Villanova vs. Penn, Live Game Updates (12/2)

Hey all, Matt Flegenheimer reporting live from behind the Villanova bench for tonight's Big 5 showdown at the Palestra. The No. 16 Wildcats make the cross-town trek sporting a perfect 6-0 record, while the Quakers have lost two straight to Penn State and Albany, respectively, to drop to 1-4 on the year. Keep it with the Buzz for live updates on the action all night long. Who knows? Penn might even keep it close.

Villanova 69 Penn 47, FINAL

Villanova milks the clock with a couple of long possessions to close it out. So ends another gritty, physical, and, alas, lopsided Big 5 affair for the Red and Blue.

Villanova 68 Penn 47, 1:41 Second Half

Off a steal, Fisher splits a double team and knocks down a pull-up. Schreiber and Bernardini each hit a pair of free-throws to cut it to "only" 21. Will Penn reach the half-century mark?

Villanova 64 Penn 43, 4:03 Second Half

Tough fadeaway from Pena, then two free throws for Cofield off a nice cut. Reynolds get wide open in the corner for three. Villanova reserve Reggie Redding finishes with a one-handed slam two possessions later. Bernardini responds with a bank shot on a leaner.

Villanova 57 Penn 39, 7:46 Second Half

Great drive from Cofield, who leaves it for Votel underneath for a lay-in. Cofield gets a steal at the other end, which leads to an Eggleston two in transition off a Gaines dish. Villanova coach Jay Wright calls for time.

Villanova 57 Penn 35, 8:59 Second Half

Penn can't buy one; Rosen, especially, has looked flat with his shot. Clark converts a three-point play on an offensive board. Egee has a highlight-reel block on the far taller Clark, then finishes on a three-point play of his own on a fast break at the other end.

Villanova 50 Penn 31, 12:10 Second Half

Bernardini comes back in time to knock down a two from the elbow, one of two free throws on the next possession, and a herky-jerky finish on an out-of-control drive. Rumors of his demise may have been exaggerated...

Villanova 48 Penn 26, 14:32 Second Half

Fisher throws a monster dunk down on Gaines off a loose ball, Cunningham gets deep again for two after a Penn miss, and Gaines continues his strong shooting with an 18-footer from the corner. An altogether ineffective Bernardini finds himself on the bench as Penn sees this one slipping away.

Villanova 44 Penn 24, 17:43 Second Half

Mark the time: Miller's jacket comes off a minute and 32 seconds into the second. It's about time, really. Reynolds hits a three to open the second frame, Votel throws a pass away, and Cunningham finds space for a 10-foot jumper. All the sudden we have a 17-point game. It balloons to 20 on a Stokes three (his fourth of the night) that prompts a Penn timeout.

Vilanova 36 Penn 24, Halftime

The teams trade turnovers, and Penn holds for the last shot, with Harrison Gaines eating up most of the clock with a yo-yo dribble. He swings it to Bernardini, who hits Schreiber on a bounce pass in the paint. Schreiber is promptly stuffed by Cunningham at the horn to end the half.

Halftime stats:

Villanova

Cunningham: 14 points, 7 rebounds

Stokes: 9 points (3-4 3PT FG)

Reynolds: 2 points (1-4 FG), 2 rebounds, 3 assists

Penn

Gaines: 12 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3PT FG)

Eggleston: 6 points, 2 rebounds

Bernardini: 3 points (1-5 FG), no rebounds, no assists in 18 minutes

Villanova 36 Penn 24, 0:49 First Half

Two more for Gaines on a floater. Reynolds gets on the board for the first time on a nice finger roll with the right. Dwayne Anderson hits a three from the corner to give the road squad its biggest lead of the evening. Bernardini responds with his first bucket, a three from the wing. At the other end, bodies from both sides go flying after a loose ball, with Eggleston falling on it first and Penn coach Glen Miller calling timeout in time to retain possession.

Villanova 31 Penn 19, 4:48 First Half

Votel throws a pass between Gaines' legs trying to break a 'Nova press, and Pena is hacked in the lane at the other end (makes both). Cofield gets past Shane Clark on a nice drive to draw the foul, and converts one of two. Cunningham finishes with the left for yet another score. Gaines goes left on a gorgeous take, Stokes responds with a three, and Eggleston knocks down a mid-ranger at the other end. Pena gets fouled going up for a dunk, and sinks both.

Villanova 22 Penn 14, 7:56 First Half

Eggleston tips in an Egee miss. Cunningham shows his range on an 18-foot jumper for his 12th point. Great ball movement from Penn for a change leads to another Gaines trifecta. After an equally rare turnover from the Wildcats, Gaines draws a foul on a drive and sinks both. He has eight of Penn's 14 points so far.

Villanova 20 Penn 7, 10:11 First Half

Gaines knocks down a three on a Loughery drive-and-kick. Cunningham gets deep position again, gets hacked underneath, and makes both free throws. 'Nova forces a turnover, and Stokes nails a three from the elbow. Reynolds dumps it down to Cunninham again for two more. Timeout Penn.

Villanova 13 Penn 4, 11:55 First Half

Cunningham scores on a put-back off an offensive rebound. Rosen gets called for a questionable charge on the ensuing possession, then takes a seat in favor of Harrison Gaines. Andreas Schreiber, making his season debut, gets called for a block on another 50-50. Cunningham backs down Penn sub Larry Loughery from about 12-feet out for another easy two. He's simply way too much for the Penn bigs to handle down low.

Villanova 9 Penn 4, 15:19 First Half

Cunningham knocks down a pair of free throws, then Rosen misses an open three. Corey Fisher makes a ridiculous move on a penetration, spinning in the lane and finishing with a reverse. Votel misses a gimme underneath, and knocks the ball out going after his own rebound.

Two quick observations: 1) As expecte,d, the 'Nova fans came out in full force, easily outnumbering the Red and Blue faithful. 2) Scottie Reynolds is six-foot-two the same way Charles Barkley was six-foot-six.

Villanova 5 Penn 4, 17:45 First Half

Stokes bombs in a three on 'Nova's first possession. Quick response from Penn, though, as Rosen hits Votel underneath for a lay-up at the other end. The sides trade misses, then 'Nova's center Antonio Pena dumps in an easy two of a set in-bounds play. Votel hits Eggleston on a cut to pull the Quakers back within one.

Villanova 0 Penn 0, 20:00 First Half

A surprise in Penn's starting five: Sophomore Remy Cofield makes his first career start for the Quakers, alongside regulars Jack Eggleston, Brennan Votel, Tyler Bernardini, and Zack Rosen. For the 'Cats, it's business as usual: Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Antonio Pena, Dante Cunningham, and, of course, Scottie Reynolds.

Eggleston, Votel, Rosen, Bernardini, Cofield