Must-win game? This was a must-win game. Having righted itself from a three-game skid, Villanova entered its nationally-televised game against St. John’s in search of securing its spot in the NCAA Tournament. The tourney bid quest felt even bigger than normal, after the Wildcats slipped to a sub-.500 record the year before.Â
But with a little more than two minutes left in the game, the Wildcats and the Red Storm were deadlocked at 60. Enter Malik Allen. Having paid his dues as a freshman, backing up a veteran team, and enduring the disappointment during his sophomore season, he had emerged as a reliable presence for Villanova during his junior season. No surprise, then, that head coach Steve Lappas went to him twice with so much on the line, and less surprise that Allen delivered. He sunk back-to-back jumpers, , helping the Wildcats escape the Red Storm and solidify their way into the tournament field with a 66-60 win.Â
That game was merely emblematic of who Allen became during his Villanova career. A one-time top 100 recruit, he absorbed the bumps that come along with the transition to college, using his time as a backup to understand better what it means to work hard. By his junior season, he was the team’s third-leading scorer and top rebounder, known for his dependability, smarts and grit.Â
It all coalesced in his senior year, when Allen became a stat stuffer for the Wildcats, leading the team in scoring (14.2 points), rebounding (7.4) and blocks (1.8). He earned second team All-Big East honors for his work and helped lead Villanova to yet another 20-win season.Â
Though undrafted out of college, Allen’s work ethic and determination eventually earned him a spot with the Miami Heat. He played more than 150 games with the Heat and enjoyed a 10-year professional career before retiring in 2011.
