Villanova and Butler gained Tuesday BIG EAST victories, though the drama was centered on the Wildcats’ campus.
Villanova outlasted Seton Hall 76-74 at Finneran Pavilion. A free throw by Cole Swider with 1.9 seconds left broke a 74-74 tie. Collin Gillespie led the third-ranked Wildcats (9-1, 4-0 BIG EAST) with 22 points and Jermaine Samuels added 20 points and nine rebounds. The Pirates had tied the game after trailing by nine points with seven minutes left. The Hall’s Sandro Mamukelashvili posted a game-high 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Jared Rhoden netted 19 points. The last five meetings between the two schools have been decided by an average of 3.