Jan. 2, 2001

Box Score

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) - Michael Bradley scored 22 points and Jermaine Medley hit a crucial 3-pointer with 28 seconds left as Villanova held off Rutgers 67-63 Tuesday night in the Big East opener for both teams.

Gary Buchanan added 19 points for the Wildcats (9-2), while Todd Billet had 22, 16 in the second half, for the Scarlet Knights (8-4).

Villanova led by as many as 13 points in the first half and was up 48-40 with 9:53 to play before Rutgers went on a 10-1 run to take its first lead, 50-49, at the 7:11 mark.

The teams battled evenly from that point on and a 3-pointer by Billet tied the score 60-60 with 1:05 to go.

Medley, who had missed his first seven shots, then hit his big 3-pointer, and Buchanan and Reggie Bryant each made two free throws in the last 15 seconds to clinch the victory.

The Wildcats led 31-22 at halftime, led by Bradley's 12 points. Villanova hit on 12 of 22 shots in the half while Rutgers was 7-of-24 and had 10 turnovers.

Villanova, which led the nation in shooting percentage at 53.6 coming into the game, finished 22-of-42 (52.4 percent), but was only 16-of-30 from the foul line.