Wildcat Wrap
 
Final Score: Wildcats 94, DePaul 69
 
Justin Time: After a five-game absence owed to a right knee sprain suffered on Dec. 5 at Kansas State, preseason first team All-BIG EAST selection Justin Moore returned to the lineup for the Wildcats. He picked up an early basket as Villanova crafted an 18-15 advantage over the Blue Demons after 9:03 of action on this Friday night at Finneran Pavilion.
 
Villanova stretched its advantage to 24-15 but the Blue Demons answered with five straight points to close their deficit to 24-20 with 6:44 to play until halftime. DePaul, which sank only four 3-pointers in the first meeting between these teams on Dec. 23 in Chicago, equaled that total in the first 13:16, dropping in its first 4-of-7 from deep. The Wildcats, meanwhile, were 2-of-9 from distance in that same stretch.
 
Moore then made his presence felt with a blocked shot at the defensive end that led to a fast-break 3-pointer from Brendan Hausen to extend the lead to 29-20, a mere 33 seconds after DePaul cut into the lead. But DePaul came right back, scoring next seven points before another Hausen triple put VU up 32-27.
 
The product of Fort Washington, Md., would log 23:22 in his return to game action.
 
"Having Justin back was big," stated Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune, "especially in the second half defensively."
 
Moore noted he felt a bit of rust in his first game action in five weeks.
 
"It's just getting my wind back and getting into game shape," Moore said. "I was just happy to be back there out on the court with my guys."
 
"I felt all right. There were times I had to get a sub."
 
He contributed two points, three assists with zero turnovers.
 
Hausen Brings the Heat: The native of Amarillo, Tex., was a first half catalyst for the 'Cats dropping in 5-of-6 from beyond the arc over the first 20 minutes. The sophomore's fifth triple of the period gave VU a 42-27 lead before the Blue Demons notched the final five points of the half to make it a 42-32 Nova edge at the break.
 
By night's end, he finished with 17 points, including a second half dunk, on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor.
 
"It was good," Hausen said. "My teammates and coaches did a good job of getting me shots. (Coach) and I talked briefly in practice and he told me we needed to get me more 3's. My teammates did a really good job of finding me tonight."
 
Added Neptune: "We know what kind of shooter he is. If he gets an open look – really, if he gets a look – it has a really good chance of going in.
 
"I think defensively Brendan has taken a huge jump. He's in there, he's guarding guys, chesting them to keep them out of the paint, knows the scout. That's where he's made a huge jump. He's out there more now because he's taken a huge jump defensively."
 
Good Start: Villanova used a 12-5 spurt to open the second half to extend its lead to 54-37. A TJ Bamba 3-pointer was part of the surge, as was the guard's perimeter defense. He ended the evening with 10 points, three assists and now has 985 points as a college player, including his three seasons at Washington State.
 
The Wildcats (11-5 overall, 4-1 BIG EAST) would eventually pull away in the half, connecting on 18-of-25 field goal attempts in the final 20 minutes (.720). The final was 94-69, the most points VU has scored in a contest in 2023-24. It was also the most points scored in a home BIG EAST game since a 96-64 win over Marquette on Feb. 10, 2021.
 
On the Mark: Villanova connected on 8-of-20 of its attempts from beyond the arc (.400). It is 10-1 this season when converting 30 percent or more of its shots from long range.
 
What They Said: Just 20 days ago, VU upended DePaul 84-48 at Wintrust Arena. Noted Neptune; "We had just beat them the first game. It's tough to come in so that you are focused and execute the game plan. The guys did everything we asked them to do."