Villanova finds its revenge, beats Penn 80-69

In a nail-biting victory lasting into the final minutes, the No. 23 Villanova Wildcats defeated the Penn Quakers 80-69 tonight at the Finneran Pavilion. Successfully accomplishing their revenge from last season’s Big 5 loss to the Quakers at the Palestra, the Wildcats had a major asset to their W: Saddiq Bey.

Sophomore Bey had an explosive night in front his home crowd, splashing a career-high 27 points. Despite the gritty, possession-by-possession sluggish pace of the scoreboard, Bey consistently managed to amplify ‘Nova’s momentum and execute board-shattering finishes. Forgoing the previously-classic Villanova three-point emphasis, Bey focused his hustle far closer to the basket.

Freshman Justin Moore aided Bey in point production, having himself a marquee night with 17 points. Establishing his comfort on the court, nearly half of his offensive impact occurred in the second half. Fellow freshman Jeremiah Robinson-Earl also flexed his burgeoning prowess—Robinson-Earl put up a team-high 12 rebounds and 13 points.

Villanova moves on to play St. Joe’s this Saturday at the Hagan Arena in Philadelphia.