Villanova trailed No. 9 St. John’s, 71-70, on Wednesday, Feb. 12 with seconds left in the game. Sophomore guard Tyler Perkins received a pass at the shoulder of the three-point line with 8.7 seconds left on the clock. Without hesitation, Perkins did what he’s done all his life, “catch and release.” 

As the shot made its way into the basket, the crowd at Finneran Pavilion erupted. Perkins’ three-pointer helped the Wildcats defeat the Red Storm, 73-71, snapping its 10-game-win streak.

“Shooting has always been a part of my game,” Perkins said. “I feel like in high school, I was the main guy, so I always had the ball in my hands. During those years, I worked on shooting off the dribble, and now it’s like second nature to me.”

For the native of Lorton, VA, shooting off the dribble is his specialty, but it’s not his entire game. At 6’4”, Perkins is a versatile guard who can rebound and defend all five positions.

“Defensive rebounding has been huge for me,” Perkins said. “I feel like I can do so much more on the court than just score. When I wasn’t scoring is when I really got to show that I can also defend and rebound.” 

Nicknamed “The Battery” and “The Sixth Starter” by head coach Kyle Neptune, Perkins has quickly emerged as a key sixth-man contributor for the Wildcats.

“I’m blessed, and I’m grateful,” Perkins said. “Every day in practice, I try to bring energy because that’s the one thing I can control. However much I play is however much I play, and I just try to do whatever I can.”

During nonconference play, Perkins was making use of his minutes off the bench. He averaged 8.0 points, 40% from three and 25 minutes per contest.

His non-conference performances carried into the Big East opener. On Dec. 17, in the 79-67 win over Seton Hall, he scored 17 points and five rebounds off the bench. He also sank five of his six three-point attempts. It was the last time Perkins would make a three until Jan. 24.

After being dangerous from three in 2024, Perkins began the new year in a shooting slump. In January, he missed 28 consecutive three-point attempts, and his only baskets came from layups, the line or from mid-range. 

“I didn’t think I would miss as many shots in a row as I did, but slumps happen, and I just kept doing what I could on the defensive side,” Perkins said. 

During his struggles, the encouragement from Perkins’ teammates made all the difference. 

“Everyone knew I could still shoot, and everyone on this team has been in slumps before,” Perkins said. “[My teammates] told me to keep shooting and keep putting in work and told me they would still keep giving me the ball.” 

Perkins also received advice from back home. His father, Rory, is a former high school coach who was instrumental in helping his son regain his confidence.

“He’s been my biggest supporter,” Perkins said. “He’s honestly the reason I’m here. One thing he always says is you can play hard, but you can’t always score, and you can’t get every rebound, but you can play the hardest on the court. He told me to keep shooting because I’m a shooter, and I’ve been doing this my whole life.”

After 28 consecutive misses from three, Perkins’ shot returned when he hit back-to-back triples in a road win against DePaul on Feb. 5. 

Five days later, Perkins recorded a Villanova career-high 20 points in a crucial win against Xavier. 

“Villanova with [Perkins] scoring and playing with confidence on offense, I think, takes on a different form,” Xavier head coach Sean Miller said. “Certainly, that was the team that we went against.” 

The Xavier game was a big moment for Perkins. It was not just his Villanova career-high, but it was also a glimpse into the role he may play as a junior.

“We said in the beginning of the year that easily Tyler Perkins could have started on this team,” Neptune said. “He probably earned it just as much as these other guys. Even if he’s not making shots, he just does so much while he’s out there just from his attitude, his passion, his intensity. He’s just an all-around great player for us.”

As “The Battery,” Perkins provides energy when needed. The January shooting struggles were long and frustrating, but he always felt he could still make an impact. Now that his shot has returned, so has his confidence and determination to build off his late-season momentum and continue to help the Wildcats with his rebounding and “catch and release” mentality.