Feb 25, 2003

Box Score?|? Notes

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) - Curtis Sumpter had a career-high 21 points and Derrick Snowden added 15 as Villanova easily defeated Miami 75-56 on Tuesday night.

Ricky Wright, playing his last game on campus, had 10 points and 11 rebounds and Andrew Sullivan added 11 rebounds for the Wildcats (15-10, 8-4 Big East), who played the first in a stretch of four games in eight days.

Darius Rice had 15 points and Paulo Coelho added 12 for Miami (10-14, 3-10), which has lost six of its last seven.

The Hurricanes turned the ball over 21 times and made just 19-of-52 ( percent) from the field.

After falling behind 15-9 midway through the first half, the Wildcats scored 21 of the last 25 points of the half to take a 30-19 lead at the break. Sumpter had 12 points in the half to pace Villanova. Miami made just 7-of-28 (25 percent) from the field.

The Wildcats played without Jason Fraser, who will be sidelined for two to four weeks with an injury to his left foot. He started 22 games this season.

Villanova continued to pull away in the second half. Miami got within nine, 32-23, early in the half, but the Wildcats went on a 25-5 run and a steal by Snowden led to a fastbreak dunk to make it 57-28.

The Villanova lead reached 30 when a layup by Marcus Austin made it 61-31 with 9:22 left.