WASHINGTON, D.C. – Villanova outscored Georgetown 38-22 in the second half to earn a 73-57 victory in a BIG EAST game played Wednesday evening at Capital One Arena. The contest was even at halftime, but the Wildcats limited the Hoyas to 6-of-29 shooting from the field over the final 20 minutes to help secure the win (.214).
 
Caleb Daniels led VU with 20 points and six rebounds. Freshman Mark Armstrong and graduate student Brandon Slater each added 14 points while Eric Dixon dropped in 10 for the 'Cats, who improved to 8-7 overall, 2-2 BIG EAST. Georgetown fell to 5-11 overall, 0-5 BIG EAST.
 
"I thought Georgetown was clicking to start the game," said Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune. "They've got a lot of guys that can beat you. They got a little hot to start the game. I give credit to our guys, who were resilient. Midway through the first half I thought we kind of dug in defensively. That carried over into the second half and I thought we shared the ball well offensively in the second half.
 
"I was definitely proud of our guys' effort."
 
As it has often this season, Villanova turned to Daniels when it was seeking to get its offense untracked. He again stepped forward in a major way.
 
"Caleb is a very experienced played at this level, obviously," Neptune stated. "Even more than scoring, his effort defensively and as a leader has been amazing for us this year. We know he can score. We've got a lot of talented guys that can score. When we defend this way, we can be really good."
 
The Wildcats lost sophomore guard Jordan Longino to a leg injury late in the first half. He did not return to the contest.
 
"I don't think it was anything too bad," he said. "We've got to go back and talk with the doctors tomorrow."
 
Consecutive 3-pointers staked Georgetown to a 6-0 lead before 90 seconds had passed. A driving layup by Cam Whitmore gave the Wildcats their first two points of the night. At the first official timeout after 5:22 of the first period, the Hoyas were up by an 11-7 count.
 
Villanova fought its way back with newcomers leading the way. Whitmore and Armstrong combined for 10 of the 'Cats first 16 points in what was a 16-16 tie midway through the first half.
 
Georgetown got its transition offense going, sinking four consecutive field goal attempts at one point to grab a 33-29 lead with 2:50 left. That was when Longino went to the floor with a left leg injury and had to be helped back to the locker room.
 
The game was tied at 35 at halftime.
 
Daniels led Villanova with nine points at halftime while Armstrong added eight points.
 
"The message at halftime was simple: just stay together," stated Daniels. "That's what we did in the second half. We came out and set the tone early."
 
Villanova scored the first five points of the second half but Georgetown dropped in a 3-pointer and was within 42-38 at the first official timeout of the second half. The Wildcats did some quality work at the defensive end, however, and got some timely baskets from Daniels and Dixon to extend their lead to 50-41 with 11:54 left on the second half clock.
 
During one stretch in the second half, Villanova held the Hoyas to 1-of-11 shooting from the field, enlarging their edge to 57-43. The lead was 65-52 with 3:20 to play after the Wildcats recorded a couple more defensive stops. The final margin was 73-57, giving Villanova its sixth win in its last seven visits to Capital One Arena.
 
"I thought we just settled in and grinded in the second half," said Daniels. "We trusted each other and shared the basketball. It wasn't the first action or got it or the second, maybe it was the third or fourth that got us the bucket."
 
Villanova is back at the Finneran Pavilion on Saturday to host No. 18 Xavier. The tipoff for that one happens at 4:30 p.m. and will be carried live by FS1 and the Villanova Sports Network.