Villanova closed the game on a 22-1 run to take a 73-65 win over Butler Wednesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Eric Dixon led the victors with 28 points.
With the win, Villanova improves to 9-5 and 2-1 in BIG EAST play, while Butler falls to 7-7 (0-3).
FLOW OF THE GAME:
Neither team led by more than five points over the first 28 minutes of the contest.
Jahmyl Telfort scored the final 11 points of a Butler 13-3 run that gave the Bulldogs a 52-44 advantage with 10:57 remaining in the game.
Butler’s lead would max out at 13 as Patrick McCaffery’s driving layup gave the Bulldogs a 64-51 lead with 6:03 remaining. Unfortunately for Butler, that would be the final made field goal of the night for the home team.
As Butler missed their final nine attempts of the contest, Villanova responded by making six of their final seven attempts to conclude the closing 22-1 run.
POINTS OF EMPHASIS:
Dixon, the nation’s leading scorer at 25.8 points per game entering the new year, scored his 28 points on 10-for-20 shooting. He made five of his 10 attempts from three-point range, matching his season percentage of 50 percent, which entered the night sixth nationally.
Telfort recorded his second double-double of the season and the third of his career with 25 points and 10 rebounds. He handed out a game-high six assists.
Both teams shot 42 percent from the field, but the Bulldogs were over 50 percent for much of the game until the closing stretch.
Butler uncharacteristically shot only 52 percent from the free throw line (12-23) after entering the game at 76.7 percent.
Villanova held a 43-30 rebounding edge, led by Wooga Poplar’s 15 and Enoch Boakye adding 14.
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs travel to Queens, N.Y. for a Saturday afternoon tip against St. John’s, which is receiving votes in both national polls this week. The game at Carnesecca Arena is scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip on FS1. Fans can listen to Butler Basketball Live featuring Mark Minner and Nick Gardner via the Varsity Network app and other platforms.
Butler’s next home game is Saturday, Jan. 11 against Creighton. Tickets are still available for the noon tip, which is Butler’s annual IMS Checker Out game.