Marquette University
Villanova
No. 6 Villanova Tops Marquette, 78-76
1/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2010
Box Score (html) | Box Score (PDF) 
Corey Stokes scored 16 points after missing a game with a hamstring injury and No. 6 Villanova survived a second scare in eight days against Marquette in a 78-76 win on Saturday.
The Wildcats (14-1, 3-0 Big East) surged to a 22-point lead early in the second half only to have it eaten into by a series of late 3s by the Golden Eagles.
It was the second weekend thriller between the preseason Big East favorite and the rebuilding Golden Eagles (10-6, 1-3). Scottie Reynolds, the star of Villanova's Final Four run last season, scored the go-ahead basket with 18.1 seconds left last Saturday to beat Marquette 74-72 in their Big East opener.
Late in this game, Reynolds gave the Golden Eagles an opportunity when he lost control of the ball just past halfcourt and Lazar Hayward pounced. Hayward was fouled from behind by Stokes and crashed to the court. Stokes was whistled for an intentional foul with 27 seconds left that had the home crowd howling in protest.
Hayward calmly made both to make it 75-73. The Golden Eagles retained possession, but got nothing out of it once Jimmy Butler was swarmed on a double team and fumbled away the ball.
This time, the Wildcats pounced.
Antonio Pena made two free throws and Dominic Cheek went 1 for 2 from the line to seal the win.
Reynolds finished with 15 points, and Pena and Corey Fisher each scored 11.
Hayward finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, and Darius Johnson-Odum had 16 points. Johnson-Odum tossed in a long 3 at the buzzer to make the final margin only two points.
Hayward sparked reeling Marquette, hitting four 3-pointers in the second half to help whittle the deficit to single digits and put Villanova's three-year home winning streak in jeopardy.
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It wouldn't end Saturday. The Wildcats won their 35th straight game at the Pavilion.
Stokes sat out Villanova's 99-72 win against DePaul on Wednesday after he strained his right hamstring in Monday's practice. The 6-foot-5 guard didn't appear bothered by the hamstring in one of his finest games of the season.
He hit a 3-pointer during an early 14-5 run that helped Villanova grab a 31-19 lead at the break. They stretched it to 52-30 when Marquette - specifically, Hayward - really got going.
Hayward's second 3-pointer pulled the Golden Eagles to 59-50 and was the first time their deficit was in the single digits in the second half. His next 3 made it 61-53 and had the Wildcats on the ropes.
After his fourth 3 got Marquette all the way back to 64-59, Villanova coach Jay Wright started screaming and pointing at Hayward's direction to get a Wildcat to cover him.
Taylor King and Reggie Redding each followed with layups that temporarily helped fend off Marquette's hard-charging run.
King was involved in a scary moment with 2:10 left when he dove for a loose ball and his head plowed into Hayward's waist. King was down for several minutes and was in agony as he grabbed the back of his head. Wright immediately rushed to King's aid. King, a transfer from Duke, walked off on his own power and returned to the bench.
Wright said King suffered a stinger.
The Wildcats shot 63 percent in the second half from the floor; Marquette kept up by shooting 11 for 23 from behind the arc.
