VILLANOVA, Pa. — In a thrilling matchup on Wednesday night, Tyler Perkins nailed a decisive three-pointer with just 8 seconds on the clock, leading Villanova to a 73-71 victory over the ninth-ranked St. John’s, effectively putting an end to the Red Storm’s impressive 10-game winning streak.
Wooga Poplar was the standout for the Wildcats, scoring 22 points, while Eric Dixon contributed 17 in what was a significant win for Villanova (15-10, 8-6 Big East), marking their third consecutive victory.
For the Red Storm (21-4, 12-2), Aaron Scott was the leading scorer with 22 points, alongside strong performances from Kadary Richmond, who recorded 17 points and 10 assists, and both Simeon Wilcher and RJ Luis Jr., each scoring 12. St. John’s remains at the top of the Big East standings, holding a narrow lead over No. 24 Creighton, with the two teams scheduled to face off on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
This game was particularly notable for St. John’s, as it represented their first regular-season match as a top-10 team since February 27, 1999, when they also faced defeat against Villanova.
In the contest, St. John’s managed to put together a scoring run, putting up 14 consecutive points capped with a dunk from Luis, which gave them a 62-59 advantage with 6:22 left on the clock.
Key takeaways from the game highlighted St. John’s aspirations for their first Big East regular-season title since 1992; they are in a favorable position to secure a high seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Villanova is looking to make a push for March Madness, with upcoming games that could provide them with opportunities for quality wins against Providence and UConn.
A key moment in the game came when Wilcher made a three-pointer, briefly giving St. John’s a lead at 71-70 with 27.3 seconds remaining, but Perkins responded with his crucial shot to swing the momentum back to the Wildcats. Wilcher attempted another three-point shot just before the final buzzer but was unable to convert.
Statistically, St. John’s struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only 11 of 37 attempts (30%), which was significantly more attempts than their previous highest for the season. They came into the game averaging 29% shooting from three-point range.
Looking ahead, St. John’s will be hosting Creighton on Sunday, aiming to solidify their standing in the Big East. Earlier this season, they narrowly lost to Creighton 57-56 on New Year’s Eve before starting their current winning streak. Villanova, on the other hand, will head to Providence for their next game on Saturday.
