The Explorers dug themselves into quite a big hole early, going down 47-29 at the half. They picked up their effort in the second half, but it was too little too late, as the Wildcats pulled away for the victory.
For the Wildcats, Ennis had a great game, picking up 9 rebounds to go with his 15 points. Five different Wildcats scored in double figures (Ennis, Hilliard, Ochefu, Hart, Pinkston). Just as it has been all season long, the Wildcats relied on an all around team effort instead of looking to one or two scorers to lead the way on offense.
Their defensive effort was intense from the start, going with their usual full court trap. It forced the Explorers to commit 13 turnovers on the game. Taking care of the ball and putting pressure on other teams has been Nova's bread and butter.
Villanova takes on Saint Joseph's at home on Saturday next, while the Explorers will travel to Temple Saturday afternoon. Both teams look to improve their standings in the Big 5 in their next matchups.
By: Dan Goggin
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