percent overall, 13 percent from 3-point range and committed 16 turnovers. The Red Storm had only seven points off turnovers and eight fast break points.
“We’re getting better defensively,” Wright said.
Gillespie finished with 14 points and was an efficient 5-for-8 overall and 2-for-3 from deep. He also had five assists and three rebounds.
“I was trying to do it on the defensive end and other guys were doing a great job of making plays,” Gillespie said of his fast start. “I was just trying to be aggressive, catch and shoot.”
Caleb Daniels led the attack with 17 points. Jermaine Samuels contributed 14 points, nine boards and four assists. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl pitched in with 12 points and six rebounds.
Julian Champagnie led the Red Storm (14-10, 8-9) with 16 points.
Isaih Moore chipped in with 10.
While Gillespie set the early offensive pace, it was the defense that allowed the Wildcats to build a
20-point lead before taking a 42-25 advantage into the locker room at halftime. Much of the focus was on Champagnie and Posh Alexander, who had combined for 30 points in the Red Storm’s 70-59 victory over the Wildcats on Feb. 3.
The Wildcats held Champagnie, the leading scorer in the Big East, to six points in the first half. He shot just 1-for-9 and did not make his first field goal until there were
31 seconds left in the half. Alexander struggled, too. The odds-on favorite to win Freshman of the Year honors in the Big East had just four points at the break on 2-for-6 shooting (0-for-3 from
3-point range).
No one else was able to pick up the slack for the Red Storm. St. John’s shot just 29 percent overall (9-for-31) and 15.4 percent from deep (2-for-13).
The Red Storm also turned the ball over eight times, which the Wildcats turned into seven points.
Villanova was patient on offense and spread the ball around. Gillespie had 10 at the break. Daniels finished with nine, Robinson-Earl eight, Samuels seven and Brandon Slater six.
Samuels scored all the points in a 9-2 run to start the second half. Moore scored all eight of his points after the break as the Wildcats built a 62-36 lead and held the Red Storm to their lowest point total of the season.
•••
NOTES » Sophomore guard Bryan Antoine saw his most significant action of the season. He scored three points, grabbed three rebounds and handed out two assists in 11 minutes, the most since he saw 20 minutes against Marquette last season. … Slater had another strong game for the Wildcats. He finished with six points, five rebounds and three assists in 22 minutes.
TAMPA, FLA. » All-Star center Joel Embiid didn’t get his hands on the ball much in the first half Tuesday night, but his Philadelphia teammates made the Toronto Raptors pay in the 76ers’ 109-102 victory.
Tobias Harris scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter after the 76ers built a big early lead with long-range shooting, ending Toronto’s four-game winning streak.
“I thought we had a chance for a high-scoring game when they took the ball out of Joel’s hands, but I thought our guys played well,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. “The turnovers (18) hurt us, no doubt, but we made great decisions and that’s how you win games.”
Embiid made only 3 of 13 shots and finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and six turnovers. Furkan Korkmanz had 19 points and made five of Philadelphia’s 17 3-pointers and shot 17 for 38 (44.7%) from behind the arc while the Raptors were denying Embiid the ball.
“I should have run a better rotation scheme, let’s leave it at that,” Toronto coach Nick Nurse said.
Normal Powell led the Raptors with 24 points. Pascal Siakam added 22 and Fred VanVleet had 12 points, eight rebounds and eight
assists.
Ben Simmons, who was named by the coaches to the Eastern Conference All-Star team Tuesday night, finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the 76ers.
“I’m the type of guy who can do a lot of things on the floor, and I’m glad the coaches can see that and
appreciate that,” he said. “Defensive Player of the Year, that’s what I want to win this year, and I should be in it.”
Korkmanz scored 16 points in the first quarter and the 76ers led by 21 after Harris’ layup completed a 7-0 run midway through the second quarter.
The 76ers led by 16 early in the
fourth quarter, but Terence Davis scored three straight baskets and Siakam scored twice on an 18-8 run that got the margin down to six with 5:05 left.
Harris responded with a couple of inside shots and a 3-pointer, and Embid scored on a tip and two free throws to restore a 17-point Philadelphia lead with 1:48 left.