Villanova fans have seen this movie before and it's one they'd prefer not to see. For the second time this season, the Wildcats let a double-digit second-half lead against a top 10 team evaporate. This time, it was against No. 6 Purdue after the 'Cats led 57-46 with 9:03 to play. Somehow, that turned into an 80-74 loss.

Early, it looked like things could get out of hand quickly for the 'Cats. Purdue was absolutely dominant on glass, opening an 11-1 advantage on the boards through the first seven minutes. The Boilermakers converted that advantage into a 9-0 lead in second-chance points.

Despite the struggles on the glass, 'Nova was able to keep things close until Purdue ripped off an 8-0 run to take a 21-13 lead. At this point, things felt a bit unsteady and like Villanova was entering the danger zone. However, the 'Cats responded with an 8-0 run of their own to tie the game. From there, the teams traded blows for the final eight minutes, with Purdue leading by as many as five before the Wildcats took a two-point advantage at the break.

Villanova scored the first five points of the second half to open a seven-point lead, but Purdue clawed back to within two minutes later. But the Wildcats responded immediately with an 8-0 run that was extended to 11-2 to establish and 11-point lead. 'Nova maintained that advantage until the 8:41 mark, at which point the wheels would fall off.

A 14-4 run by the Boilermakers cut the lead to one with 5:17 to play, and things would only get worse from there. The run extended to 23-5, and over the course of six minutes an 11-point lead turned into a seven-point deficit. While the Wildcats continued to fight, they would never get closer than four while trailing by 10 a couple times before the final margin settled at six.

It was an incredibly frustrating loss and a big missed opportunity. Beyond that, there's not much to say. Again, this is the second time Villanova has seen a double-digit second-half lead evaporate and turn into a loss. We'll get more into what happened in this latest loss over the next couple days. For now, we're left to lament what could have been while the 'Cats prepare to take on La Salle next Sunday.