No. 11 Villanova 57, St. John's 54: Darrun Hilliard scored 18 points as the Wildcats snapped the visiting Red Storm's six-game winning streak.

Ryan Arcidiacono hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with just over 3 1/2 minutes to play and finished with 12 points as Villanova (24-3, 12-2 Big East) won for the eighth time in nine games and improved to 11-1 in the last 12 meetings against St. John's (18-10, 8-7). James Bell added nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks to help the Wildcats complete a season sweep of the Red Storm.

D'Angelo Harrison scored 15 points and freshman Rysheed Jordan added 13 to pace St. John's, which lost for only the second time in 11 games and squandered an opportunity to move into sole possession of third place in the Big East. JaKarr Sampson just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds for the Red Storm.

Villanova used a 10-2 burst to open a six-point lead early in the second half but St. John's clawed back to tie it before Arcidiacono banked in a 3-pointer as the shot clock was winding down to make it 53-50 with 3:44 remaining. A drive by Harrison was answered by single free throws by Daniel Ochefu and Arcidiacono for a 56-53 edge with 11.4 seconds to play and the Red Storm were unable to get off a tying 3-point attempt.

The Wildcats scored the game's first eight points but the Red Storm answered with a 9-0 spurt in a first half that was otherwise tight throughout and ended with Villanova clinging to a 28-27 lead. Center Chris Obekpa gave St. John's a scare when he appeared to aggravate his ankle injury and limped off with 5:27 to play but he returned moments later.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Obekpa, the leading shot blocker in the Big East, was expected to miss 10-14 days after spraining his right ankle last Monday and his surprise start was a boost because backup C Orlando Sanchez missed the game after his wife gave birth to a baby girl. ... Ochefu grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to help the Wildcats control the glass 41-33. ... Jordan, a schoolboy star from Philadelphia, also had six rebounds and five turnovers while playing in front of about 40 family members and friends in attendance.