Dec. 23, 2001

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Derrick Snowden scored 19 points, leading seven Villanova players in double figures, as the Wildcats outlasted VMI 104-91 on Saturday.

Gary Buchanan added 17 points for Villanova (6-2), which hit on 37 of 54 shots (68.5 percent), but committed a season-high 31 turnovers.

Jason Conley, who came into the game as the nation's third leading scorer averaging 26 points, had 38 for the Keydets (4-4).

Leading 62-61 with 16:47 to play, Villanova scored 12 straight points and took a 74-61 advantage on a 3-point play by Ricky Wright with 15 minutes left in the game.

VMI closed to 80-72 with 9:48 remaining, but could never get any closer from that point.

Neither team showed much defense in the first half. With 5:20 left, Villanova had hit on 16 of 20 shots, but led by only 46-44. Paced by Buchanan's 14 points, the Wildcats held a 55-53 edge at halftime, despite 24 points by Conley.

Radee Skipworth had 17 points for the Keydets, who connected on only 27 of 76 shots, including 13 of 41 3-point attempts.

It was the first meeting ever between the two schools.