NEW YORK — Kevin Willard spent his formative years in coaching working under Rick Pitino, first with the Boston Celtics and then later in the college ranks at the University of Louisville.
So the Villanova coach didn’t have to imagine what practice was like for Pitino’s No. 15 St. John’s team this week after it was blown out and embarrassed by No. 6 UConn Wednesday night.
He lived it.
“I don’t have hair because of him,” Willard said after Villanova was throttled in an 89-57 loss — the worst defeat for the program in 29 years — that was all but over before halftime. “I had a full set of hair when I started working for him. It’s the most miserable experience in life. You fear for your life every day. Everyone laughs when I say that, but no, you think you’re going to get fired, and it’s miserable.”
The game was already going to be hard to begin with. Villanova (22-7, 13-5) is on its way to the NCAA Tournament, but it has failed to show it can compete with the two teams at the top of a Big East conference that will send just three teams to the dance, barring a miracle run at Madison Square Garden in two weeks. Add to the equation that St. John’s was coming off a 32-point drubbing, the Garden was sold out, and those rough and rowdy Red Storm practices this week, and you get a recipe for disaster.
Pitino told reporters ahead of Saturday that the game against UConn was the biggest since he arrived on campus in 2023. It is the hyperbole you resort to after you lose a game by 32. St. John’s held a White Out and gave out white t-shirts for lower-level ticket holders, and Pitino emerged from the tunnel onto the floor before the game wearing a white suit. The crowd loved it, and Pitino’s players made sure they continued having things to cheer about.
It was 11-2 after three quick Villanova turnovers. Later, two more consecutive turnovers led to easy dunks and a 28-14 deficit. Willard used multiple timeouts during the first half, but Villanova had no answers for the defensive pressure and intensity from St. John’s. It was 48-23 by the time the first-half buzzer mercifully sounded, and the first-half stats told the story.
St. John’s held an 18-0 advantage in points off turnovers. Villanova had more turnovers (eight) than it did made baskets (seven). The Wildcats shot 25.9%. Tyler Perkins, Villanova’s leading scorer, was minus-32 in 17 first-half minutes.
“I think the biggest difference is that they’re a veteran team,” Willard said. “You knew Zuby [Ejiofor] wasn’t going to come out and lay an egg, and he didn’t.”
The St. John’s center became the fourth known Red Storm player to record a triple-double. He had 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. The superlatives didn’t stop with him. The 32-point victory was the largest St. John’s has ever recorded vs. Villanova in what was the 135th matchup between the two teams.
Further, it was the worst Villanova loss since the Wildcats lost by 37 in a February 1997 game vs. Kentucky.
Who coached that Kentucky team? Pitino.
Back to the present day, Willard’s Wildcats on consecutive Saturdays received a dose of reality vs. the conference’s elite, but they also survived a rough stretch during Wednesday’s win over Butler.
“We still won seven out of nine games,” Willard said when asked if he was concerned about the timing of it all. “We lost to UConn and St. John’s. Unfortunately, I caught UConn after they played their worst game of the year and it seems like God is punishing me for my sins.
“We’re going to move on. We have two more games left. Life happens, man. You get your [butt] kicked every once in a while.”
Willard had a similar thing to say last week after a 10-point loss to UConn that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. Villanova bused home late Saturday night and is back on the road for a Wednesday night game at DePaul. The regular season finishes Saturday with a home game vs. Xavier before the Big East tournament begins.
How will Villanova respond to its worst loss of the season?
Perhaps Willard can channel Pitino at Monday’s practice.
No update on Matt Hodge’s injury
Villanova redshirt-freshman forward Matt Hodge went down with what appeared to be a right leg injury early in the second half. Hodge was on the floor in pain for a few moments and then struggled to put any weight on his right foot as he was helped off the floor and into the locker room.
Willard did not have an update on Hodge’s status after the game.
Wildcats locked into Big East seed
The loss Saturday means Villanova can’t possibly climb higher than third in the Big East conference. For reference, the Wildcats were picked seventh in the preseason poll. But there appears to be a steep drop off from UConn and St. John’s at the top.
The No. 3 seed means the Wildcats will open the Big East tournament with a 9:30 p.m. quarterfinal game vs. the winner of the game between No. 6 and No. 11.
