INDIANAPOLIS — The longest winning streak in Villanova history was snapped Wednesday night.
No. 18 Butler defeated No. 1 Villanova, 66-58, ending the Wildcats’ 20-game winning streak.
Butler trailed by as many as eight points, and at one point during the first half went as long as six minutes without a field goal. But the Wildcats never capitalized on the Bulldogs’ shortcomings, allowing Butler to pull close with several scoring runs, sending the soldout crowd at Hinkle Fieldhouse into a frenzy each time. Butler used an 11-2 run with less than five minutes to play to ultimately take the lead for good.
Villanova (14-1, 2-1 Big East) turned it over just six times in the game, but two came in the final 1:50 when Kris Jenkins attempted a cross-court pass that was stolen and Josh Hart had the ball swiped by Kamar Baldwin, who followed with an up-and-under reverse layup for a six-point Butler lead.
The Wildcats still had a slim chance in the final minute, as they trailed by six with 22 seconds remaining. However, Donte DiVincenzo’s three-pointer from the wing missed off the side of the rim and Butler (13-2, 2-1 Big East) made both free throws on the ensuing possession after a Villanova foul, shutting the door for good on the ‘Cats.
Jalen Brunson led all Wildcats in scoring with 23 points on 9 of 16 shooting. Hart finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Butler’s Andrew Chrabascz and Kethan Savage scored 13 points apiece.
First half
Despite leading by as many as eight points in the first half, the Wildcats missed a huge opportunity to run away with the game early and pin an insurmountable deficit on the Bulldogs. Butler turned the ball over five times in the first four minutes, but the Wildcats couldn’t cash in on the freebies, unable to turn each of the turnovers into points on the other end of the floor.
Villanova and Butler were then tied at seven when the Wildcats went on their 8-0 run to lead, 15-7, with 11 minutes to play. During that run, Butler was in the midst of a horrid shooting performance. The Bulldogs went nearly six minutes without a field goal and five minutes without a single point. During that time frame, Villanova had ample opportunity to lead by double digits, but struggled to turn the Bulldogs’ misery into the Wildcats’ good fortune.
Boiling point
Jay Wright paced back and forth for much of the first 10 minutes of Wednesday night’s game, picking and choosing his battles with the referees. Then, at the 8:31 mark in the first half, Mikal Bridges air-balled a jumper from the free throw line. Wright walked onto the floor to dispute the air ball, arguing that it had been tipped, when the referee nearest to the Wildcats’ bench whistled Wright for the technical foul. Wright had to be restrained by several coaches and players until he was back at the Villanova bench.
Turning point
After trading baskets for almost the entire second half, Butler and Villanova reached the inevitable breaking point of the game.
With less than five minutes remaining in the game, Butler trailed Villanova, 50-47. Over the next three minutes, the Bulldogs would open up an 11-2 run that ultimately did the Wildcats in. Butler’s Savage scored seven of his 13 points during Butler’s 11-2 run. Savage fouled out with 1:40 to play.
A new rivalry?
Don’t look now, but Villanova-Butler has become one of the best Big East matchups, especially when the Wildcats travel to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The three previous meetings at Hinkle were decided by five points or less. In 2013, Villanova escaped with a 76-73 win over the Bulldogs. In 2015, the Wildcats needed a three-pointer on their final possession to knock off Butler, 68-65. Last season, Hart’s 22 points and 11 rebounds propelled Villanova to a 60-55 win.
Wednesday night’s upset of No.1 Villanova was Butler’s first-ever win over the Wildcats.
Up next
Villanova will host Marquette on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center.