PHILADELPHIA – No. 10 Xavier dropped a tough road test on Wednesday, falling 89-65 to No. 1 Villanova at Wells Fargo Center. The Wildcats took control of the game early and steadily built the lead on the Musketeers, moving Xavier to 15-3 overall and 3-2 in BIG EAST play. Kerem Kanter led three Musketeers in double figures.
- Villanova took the early 6-0 lead on a pair of threes. The Wildcats led by as many as 13, 22-9, in the first 10 minutes.
- Xavier responded with an 8-0 run to cut the VU advantage to five, 22-17, with 8:28 remaining before halftime.