Villanova Wins A Big Five Thriller Over La Salle

PHILADLEPHIA, PA. 12/1/2018 –  Welcome to December.  The month begins with a Big Five game at the Palestra between the #23 Villanova Wildcats and the La Salle Explorers.  It is the city series opener for Villanova and second game of the local rivalry for La Salle.  Welcome back to a Big Five thriller at the Palestra.  Nova wins it 85 – 78 in a game much closer than the final score indicated.

There was some magic in the air.  An upset seemed possible.  The Explorers were within a possession with just over a minute to play at 79 – 76.  But the experience of the nationally ranked Nova team took over down the stretch as they made 5 of 6 free throws to stay in front, and gave up just one more basket.

“It’s a Big Five game, what can I say?,” said Villanova Coach Jay Wright.  “It’s exciting.  It’s a special experience.  Once the game comes crazy things are going to happen and you try to prepare our team for that.  Our young guys got a taste of that in this game.”

Collin Gillespie with 2 of his 15 Points for Villanova

From the start it was apparent that no team was going to run away with the win.  The Explorers were without three players including leading scorer Pookie Powell and top rebounder Jared Kimbrough.  Guard Traci Carter stepped in to score a team-high 17 points.  In the first half La Salle had six consecutive three-point baskets to take a 12-point lead with just under four and a half minutes to halftime.  Villanova answered with three in a row from beyond the arc to stay in contention and the 13 – 4 run got them to within 42 – 39 at intermission.

“That offensive run was really important,” Wright said.

Nova would get ahead at the 12:44 mark on a four-point play by Saddiq Bey followed by a traditional three-point score by Eric Paschall who scored a season-high 27 points.  It seemed like the Cats had control.  But, with just under 6 minutes to play the Explorers got to within a single point twice, but each time the Wildcats had an answer.

“A tough game, a classic Big Five battle where you have the defending national champions playing a team battling to get better and get their first win,” said La Salle Coach Ashley Howard.  “All of that goes out the window.  It was a dogfight to the end.”

In addition to Paschall Villanova had two other double-figures scorers in Phil Booth with 19 and Collin Gillespie who posted 15 points and a team-best 5 assists.  The experienced players showed the way, just like they learned in previous years.

“We knew they were going to make runs,” Booth said.  “We knew they were going to make shots.  This happens.  You have to play hard and go after it.”

Traci Carter Who Scored 17 Points for La Salle

Carter added 8 assists to his total.  Isaiah Deas scored 15 points.  Sophomore David Beatty contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds.

Both teams shot over 50% for the game.

The Wildcats (5 – 2, 1 – 0) have won the last five Big Five Championships.  This game was the first of four consecutive city series games on the schedule.  These teams met last year at the Wells Fargo Center with Nova coming away with a 77 – 68 victory, the closest local game for the Cats.  That was then.  This is now.  Explorers Coach Ashley Howard was an assistant at Villanova under Jay Wright.  He is on the opposing bench.

La Salle (0 – 7, 0 – 2) is looking for their first win of the season.  With efforts such as this one, it will come.

Boxscore

Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com

A Crowd of 6,522 at The Palestra

3 Comments

  1. Palestra Magic was on full display on during this game. LaSalle gave Nova everything they can handle…good for LaSalle and their coach Ashley Howard. Once they get back their injured players this team will be solid in the new year. Nova hung tough…team is starting to come together…would like to see more ball movement. S.Bey is a player…Cosby-Roundtree is Harold Pressley reincarnate.

    • The young Explorers, Clark and Croswell stepped up in this game. Villanova is starting to come together, and will continue to jell as the season progresses. It should be two interesting next games for the Wildcats. Will Temple, Saint Joseph’s end the Nova Big Five streak? They have a chance.

  2. I agree…LaSalle will continue to improve. Nice win vs Temple but think Big 5 title still is not a certainty with the Hawks lurking. But more important is the fact that Big 5 Teams seem solid which means great games!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*