Wildcat Wrap
 
Final Score: Villanova 57, Maryland 40
 
Fast Start: Mark Armstrong set the tone from the opening tip, diving for a loose ball that resulted in a second center jump seven seconds into the contest. The Wildcats later made their first 3-point attempts of the night – from TJ Bamba, Tyler Burton and Hakim Hart – to build a 13-2 lead 4:27 into the contest.
 
"Hitting those shots was great, but our focus was on the defensive end," Burton stated. "We knocked down some shots and played well offensively in the first 20 minutes. But our focus was defense."
 
In that area, Villanova (3-1 overall) was relentless throughout the first 20 minutes, allowing it to slowly expand its lead to 39-15 at intermission.
 
"I was really proud of the way our guys competed, especially to start the game," said Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune. "The first five or six minutes was just awesome to watch, the way we set the tone. I thought it was kind of what led to the victory tonight."
 
One Significant Story: For most of the evening, the Wildcats suffocated the Terrapins. Villanova held the Terrapins to 27 points over the game's first 32:50. Maryland used a 13-2 run over the final five minutes to cut into a lead that had grown as large as 31 points midway through the second half.
 
Familiar Face: Hakim Hart spent the last four seasons as a member of the Terrapins and his insight as the team prepared for this matchup proved helpful, according to Neptune, who quipped that he was "Scout Hak" this week. The Philadelphia native logged 24:02 minutes on the night, contributing seven points, two rebounds and a steal to the stellar defensive effort.
 
"I was able to help a lot," Hart stated. "Obviously I played there, and they have some similar plays. They like to make you rush and shoot a lot of threes. We just had to stay poised when they pressed."
 
That said, Hart said it wasn't easy to face his former mates.
 
"Personally, it was kind of hard for me," he noted. "I stayed focused and played 40 minutes of Villanova Basketball. That was my main focus."
 
Building Bridges: At halftime, Villanova retired the No. 25 jersey of two-time NCAA national champion Mikal Bridges. Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn and many of Bridges' current teammates were on hand the presentation at midcourt, which included Villanova Vice President and Director of Athletics Mark Jackson and Bridges' former coach, Jay Wright.
 
"First and foremost, having Mikal back was great," said Neptune. "He's one of the Villanova greats. It's always good to have those guys back.
 
"I think back to when he was a player and what he meant to this program and what he continues to mean to this program as an example. It's not just who he is as a player, but who he is as a person. He didn't address the team, but he did come into the locker room prior to the game. His presence was definitely felt."
 
What They Said: "Maryland is an extremely tough team," noted Neptune. "Their style is hard to play against. They're constantly attacking you defensively and keeping you off balance."
 
Burton on the bounce-back effort after Monday night's 76-72 loss at Penn: "The loss was unfortunate, but we just focus on playing 40 minutes of Villanova Basketball. If we had sneaked by on Monday night, won by a point, the approach tonight would have been the same. I wouldn't call this a bounce-back. We're just really trying to focus on our goals."