PROVIDENCE, R.I.  – The Villanova Wildcats built a 21-point lead in the first half and then held off a determined charge to gain a BIG EAST road win Saturday, downing Providence 65-59. Senior guard Phil Booth dropped in 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added four assists to lead the 'Cats, who improved to 11-4 overall, 2-0 BIG EAST.
 
Providence fell to 10-5 overall, 0-2 in conference play.
 
Senior Eric Paschall recorded his first double-double of the season, finishing with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Freshman Cole Swider contributed 10 points in his first visit to his native Rhode Island as a collegian.
 
The Wildcats survived despite enduring a scoring drought of more than seven minutes down the stretch.
 
"I thought it was just a case of us just not playing intelligently in that stretch," stated Villanova head coach Jay Wright. "Instead of making the extra pass, each guy was trying to get that basket that's the dagger. It's tough when you're on the road and they're playing aggressively.
 
"I thought in the first half they missed a lot of open shots and had open looks from deep that they just missed. We said that at halftime. Sometimes you have a (day) where you make all your shots, sometimes you day one where you make them."
 
Added Booth: "We were playing aggressively but some shots didn't go. They were playing great defense and were real physical."
 
Booth made a critical play to help the Wildcats halt the Friars momentum, converting a traditional 3-point play with 1:06 to play and VU holding a 60-56 lead.
 
After being plagued by a recent pattern of sluggish starts, Villlanova halted that trend in the first 5:19 today. Booth drained three 3-pointers and Paschall added a fourth to help Villanova build a 12-2 lead over the Friars.
 
With Booth and Paschall providing the early offense, Villanova was able to add to its advantage. A nifty dribble drive move to the basket for a basket at the 8:29 mark by Paschall in an isolation set helped VU push its lead to 25-10.
 
Providence began to create some offensive production through opportunities created on the offensive glass. Fouls became an issue for a collection of Villanova's forwards. Swider – who dropped in a 3-pointer on his first field goal attempt in his return home – was whistled for his third foul midway through the period while Jermaine Samuels and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree both had two fouls apiece.
 
Though the Friars attempted 18 free throws in the first 20 minutes, they only converted eight of those. That and the efforts of Paschall (11 points and 10 rebounds) and Booth (17 points) helped VU craft a 43-25 lead at halftime.
 
Another key stat in the first 20 minutes: Villanova held the Friars without a 3-pointer until the final possession of the period. In all, Providence was 1-of-11 from distance in the first half (.009).
 
Providence opened the second half with five consecutive points, bringing the sellout crowd at the Dunkin Donuts Center alive. But a transition slam and free throw from sophomore Jermaine Samuels stopped the run and helped Villanova rebuild its lead to 49-30 at the 14:40 mark of the second half.
 
Five straight points from Swider staked the Wildcats to a 60-40 lead with just under eight minutes to play. But the Friars put together a strong spurt, reeling off nine straight points while the Wildcats were held without a point over 4:20. That allowed Providence to shave the gap to 60-49. There was 3:16 on the clock at the final official timeout in regulation.
 
A 3-pointer from the right wing by Makai Ashton-Langford at the 2:43 mark of the period extended the burst to 13-0 and drew the Friars to within 60-53. At the other end the VU scoring drought lasted 7:03. In that stretch they were 0-of-6 from the field and committed seven turnovers.
 
A back door cut and subsequent foul created a 3-point play for Alpha Diallo. With 1:27 to play, the Wildcats' margin was down to four (60-56). Then came the huge drive and bucket by Booth and free throw to snapp the scoring skid and push the lead to 63-56. Another 3-pointer by Ashton-Langford with 55 seconds on the clock pulled PC back to within four.
 
However, Villanova was stalwart on defense in the final minute and secured the win when Booth grabbed a defensive rebound and then sank two free throws. The final was 65-59.
 
            "It's always good to get a Big East road win," said Wright.
 
Villanova returns to action on Tuesday evening when it hosts St. John's (14-1 overall, 2-1 BIG EAST) at the Finneran Pavilion. Tipoff is set for just after 7 p.m. (FS1 and 610 ESPN Radio).