On Saturday, Dec. 13, Christmas spirit decked the halls of Finneran Pavilion as Villanova men’s basketball defeated the University of Pittsburgh, 79-61, in its holiday-themed game.
The victory marks the first meeting between the teams since 2013, when Pitt beat Villanova, 73-64, in overtime.
Villanova (8-2) was led in scoring by senior forward Duke Brennan and sophomore guard Bryce Lindsay. The pair put up 24 points each against Pitt (5-6), accounting for more than half of the Wildcats scoring. Villanova shot 50.2% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc. Lindsay led the team in three-point scoring, shooting 36.3% (4-11) on three-pointers.
“I give credit to Guards like Bryce being able to find me deep in the paint,” Brennan said. “They’re the ones who give me those easy touches around the rim.”
Brennan’s performance marks a season high in his scoring. He also totaled a team-high nine rebounds, one shy of a double-double. Brennan has three double-doubles this season and is averaging a nation-leading 11.7 rebounds.
“Duke’s biggest strengths are his energy, how hard he plays, and his rebounding,” Head Coach Kevin Willard said. “But when we can get him some points, it’s good to see him rewarded for how hard he plays.”
Villanova recorded only three turnovers given to the opposing side, while Pitt struggled with fouls, giving up 12 turnovers throughout the game. Freshman guard Acaden Lewis dished out seven assists for the Wildcats with just one turnover. Lewis is currently averaging 5.6 assists per game.
Senior forward Barry Dunning Jr. led Pitt offensively with 17 points.
Given Willard’s history with Pitt, where he played under the mentorship of his father from 1994 to 1997, the victory is particularly sweet.
“I played for my father, so that impacted me more than anything—getting to see my father coach and how much his players loved him,” Willard said. “Although the most special thing about Pitt is that I found a woman who would stick with me for 25 years, which, if you know me, is very hard to find.”
Following the game’s tip-off, Brennan opened the game’s scoring.
In the starting minutes of the first half, the Wildcats traded leads back and forth with Pitt.
Neither team managed to pull away with a dominant lead over the other until the Wildcats went on a 12-0 scoring run over a period of 4:05 in the latter portion of the half.
Two Wildcats reached double-digit points in the first half alone. Brennan led the team with 16 points in the first half, followed by Lindsay’s 11.
As Pitt tried to climb out of its scoring drought, it was met by a persistent Villanova defense. The first half concluded with Villanova leading, 41-32.
In the second half of the game, Lindsay took control, assisting the Wildcats in a 10-0 run with a free throw and a driving layup. Lindsay is currently averaging 76.7% from the free throw line.
The victory over Pitt comes shortly after Villanova’s seven-game win streak was spoiled by No. 2 Michigan.
“You have to bounce back, especially after bad losses,” Brennan said. “We had two great days of practice, and that prepared us to defend our home.”
Villanova will now resume play on Friday, Dec. 18, taking on the University of Wisconsin (7-3, 1-1 Big 10) at the Milwaukee Hoops Showdown in Milwaukee, WI (8 p.m., FOX). It is Villanova’s final non-conference game of the season before Big East play starts on Tuesday, Dec. 23, against Seton Hall on the road.
