|
Villanova Pulls Away from Xavier Behind Hot Shooting at Finneran Pavilion
By
Musketeer Madness,
3/7/2026
The Xavier Musketeers men's basketball battled early but could not keep pace with a sharp-shooting Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team Saturday afternoon, falling 91–78 at Finneran Pavilion.
Villanova used efficient offense and strong interior play to build a first-half cushion and maintain control throughout the game. The Wildcats shot 56.5 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three-point range, helping them improve to 24–7 overall and 15–5 in the Big East. Xavier dropped to 14–17 overall and 6–14 in conference play.
Xavier struck first when Malik Messina-Moore scored on a fastbreak layup, but Villanova quickly settled in behind its frontcourt presence. Duke Brennan dominated the paint with 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, helping the Wildcats surge to a double-digit lead midway through the first half.
A series of three-pointers from Devin Askew and Tyler Perkins extended Villanova’s advantage to as many as 19 points before Xavier trimmed the deficit late. The Musketeers closed the half with a small run capped by a jumper from Roddie Anderson III at the buzzer to make it 44–32 at halftime.
Xavier made several pushes in the second half, cutting the margin to single digits on multiple occasions. Jovan Milicevic led the Musketeers with 21 points, including several timely three-pointers that briefly sparked a comeback attempt. Filip Borovicanin and Messina-Moore added 14 points apiece, while Isaiah Walker contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
But each surge was answered by Villanova’s balanced attack. Perkins caught fire from deep, hitting six three-pointers on his way to 18 points, while Askew also scored 18 and dished out seven assists. Acaden Lewis orchestrated the offense with 12 assists to go with 14 points.
After Xavier cut the deficit to six midway through the second half, Villanova responded with a decisive run highlighted by back-to-back threes from Perkins and a fastbreak triple by Askew that pushed the lead back to double digits.
The Musketeers continued to compete down the stretch, but Villanova’s shooting and rebounding advantage—39 to 28 on the glass—proved too much to overcome.
Xavier shot 40.9 percent from the field and made 10 three-pointers while going a perfect 14-for-14 from the free-throw line, but the Wildcats’ efficiency ultimately sealed the result.
The loss closes the regular season for Xavier as the Musketeers turn their focus to the upcoming Big East Tournament which begins on Wednesday.
|
|
