Justin Moore scored 18 points and Collin Gillespie added 14 as No. 6 Villanova defeated Syracuse 67-53 in the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday in New York City.
Jermaine Samuels contributed 13 points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats (7-2), who took a program-record 50 shots from beyond the 3-point arc but hit just 13. Caleb Daniels chipped in with 11 points for Villanova, which won its fourth in a row.
Jimmy Boeheim led the Orange (5-4) with 21 points while Joseph Girard III added 11. Buddy Boeheim was held to six points on 3-of-15 shooting. Cole Swider, a former Villanova standout, swept 12 rebounds and Jesse Edwards blocked three shots.
Syracuse had its two-game winning streak snapped.
The Orange led 29-26 at halftime thanks in large part to Jimmy Boeheim's 11 points.
Jimmy Boeheim drove to the basket and scored with 10:17 left in the first half for a 20-16 Syracuse lead.
Villanova missed 14 of its first 20 shots but still trailed by just three when deep reserve Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree made 1 of 2 free throws with 7:57 left in the half.
When Moore dropped in a 3-pointer with 5:11 remaining, the Wildcats cut the deficit to 22-20.
Jimmy Boeheim responded with a tough jumper on Syracuse's next possession for a four-point advantage.
The Wildcats made their first two shots of the second half -- a trey by Gillespie and a layup by Samuels -- to tie the game at 31. Consecutive jumpers by Moore gave Villanova a 35-31 lead.
Girard came back with a 3-pointer to pull the Orange within one. Edwards soon converted a three-point play with 15:33 left to give Syracuse a 39-37 advantage.
The Wildcats regained the lead, 46-45, with 11:51 remaining after Gillespie knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Moore and Gillespie each added a trey and the Wildcats' lead was seven.
Buddy Boeheim responded with a runner in the lane to close within 55-49 with 7:31 to go. Jimmy Boeheim scored in the low post on Syracuse's next possession to get within four.
But Villanova moved back ahead 61-51 thanks to some suffocating defense and a dunk by Samuels with 4:16 left.
--Field Level Media
Villanova | Syracuse | |
Justin Moore 18 | Scoring | Jimmy Boeheim 21 |
Collin Gillespie 5 | Assists | Joseph Girard III 3 |
Jermaine Samuels 9 | Rebounds | Cole Swider 12 |
Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree 3 | Free Throws Made | Jesse Edwards 8 |
Collin Gillespie 3 | Steals | Jimmy Boeheim 1 |
Jermaine Samuels 2 | Blocks | Jesse Edwards 3 |