Nova struggles in second half in loss to No. 5 UConn

After losing to Creighton at home on Wednesday, No. 5 Connecticut(25-3, 15-2) was looking to bounce back on Saturday, but they would have to do it in a hostile environment against Big East foe Villanova(21-6, 12-4), who came into the game having won six straight and had not lost since falling to UConn in Hartford in January.

In front of a sellout crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, the Huskies would dominate Villanova in the second half and win 73-63 to sweep the two games between the teams this season.

This game was close in the first half, and Villanova, behind a raucous crowd, took a 30-27 lead with 4:35 left in the first, but UConn would close the half on a 7-2 run to take a 34-32 lead at the break.

The Huskies would start the second half on fire, and they went on a 13-2 run to take a 47-34 lead, and from there, they would be on cruise control. UConn would lead by as much as 21 points.

Connecticut’s Alex Karaban led the way with 12 points, Tarris Reed Jr. added 11, and Braylon Mullins chipped in with 10.

For Villanova, Tyler Perkins had a game-high 15 points, and Matt Hodge added 13. 

UConn overwhelmed Villanova. The Huskies outrebounded them (37-24). They shot 55% from the field, held the Wildcats to 41% shooting, and Connecticut’s bench outscored Villanova’s bench 22-8.

Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley was happy with his team’s ability to get right after their loss to Creighton.

“With ​the ​way ​we ​showed ​up, ​I ​mean, ​it’s ​not ​easy,” he said after the win. “​It’s ​just ​the ​ability ​to ​bounce ​back, ​and ​you ​don’t ​want ​to ​keep ​probably ​feeling ​like ​you ​have ​to ​keep ​showing ​up ​with ​championship ​responses ​from ​losses ​because ​you ​just ​don’t ​want ​to ​lose ​too ​frequently.”

Villanova head coach Kevin Willard says these types of games happen.

“Every ​once ​in ​a ​while, ​you ​get ​your ​a** ​kicked,” Willard said. “​I ​think ​the ​last ​one ​we ​had ​was ​Michigan. ​We ​bounced ​back ​really ​well. ​We’ve ​been ​playing ​good ​basketball. You ​just ​gotta ​bounce ​back. ​It’s ​not ​the ​end ​of ​the ​world.”

The Wildcats have a chance to bounce back on Wednesday at home against Butler, while Connecticut has a big one when they host St. John’s on the same night.