PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Allen Ray scored 21 points and Villanova shot a season-high 64.3 percent from the field in defeating Rutgers 94-61 on Saturday, handing the Scarlet Knights' their worst home loss in the 27-year history of the Rutgers Athletic Center.
Curtis Sumpter had 16 points, Randy Foye 14 and Will Sheridan 12 as Villanova (12-4, 4-3 Big East) prepared for its game against defending national champion Connecticut on Wednesday by sticking Rutgers (7-10, 1-6) with its largest conference loss ever.
The 33-point margin of defeat was also the biggest for Villanova against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights previous low point in the RAC was an 84-53 loss to Temple in February 1988.
The 94 points were a season high for Villanova, whose previous high was 86 against Albany on Dec. 22.
Marquis Webb had 11 points to lead Rutgers, which came up empty after a heartbreaking 86-84 loss to No. 4 Syracuse earlier this week. Scarlet Knights' leading scorer Quincy Douby (16.4) was held scoreless after scoring in double figures in every game this season.
Villanova, which posted wins over then No. 2 Kansas and Notre Dame in the last eight days, was near perfect on both ends of the floor.
Villanova hit 36-of-56 from the field, including a season-high 13-of-24 from 3-point range. The Wildcats hit 13 of 18 shots to open the game in taking a 44-26 halftime lead. They were even better in the second half, making 14 of their first 18 in sending Rutgers' fans to the exits early.
Villanova played well on both ends of the court, limiting Rutgers to 15-of-52 shooting, or 28.8 percent. Douby and Ricky Shields, the Scarlet Knights leading scorers, combined for eight points on 1-for-15 shooting.
Ray, who is the fourth leading scorer in Big East play with a 19.7 average, hit 5-of-6 shots from the field in the first half, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. He opened the game with a 3-pointer in helping the Wildcats jump to a 15-4 lead.
Rutgers got the crowd going early in the second half, drawing within 59-44 and then forcing a turnover.
Douby then missed a 3-pointer and Villanova went on a 24-3 spurt to take an 83-47 lead. The Wildcats hit 9-of-11 shots in the spurt with Sumpter scoring nine points.
