INDIANAPOLIS – Villanova might not win a third NCAA basketball championship in four years. The Wildcats remain beasts of the Big East, though.
Eric Paschall scored 23 points, and Villanova used 12 3-pointers to hold off Butler 80-72 Tuesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Villanova had been ranked No. 1 in its two most recent trips to Indianapolis and lost both games. The magnitude of this one was such that students filled the Dawg Pound section more than an hour before tip-off. Some were waiting in line as early as 11 a.m.
Beginning with the 2016-17 season, Villanova is 3-3 against Butler and 38-4 against the rest of the conference.