Jan. 28, 2006
Villanova (15-2, 6-1) vs. Notre Dame (10-8, 1-6)
FINAL SCORE: Villanova 72, Notre Dame 70
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Joyce Center (South Bend, Ind.)GAME NOTES
Junior guard Mike Nardi scored 15 points in the first half, his highest career total for points in one half. Nardi made 5-of-8 field goals in the opening period, including 4-of-6 three-pointers and 1-of-2 free throws. The scoring outburst by Nardi eclipsed by one points the 14 points he scored in the first half against West Virginia on January 8. In that game, Nardi wound up scoring 23 points on the strength of a career-best 7-of-8 three-point shooting. Tonight, Nardi finished with 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the floor, 5-of-11 from three-point range, and 3-of-4 free throws.
Villanova took a 35-34 lead into the intermission, thanks mostly to a 16-5 run late in the half. With the Wildcats struggling from the floor, Notre Dame built a 24-17 lead with 5:18 to play before halftime. However, the Wildcats came storming back and led 33-29 after a fast-break slam dunk by senior guard Allan Ray with 1:04 on the clock.
In the second half, the teams traded big runs until the closing minutes of the game. Villanova outscored the Fighting Irish 19-5 during one stretch early in the period and opened a 59-42 lead with 10:42 to play. Notre Dame went scoreless for 6:30 at one point during that run, missing six straight shots. However, the Wildcats were then victim to a 24-4 run by the Fighting Irish, who led 66-63 with 1:38 left. Villanova scored just four points in a span of 9:18 until senior guard Randy Foye made two free throws to make the score 66-65.
After being whistled for seven fouls in the first 10 minutes of the game and putting the Fighting Irish in the bonus midway through the opening period, the Wildcats committed just one more foul over the final 10:18 of the half, and finished with eight fouls in the first 20 minutes.
Senior guard Allan Ray returned to the lineup after sitting out against University of South Florida with an injury on Tuesday night. It was the first-ever game that Ray missed during his four-year career. Tonight against Notre Dame, Ray scored 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-6 three-pointers, in 37 minutes on the floor.
Senior guard Allan Ray pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds in tonight's game. In his last two outings, Ray has averaged 9.0 rebounds per game to push his season average to 4.3 caroms per contest. Ray had eight rebounds last Saturday against Syracuse. His career-high is 11 boards against Redlands on November 22, 2003.
The Wildcats turned the ball over just seven times in tonight's game, the lowest total that the team has recorded in Big East play this season. Villanova committed just two turnovers in the first half, and had five in the second half. After a turnover with 10:18 left in the first half, the Wildcats did not give up the ball again until the 13:03 mark of the second period, a span of 17:15 on the game clock. Four of Villanova's seven turnovers came from Notre Dame steals, as the Wildcats minimized the number of unforced errors they made on the evening.
In the final two minutes of the game, senior guards Randy Foye and Allan Ray combined to make 5-of-5 free throws to help the Wildcats earn the victory. Foye twice got the Wildcats to within one point of the Fighting Irish with two free throws, while Ray gave Villanova a 70-68 lead with a driving layup and ensuing foul shot to complete a three-point play. For the season, Ray is an 89.5% (17-of-19) in the final two minutes and overtime, while Foye is an 86.4% (19-of-22) shooter in those clutch situations.
Senior guards Allan Ray and Randy Foye, in addition to junior guard Mike Nardi, scored all but nine of Villanova's points in tonight's game. The trio combined for 63 points and accounted for 87.5% (63 of 72) of the team' scoring.
Villanova is 4-0 on the road in Big East play this season, and has an 8-1 overall mark away from home for the year. Those marks make the Wildcats one of the best road teams in the nation this season, while Villanova is one of only two conference teams who remain undefeated on the road in league play. West Virginia (2-0 road record) visits St. John's on Sunday afternoon.
Dating back to last season, Villanova has won seven straight Big East road games. Overall, the Wildcats are 12-1 in their last 13 regular season games against league foes.
