Villanova secures biggest win of the Kyle Neptune era vs. UConn
By SAM LANCE
In November, Villanova was 3-4 and looked to be in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for a third-straight season under Kyle Neptune. But on Wednesday, the Wildcats grabbed a much-needed 68-66 win over UConn to move to 11-5 and 8-1 in their last nine games after struggling the first month of the season.
This is the biggest win of the Neptune era and likely puts Villanova on the right side of the bubble if the season ended today.
The @BIGEASTMBB is great basketball!!! @UConnMBB hit every big shot !! @NovaMBB had an answer every time ! @kyleneptune and his Cats are growing ! Uconn is legit !!! One of the best games of the year !
— Jay Wright (@CoachJayWright) January 9, 2025
Senior big man Eric Dixon scored 23 points while shooting just 6-of-20 from the field. Senior guard Wooga Poplar was also big in this one, scoring 18 points including 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Senior guard Jordan Longino was the other Wildcat in double-figures with 12 points.
Villanova was up just one point late in the game when senior forward Alex Karaban headed to the line for UConn with a chance to take the lead. However, he missed both free throws and Villanova was able to seal the deal. UConn shot just 2-of-4 from the line for the game, while Villanova shot 12-of-13.
Alex Karaban missed BOTH free throws with a chance to win the game… pic.twitter.com/1RHmovR38k
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) January 9, 2025
UConn falls to 12-4 and 4-1 in the Big East. The Huskies have another huge game against Georgetown on the road on Saturday.
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