The annual Saint Joseph's-Villanova matchup is always the most emotional Big 5 game, and for the past two years it provided the most convincing argument that the Wildcats were the city's best team.
The Holy War was no less consequential this year, and the result was a clear reflection of the Big 5's new balance of power. St. Joe's rebounded from last year's 39-point output against Villanova to post a 77-55 victory last night at the Palestra in perhaps its most dominant game of the season.
The Hawks (15-5, 2-0 Big 5) won their sixth game in a row, playing for the fourth time in eight days. St. Joe's never trailed, went on a 23-4 run in the first half and dealt the Wildcats (13-8, 3-1) their first Big 5 loss in 15 games.
"I'm not going to . say that wasn't significant," Hawks coach Phil Martelli said. "That it was just another game."
But it was a game that Villanova coach Jay Wright would rather forget. St. Joe's came in as the favored team, but few in attendance expected a blowout in which Villanova's top scorer had 12.
"That certainly wasn't a Big 5 classic," Wright said. "We did not play well."
The Wildcats featured the speedy guard combo of Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher. The Hawks had the advantage up front with the triumvirate of Pat Calathes, Ahmad Nivins and Rob Ferguson.
St. Joe's exploited its edge far more effectively, negating Villanova's penetration with a persistent pressure defense. Martelli, fearful of the Wildcats' quickness, went into the game expecting to need a zone. But with the Hawks' man-to-man operating so well, he never used it.
"Youth vs. Experience," Martelli said. "The team with the best players wins, and right now, Jay's team is just young."
The Villanova coach could hardly argue. His team shot 17 three-pointers and made just four.
"They were just tough with it," Reynolds said. "You're going to have those times."
Given the tall task of matching up with the prolific Reynolds, Darrin Govens played more like Reynolds than the Villanova junior himself. No matter how Govens took three-pointers - off balance, with a defender closing in or wide open off a screen - he made them. He went 4-for-7 from deep and was matched shot-for-shot by teammate Rob Ferguson, who was 5-for-6.
With Hawks point guard Tasheed Carr sitting much of the second half with foul and ankle troubles, sixth man Garrett Williamson played 29 productive minutes while leaving the most noticeable stat line blank.
"He really, in a lot of ways, dominated the game and took no shots," Martelli said. He called Williamson the best sixth man in the Atlantic 10.
Williamson did have five assists, helping Ferguson and Calathes to 20-point games. It was more than enough for St. Joe's to hold on to the contest and its newly-anointed distinction as No. 1.
