WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The No. 8 ranked Villanova Wildcats had four players in double-figures en route to a 76-36 victory over Monmouth on Wednesday night in the MAC. Villanova, now 10-1 overall, was paced by Corey Fisher's game-high 20 points, as Monmouth (4-8) hosted its second straight Big East opponent on its home court.
"Whenever you play games like this, against a BIG EAST team ranked eighth in the country, we have to play as well as we can, and then they have to not play as well," stated head coach Dave Calloway. "We have to get ready for one more non-league game before conference play starts."
Monmouth broke the scoring seal on Ed Waite's drive, but Villanova grabbed a 5-2 lead on Maalik Wayns' bank three-pointer from the wing with 17:40 on the clock. The Hawks knotted the score at 5-5 on a R.J. Rutledge free throw, but the Wildcats scored the next six to grab an 11-5 lead with 14:29 left.
Jordan Davis' layup halted 'Nova's run, but the Wildcats responded with a 13-0 spurt over the next 4:15 of action to take a 24-7 advantage with 8:32 remaining.
Another Waite basket ended the run, as Monmouth pulled within 24-9 with 8:12 on the clock.
VU, which got a pair of three-pointers from Corey Stokes, scored nine of the next 10 points to grab a 33-10 cushion with 5:12 showing, but a Davis trifecta from the corner pulled MU within 33-14 with 4:30 left in the half.
After Monmouth pulled within 19 on Davis' trey, the Wildcats ended the stanza on an 11-3 run to hold a 44-17 lead at the intermission.
Villanova scored the first six points and capped an 11-1 spurt out of the break on Stokes' fourth three-pointer, to take a 55-18 lead with 14:51 left.
Four straight baskets, including a pair each from Matt Pritchett and Phil Wait, trimmed the lead to 59-28 with 9:41 remaining, but 'Nova retaliated with a 12-0 run over the next 3:16 to coral a 71-28 advantage.
Wait's lay-in off a post feed from Davis allowed Monmouth to climb within 71-30 with 4:56 left, and two Mike Myers Keitt baskets accounted for the final tally.
Wait netted eight points and five rebounds for the Hawks, who hit 25.5% from the floor and 9-of-22 from the foul line. Davis added seven points, while Waite chipped in six points and six rebounds. Myers Keitt added five points and seven rebounds.
Villanova, which hit 50.0% from the field, got 19 points from Stokes, 14 from forward Mouphtaou Yarou, while Wayns had 11 points and six assists.
Monmouth returns to action on Wednesday, December 29 when the Hawks travel to Harvard University for their final non-conference contest of the season, at 7:00 p.m., at Lavietes Pavilion.
Postgame Calloway quotes:
"Obvioulsy, we would like to play better. You want to try to associate yourselves with great universities. We always play a tough schedule. It's about getting ready for league play. If you said we would lose by 40 and then go out and play well on January 3rd, and get on a roll in the NEC, I would take it everytime."
"Before the Rider game, I think we were playing well defensively and struggling offensively. I think we will continue to struggle offensively but hopefully we play that breakout game."
"We need to get more consistent play. We are going to try to get everyone in the game in the first 10 minutes and then ride the hot hand."
