On Saturday, April 5, Villanova ended its 2024-25 campaign in overtime after it fell to the University of Central Florida, 104-98, in the semifinals of the inaugural College Basketball Crown.
With an official close to Villanova’s 2024-2025 season, the Kevin Willard era begins as the former Maryland head coach takes the helm. The Wildcats earned $50,000 in NIL money as a semifinalist in the Fox Sports-hosted Crown tournament.
Interim head coach Mike Nardi led Villanova (21-15) to defeat the University of Colorado (14-21) and scrape past the University of Southern California (17-18) in the two previous rounds.
“I told these guys, this isn’t about me, this is about this program,” Nardi said postgame to Villanova Athletics. “We had everybody play in this, which says a lot about them individually, and us as a team.”
It was the last collegiate game for six graduating Wildcats: senior guards Wooga Poplar, Jordan Longino and Colin O’Toole, as well as graduate guard Jhamir Brickus and graduate forwards Enoch Boakye and Eric Dixon.
“No matter what the outside expectations were, I don’t really think it’s fair to put that on [the team],” Nardi said. “They got better. They battled until the end. Just for us at Villanova, that’s really who we are. They’ve handled this the best way possible, and I’m really proud of them.”
Poplar made a final statement as he looks toward a professional career, leading the team with a career-high 32 points and 11 rebounds. Poplar also had a career best, 11-for-11, from the free throw line.
It was also a productive night for Dixon, who dropped 29 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Boakye also notched a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
But UCF’s senior guard Darius Johnson was unstoppable for Villanova throughout the night. In an enormous offensive performance, Johnson dropped a career-high 42 points, along with seven assists and five rebounds.
“Darius Johnson is a big-time guard, and he hurt us a lot tonight, so we have to give a lot of credit to him and Coach Dawkins,” Nardi said. “We were trying to get to Johnson, and he’s just so quick. If you’re going to get 42 in a game at this level, that says a lot about who you are. He just had a ridiculous game.”
The Knights were especially dangerous from the long range, going 15-for-35 from three across the game. Meanwhile the Wildcats shot just 8-for-31 from behind the arc.
Villanova battled from behind for most of the game.
A three-pointer from Poplar gave Villanova its only lead of the first half, 29-28, with eight minutes and 36 seconds left on the clock. But an intense first 20 minutes ended with UCF ahead, 48-44. Poplar’s 20 points in the first half helped Villanova keep the score close.
The Knights came out of the break with an offensive burst, landing back-to-back threes.
Just five minutes into the second half, Villanova fell back by as many as 11 points after another three from Johnson.
The Wildcats slowly cut down the deficit. A solo six-point scoring run from Dixon brought the score to 68-64 with 10 minutes and 24 seconds still left to play.
Six consecutive free throws from sophomore guard Tyler Perkins, Boakye and Dixon put Villanova in the lead, 77-74, for the first time since midway through the first half. Perkins then knocked down back-to-back threes to stretch Villanova’s lead to six with just two minutes and 39 seconds left.
In a back-and-forth final two minutes, a pair of free throws from Brickus put Villanova in position to win as it went up 87-83, with 19 seconds left. UCF returned with a layup and sent Brickus to the line again. He made one of two shots to keep Villanova ahead by three.
Johnson delivered the clutch shot UCF needed, sinking a three-pointer on the fast break to tie the score at 88. Villanova headed into overtime for the first time all season.
The Knights came into the five-minute overtime period with momentum, immediately nailing a layup and a three-pointer.
Meanwhile, Dixon led the Wildcats in the season’s final minutes. He scored eight of Villanova’s 10 points in overtime. But foul trouble hurt the Wildcats as Brickus, Longino and eventually Perkins fouled out.
Dixon fought through the UCF defense to sink a three-pointer, putting Villanova behind by just two with 34 seconds left. The Knights added four points from the foul line to seal their victory.
UCF moved on to the College Basketball Crown championship game against Nebraska (20-14), and fell, 77-66, on Sunday, April 6.
