Final Score: Villanova 86, FDU 72
 
Overview
 
FDU came into Finneran Pavilion on Wednesday showing no fear against their BIG EAST opponent. The Knights sank four of five from beyond the 3- point arc and held a 24-21 lead over Villanova midway through the first half. The Wildcats were nearly as effective at the offensive end and later rode the first half firepower of Eric Dixon (13 points) and Wooga Poplar to a 45-36 halftime lead.
 
The Wildcats' potent offense was the story on this night as VU connected on 30-of-54 field goal attempts and generated 19 assists on the night – ten from guard Jhamir Brickus. Dixon, the nation's second leading scorer entering tonight's action, finished with 27 points while Poplar contributed 19 points.
 
FDU's Terrence Brown matched Dixon with 27 points for the Knights (4-8 overall).
 
"FDU's game plan of spreading us out, moving the ball, and making some early 3's definitely gave us some issues," stated Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune. "I give our guys a lot of credit. We weathered their initial storm and started to get some stops that led to easy baskets. We also got some stuff going in the half court as well.
 
"Right now, I think we're in a pretty good spot. We can continue to improve defensively but offensively, for us to get 86 points on a night where I thought we missed some open looks, is a positive."
 
Points Were Plentiful
 
Although the weather outside Finneran Pavilion featured dropping temperatures and plenty of rain, inside both teams were warm from the field in the early going. Villanova converted 6-of-8 field goal attempts over the first 5:20 of the contest only to be matched by the Knights, who sank all three of their attempts from distance. The game was tied at 13.
 
FDU drilled 7-of-10 to open the contest, including four from beyond the arc to claim a 20-17 lead. Brown had 10 of those points.
 
Jordan Longino picked up two early fouls for the Wildcats and went to the bench before briefly returning at the 7:50 mark of the first half to spell Jhamir Brickus, who had yet to get a breather. An Eric Dixon basket gave Villanova a 25-24 lead. FDU was bolstered by a 6-0 edge in points off turnovers.
 
Wooga Warms Up
 
Senior guard Wooga Poplar helped ignite a 12-2 burst for the Wildcats towards the end of the half, dropping in a pair of 3-pointers and a short jumper to help Villanova move out to a 33-26 lead. After two FDU free throws, Dixon drained a triple to push the lead to 36-28.
 
A pair of Josiah Moseley free throws on the Wildcats' final possession of the period and a defensive stop allowed Villanova to take a 45-36 lead into its locker room at halftime.
 
Villanova held the lead thanks to its shooting. It converted 16-of-25 attempts from the field in the first 20 minutes (.640). A 17-7 edge in rebounding also played to the 'Cats advantage.
 
Brown led FDU with 13 points. The Knights were 6-of-14 from beyond the arc in the half (.429).
 
Enoch's Effort
 
On a night when the focus was on points production and spreading the floor, it could have been understood if 6-10 Enoch Boakye was a bit out of his element. Boakye, however, played a significant role in the win. No Wildcat finished with a better plus/minus tally than the senior from Brampton, Ontario (+19).
 
Boakye, the Fresno State transfer, added eight points and 10 rebounds in his 23:45. His work around the rim complemented Dixon.
 
What They Said
 
Neptune on FDU: "We knew they were tough and scrappy. We knew they had multiple guys who can make shots. They made some tough ones early and there were others where we had some (defensive) breakdowns. They kind of set the tone with that and got some confidence early. Once they got some confidence, they got comfortable and made some more tough ones.
 
"That style has presented some issues for us. We've got to continue to improve on defending it."
 
Poplar: "I'm considered a shooter and early on it wasn't falling for me. But my teammates give me the confidence to keep going, to be aggressive."
 
Up Next
 
BIG EAST regular season play begins for the Wildcats on Tuesday night when Seton Hall pays a visit to Finneran Pavilion. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will air on Peacock and the Villanova Sports Network on IHeart.