WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tonight’s BB&T Classic game between Villanova and Maryland opened up with some hot shooting and ended with a 95-86 final, as well as, Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds receiving MVP honors.

 

Almost right off the opening tip the two teams combined for four consecutive three point shot makes; unfortunately for Maryland, three out of the four were Villanova made baskets. It seemed every time Villanova scored in the first half that it was three points at a time. As a matter of fact, more than half of Villanova’s first half shots (41) were three-point attempts (22).

Maryland, who fell behind early, found it difficult to keep up with Villanova’s hot shooting (50% from three in the first half) but also, was futile on the boards following the rare shots Villanova did miss.

On the offensive end, Maryland shot 52 percent from the field in the first half but only managed 25 attempts to Villanova’s 41.

Villanova’s lopsided advantage in shot attempts was due to their dominance on the boards, grabbing 22 to Maryland’s 15, and their ability to force Maryland, on multiple occasions, into one-shot-attempt-possessions as well as turnovers. Villanova forced Maryland into 11 turnovers and held the Terps to only five assists in the first half.

Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez played only nine first half minutes as he was saddled with foul trouble and never really seemed to get into an offensive or game rhythm.

Sean Mosley led Maryland at the half, going perfect from the field and recording 12 points. Freshman Jordan Williams also chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds, which was a high for both teams at the half.

“Sean Mosley is one of those guys that is just great to have on your team because of how hard he goes,” said Head Coach Gary Williams. “Tonight he really shot the ball well and even when he’s not shooting the ball he’s great to have because he does so many great things.”

But Villanova’s senior guard Reynolds and junior guard Corey Stokes were able to go a combined 7-for-11 from three-point range as Villanova never trailed in the first and led 49-38 at the half.

“It’s definitely special,” said Reynolds of his play. “This (Verizon Center) is like my Madison Square Garden. But I just wanted to go out there and set an example that it wasn’t about me, it wasn’t about me coming here and playing for (my home) crowd; it was about playing for my coaches and teammates and hopefully I put that in their minds tonight.”

In the second half Maryland was able to slow down Villanova’s high-scoring guards with their combination of man and zone defenses. In the second half Maryland was able to hold Reynolds and Stokes to 1-for-10 from three-point range and the Villanova team to 29 percent from distance.

But the Maryland aggressive defense in the second half came with a price as Vasquez fouled out of the game with 12 points and seven assists, but also seven turnovers as he was out of sync the whole night.

With Vasquez struggling, Mosley took on the scoring load hitting a game high 26 points, along with Hayes who scored 20 and went 5-of-9 from three. Williams scored 19 points with a game high 12 rebounds and hit on 9-of-13 free throws.

“He’s figuring it out,” said Coach Williams of Jordan Williams. “He’s been playing against some really good inside players and I think he feels that when he plays that hard he can compete at that level.”

 In addition to the cost of Maryland fouls, Villanova still managed to get their three-point plays on many of their offensive possessions, only this time they got their three points the old fashioned way, converting on two and-one drives to open the half on their way to 25 free throw attempts in the second half alone.

The only time Nova seemed to come away with just two points was on Reynolds’s three-point shot attempt, on which, he was fouled and only converted on two of three free throws or when they got an offensive rebound and put back off of a missed three-point attempt.

Maryland was able to pull within three with 13:31 remaining in the game on a series of three-point buckets from Mosley and senior guard Eric Hayes. But on the way to their comeback Maryland seemed to get sucked into playing Villanova’s run and gun style as consecutive three-point misses by Vasquez, Hayes and Landon Milbourne led to “one-and-dones” as Villanova slowly built their lead back up to eight.

Reynolds’ put Villanova up by 10 on a steal and fastbreak layup up where he elevated between two Terps defenders and hit on a reverse. And while Maryland got close after that, Villanova never looked back.

Vasquez fouled out with 1:36 left in the game and with the score 84-90, Maryland got the ball in to Williams who was fouled as he shot, and got a chance to go to the line for two free throws to bring his team to within four. But he missed both and the game’s fate was sealed as Villanova finished off the Terps for the 95-86 final.

“I thought we were fortunate that Vasquez was in foul trouble,” said Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright. “We thought that they were really good coming in, we really did…that was a quality win. We have great respect for that Maryland team.”

At least one of the Terrapins’ gaping weaknesses should be mended soon as the team awaits the return of one of their big men, Dino Gregory who they expect to return to the lineup on December 12  when the Terps take on Eastern Kentucky.

“We look forward to him playing in our next game,” said Coach Williams. “And that will give us a little more depth, a little more size inside. He is a very good defensive player, and rebounder. We need that.”