Nova travelled to Creighton and closed out 2016 in the best way possible. In an intense, back-and-forth battle, the Cats prevailed 80-70 to run their record to 14-0 and their winning-streak to 20. Villanova demonstrated their championship mettle and great resiliency in taking down a game Creighton team who showed why they were undefeated entering the game.
As expected, the Creighton crowd was rocking and hungry for their team to make a statement. The Bluejays sprinted out to an early 10-point lead. But Nova recovered, erased the deficit, and set the stage for a back-and-forth finish to the game. A Kris Jenkins three gave Villanova a 1-point lead at the half.
The second half continued to be nip-tuck. Nova opened a 7-point advantage about midway through the half, but Creighton wouldn’t go away, and Villanova took a 2-point lead into the under-4 timeout. From there Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson ensured Nova would emerge victorious.
The Wildcats really clamped down on the defensive end to close the game, contesting Creighton’s looks and causing some turnovers. Hart and Brunson each hit some huge shots down the stretch, and a Brunson steal after a critical Nova turnover all but sealed the victory. Nova was then able to salt the game away from the free throw line.
Speaking of free throws, the Cats were able to shake off the struggles from the charity stripe they suffered during the DePaul game. They shot 12-13 from the line. Nova shot 51% from the field and 37% from three, hitting 10 shots from deep while limiting Creighton to six.
The Nova defense deserves a ton of credit. Creighton entered the game averaging 89.8 points per game. Villanova held them to just 70. The Bluejays were leading the nation in three-point percentage at 44.5 percent. Nova help them to just 25%. They also held Creighton under 50% shooting from the floor. The Cats did an excellent job at dictating the pace for the majority of the game.
Justin Patton had an impressive game against Nova’s undersized frontcourt, with 18 points and 8 rebounds. But the Cats did a great job overall at neutralizing the size advantage for Creighton, and absolutely dominated on the boards, 37-22. Marcus Foster was excellent as well, getting 19 points. But Villanova did an outstanding job limiting Maurice Watson Jr. and Khyri Thomas, who combined for 13 points on 5-16 shooting and 0-7 from three.
Jalen Brunson led the way with 27 points, five assists, and four rebounds, and went on a personal 11-0 run that announced that Nova wasn’t going anywhere. It was great to see Jalen assert himself and demonstrate great leadership and decision making in a huge game. Josh Hart had another double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, along with three assists and two steals. Kris Jenkins added 21. Paschall continued to provide a spark off the bench, chipping in eight points and four rebounds. Bridges did a great job helping on the glass, grabbing seven rebounds.
Nova’s poise was evident in this one. Down 10 in a hostile environment against an incredibly gifted offensive team, there are plenty of teams that would have gotten rattled and risked having things get out of hand. Instead, the Wildcats remained calm, dug in on the defensive end, and patiently and calmly ran their offense.
It all amounts to an impressive road win. Nova now has three wins against the BPI top 25. They are 2-0 in the Big East and have dealt an early blow to the team that appears to be their top competition in the conference. It is Nova’s second true road win over a top 15 opponent, and Nova has again shown they have the talent, toughness and attitude to be a very real threat to repeat as national champions. It was a great way to close out what has been an impressive 2016, and allows the Cats and their fans to enjoy the New Year’s festivities before another stiff test on Wednesday night when Villanova travels to Butler.
