No. 4 Villanova routs Mount St. Mary's in opener, 91-51
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) Jay Wright pulled a stat sheet over toward Collin Gillespie and whispered at the star guard for No. 4 Villanova, pointing at a couple of gaudy numbers.
Gillespie and Justin Moore combined for 12 assists and no turnovers on Tuesday in a season-opening 91-51 win over Mount St. Mary's.
It's the kind of numbers that will give the Hall of Fame coach a few more wins, and the kind of numbers the Wildcats will need Friday to have a shot at beating No. 2 UCLA.
Gillespie scored 13 points in his first game back since suffering a torn MCL in his left knee. Moore hit six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 27 points for the Big East favorite Wildcats. Brandon Slater and Jermaine Samuels each added 17.
Villanova needed the tune-up headed into a stacked nonconference schedule that includes the Bruins later this week. They'll play for only the sixth time and first since 2010.
''I think we're ready to play a team like that,'' Wright said. ''They're a great team. It doesn't mean we're ready to beat them. But I think it's a good time for us. This older group, they've been kind of beating each other up in the offseason for a while.''
Gillespie, who played on the 2018 national championship team but was injured last season on senior night, decided to return for a fifth season thanks to the rule that grants players an extra year of eligibility. He was cleared for workouts in August and made the AP preseason All-America team.
He hit an early 3-pointer on Tuesday and received the loudest ovation of the game from a raucous student section that's back this year and locked arms and swayed during pregame introductions.
''Today was just another day playing with my teammates,'' he said.
And just another Villanova beatdown in the opener. The Wildcats, who according to FanDuel Sportsbook closed as 25.5-point favorites, opened the game on a 10-0 run and were never threatened. They hit 16 3s against only six turnovers.
The Mount made the NCAA Tournament's First Four last season on the strength of a defense that allowed just 62.2 points per game. The Wildcats hit that mark with 11:50 left in the game, as Moore got a 3 for a 62-35 lead.
''We weren't looking for me specifically,'' Moore said of his big game. ''We were just trying to come play together and set the tone defensively and that helped us get into our offense.''
BIG NUMBERS
Wright won his 613th career game - and first as a Hall of Famer. Wright helped lead Team USA to an Olympic gold medal as an assistant under coach Gregg Popovich, then the 59-year-old Wright was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Not a bad summer break.
ROUT ST. MARY'S
Malik Jefferson led the Mountaineers, picked third in the Northeast Conference preseason poll, with 13 points. The Mountaineers missed nine of 12 3-pointers and only attempted eight free throws.
''They made us pay today,'' coach Dan Engelstad said. ''I think the lights, the crowd, we didn't settle in for a little bit. It took us a couple of minutes. But once we settled in, I thought there was some really bright spots, some good moments. You could see what we already know, that we do have a very good basketball team that can play at a high level.''
ON DECK
Villanova has late November games in the Hall of Fame Tipoff Classic against No. 18 Tennessee, and then a game in the same tourney against either No. 19 North Carolina or No. 7 Purdue. Villanova also plays Syracuse in the Jimmy V Classic in December at Madison Square Garden and then a Dec. 12 rematch at No. 8 Baylor.
BIG PICTURE
Mount St. Mary's: Its career mark against ranked teams fell to 1-33. Engelstad is 0-3 against ranked teams.
Villanova: The Wildcats moved to 20-1 under Wright in season openers and have won the last 19.
UP NEXT
The Mount: Host Washington College (Maryland) on Thursday and return to Philadelphia on Saturday for a game at Saint Joseph's.
Wildcats: Play at No. 2 UCLA on Friday night.
---
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Josh Reaves vs. Brandon Slater (Eric Dixon gains possession) | |||
19:57 | Malik Jefferson blocks Collin Gillespie's two point layup | |||
19:55 | Wildcats offensive rebound | |||
19:41 | +2 | Jermaine Samuels makes two point jump shot | 0-2 | |
19:11 | Jalen Benjamin turnover (lost ball) (Brandon Slater steals) | |||
19:03 | +3 | Justin Moore makes three point jump shot (Jermaine Samuels assists) | 0-5 | |
18:39 | Jalen Benjamin turnover (out of bounds) | |||
18:26 | +2 | Collin Gillespie makes two point pullup jump shot | 0-7 | |
18:23 | Mountaineers 30 second timeout | |||
17:56 | Nana Opoku misses two point jump shot | |||
17:54 | Brandon Slater defensive rebound | |||
17:40 | Jermaine Samuels misses three point jump shot | |||
17:38 | Malik Jefferson defensive rebound | |||
17:23 | Josh Reaves misses two point jump shot | |||
17:21 | Justin Moore defensive rebound | |||
17:12 | +3 | Justin Moore makes three point step back jump shot | 0-10 | |
16:55 | +2 | Mezie Offurum makes two point jump shot (Jalen Benjamin assists) | 2-10 | |
16:25 | Josh Reaves personal foul (Collin Gillespie draws the foul) | |||
16:23 | Collin Gillespie misses three point jump shot | |||
16:21 | Justin Moore offensive rebound | |||
16:15 | Brandon Slater misses three point jump shot | |||
16:13 | Mezie Offurum defensive rebound | |||
16:02 | Jalen Benjamin turnover (bad pass) (Collin Gillespie steals) | |||
15:53 | Jalen Benjamin personal foul (Justin Moore draws the foul) | |||
15:53 | TV timeout | |||
15:44 | Jermaine Samuels turnover (traveling) | |||
15:19 | Mezie Offurum misses two point jump shot | |||
15:17 | Jermaine Samuels defensive rebound | |||
15:06 | Brandon Slater misses three point jump shot | |||
15:04 | Dakota Leffew defensive rebound | |||
14:46 | Deandre Thomas misses two point jump shot | |||
14:44 | Brandon Slater defensive rebound | |||
14:37 | Dakota Leffew personal foul (Justin Moore draws the foul) | |||
14:34 | Justin Moore misses three point jump shot | |||
14:32 | Caleb Daniels offensive rebound | |||
14:32 | Josh Reaves personal foul (Caleb Daniels draws the foul) | |||
14:23 | +3 | Collin Gillespie makes three point jump shot (Justin Moore assists) | 2-13 | |
14:03 | +2 | Dakota Leffew makes two point layup (Deandre Thomas assists) | 4-13 | |
13:35 | Justin Moore misses two point jump shot | |||
13:33 | Mountaineers defensive rebound | |||
13:33 | Trey Patterson personal foul (Malik Jefferson draws the foul) | |||
13:11 | Malik Jefferson offensive foul (Justin Moore draws the foul) | |||
13:11 | Malik Jefferson turnover | |||
12:54 | +2 | Justin Moore makes two point layup | 4-15 | |
12:28 | Jalen Benjamin misses two point jump shot | |||
12:26 | Jermaine Samuels defensive rebound | |||
12:15 | Caleb Daniels misses three point jump shot | |||
12:13 | Dakota Leffew defensive rebound | |||
12:04 | Chris Arcidiacono personal foul (Mezie Offurum draws the foul) | |||
12:00 | Jalen Benjamin misses three point jump shot | |||
11:58 | Nana Opoku offensive rebound | |||
11:57 | Nana Opoku misses two point layup | |||
11:55 | Wildcats defensive rebound | |||
11:55 | TV timeout | |||
11:29 | +2 | Jermaine Samuels makes two point layup (Collin Gillespie assists) | 4-17 | |
11:08 | Jermaine Samuels blocks Frantisek Barton's two point layup | |||
11:06 | Nana Opoku offensive rebound | |||
11:05 | Caleb Daniels personal foul (Nana Opoku draws the foul) | |||
10:57 | Dakota Leffew turnover (bad pass) | |||
10:36 | Collin Gillespie misses three point jump shot | |||
10:34 | Jalen Benjamin defensive rebound | |||
10:25 | +3 | Mezie Offurum makes three point jump shot (Jalen Benjamin assists) | 7-17 | |
10:00 | +3 | Brandon Slater makes three point jump shot | 7-20 | |
9:46 | Nana Opoku turnover (traveling) | |||
9:27 | +2 | Justin Moore makes two point layup | 7-22 | |
8:56 | +3 | Jalen Benjamin makes three point jump shot (Mezie Offurum assists) | 10-22 | |
8:37 | Jalen Benjamin personal foul (Jordan Longino draws the foul) | |||
8:32 | Jordan Longino turnover (lost ball) (Malik Jefferson steals) | |||
8:22 | +2 | Dakota Leffew makes two point layup (Deandre Thomas assists) | 12-22 | |
8:22 | Jordan Longino shooting foul (Dakota Leffew draws the foul) | |||
8:22 | +1 | Dakota Leffew makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 13-22 | |
8:06 | Deandre Thomas personal foul (Justin Moore draws the foul) | |||
8:06 | +1 | Justin Moore makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 13-23 | |
8:06 | Justin Moore misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
8:06 | Mezie Offurum defensive rebound | |||
7:49 | Dakota Leffew turnover (lost ball) (Justin Moore steals) | |||
7:44 | +2 | Jermaine Samuels makes two point layup (Justin Moore assists) | 13-25 | |
7:22 | Jalen Benjamin turnover (lost ball) (Eric Dixon steals) | |||
7:12 | Jordan Longino misses three point jump shot | |||
7:10 | Jermaine Samuels offensive rebound | |||
7:04 | +2 | Eric Dixon makes two point layup (Jordan Longino assists) | 13-27 | |
6:41 | Jalen Benjamin misses three point jump shot | |||
6:39 | Dakota Leffew offensive rebound | |||
6:39 | TV timeout | |||
6:25 | Deandre Thomas misses three point jump shot | |||
6:23 | Caleb Daniels defensive rebound | |||
6:12 | +3 | Brandon Slater makes three point jump shot (Justin Moore assists) | 13-30 | |
5:44 | Deandre Thomas turnover (bad pass) (Caleb Daniels steals) | |||
5:26 | +3 | Justin Moore makes three point jump shot (Eric Dixon assists) | 13-33 | |
4:55 | +2 | Malik Jefferson makes two point tip shot (Nana Opoku assists) | 15-33 | |
4:34 | +2 | Jermaine Samuels makes two point jump shot (Justin Moore assists) | 15-35 | |
4:17 | Caleb Daniels personal foul (Deandre Thomas draws the foul) | |||
4:09 | +2 | Nana Opoku makes two point dunk (Jalen Benjamin assists) | 17-35 | |
3:40 | Malik Jefferson blocks Collin Gillespie's two point layup | |||
3:38 | Dakota Leffew defensive rebound | |||
3:26 | +2 | Malik Jefferson makes two point layup (Jalen Benjamin assists) | 19-35 | |
3:27 | Wildcats 30 second timeout | |||
3:27 | TV timeout | |||
3:15 | +3 | Jermaine Samuels makes three point jump shot (Collin Gillespie assists) | 19-38 | |
2:40 | Malik Jefferson misses two point hook shot | |||
2:38 | Eric Dixon defensive rebound | |||
2:30 | +3 | Justin Moore makes three point jump shot (Brandon Slater assists) | 19-41 | |
2:17 | Mezie Offurum misses two point layup | |||
2:15 | Jermaine Samuels defensive rebound | |||
2:04 | Justin Moore misses three point jump shot | |||
2:02 | Nana Opoku defensive rebound | |||
1:50 | +2 | Jalen Benjamin makes two point layup | 21-41 | |
1:25 | +2 | Collin Gillespie makes two point jump shot | 21-43 | |
1:05 | Nana Opoku misses two point hook shot | |||
1:03 | Jermaine Samuels defensive rebound | |||
0:43 | Mezie Offurum shooting foul (Jermaine Samuels draws the foul) | |||
0:43 | +1 | Jermaine Samuels makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-44 | |
0:43 | +1 | Jermaine Samuels makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-45 | |
0:22 | Mezie Offurum misses two point jump shot | |||
0:20 | Brandon Slater defensive rebound | |||
0:04 | Collin Gillespie misses three point jump shot | |||
0:02 | Nana Opoku defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |