Pitt defense shuts down Villanova in 58-43 road triumph
VILLANOVA — Pittsburgh said goodbye to Villanova with a win for the record book.
Thanks a game-ending scoring drought, the Wildcats scored the fewest points in a home game in the 27-year history of the Pavilion.
Durand Johnson and Trey Zeigler each scored 13 points to lead Pittsburgh to a 58-43 win over Villanova on Wednesday night.
The Panthers (14-4, 2-3 Big East) snapped a tie game with a 15-0 run to end the game, and they held Villanova without a point for the final 5 minutes, 13 seconds.
“We love to come here,” coach Jamie Dixon said.
With good reason. Dixon has long mined the fertile Philadelphia ground for talent, and the Panthers are one of the few teams that can stop the Wildcats at home. The Wildcats ended a 46-game winning streak at the Pavilion that started Jan. 17, 2007, with a loss to Pitt back in 2011.
The Panthers left this one with a parting gift to remember.
This was the final Big East matchup at Villanova between the intrastate rivals before the Panthers bolt for the ACC next season.
“They always challenge your toughness,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “I will miss these games, I really will.”
The Panthers lost at home the last time out to Marquette. They didn’t play much better against the Wildcats, missing 12 of 15 3-point attempts and shooting 36 percent from the floor.
Against the struggling Wildcats, it was enough. Darrun Hilliard scored all 14 of his points in the first half. The Wildcats (11-6, 2-2) committed 18 turnovers.
