Written by Dan Gelston at USNews.com
Jay Wright apologized for both his tardiness to a postgame news conference and for failing to bring two players who usually flank Villanova’s coach at the podium because he let them shower first.
“Bad execution on our part,” Wright said.
Just like most of the second half for Villanova.
The seat on his right was eventually filled by Josh Hart, who, as he did in the closing minutes of the game, finally showed up at the end.
Hart scored 25 points and No. 2 Villanova held off a late Georgetown run in a 75-64 victory Tuesday night.
Hart, a national player of the year candidate, followed a can’t-miss first half with an 0-for-everything second that helped the Hoyas (13-12, 4-8 Big East) slice a 17-point deficit to two and had the Wildcats reeling at the Pavilion.
L.J. Peak buried a 3 and Rodney Pryor hit a jumper to key a 17-4 run, and suddenly a Hoyas team coming off a scary bus accident on the way to Pennsylvania had pulled within 60-58 with 3:49 left.
The Hoyas, swept by Villanova in three games last season, seemed poised to pull off the upset they needed to try and make a run at the NCAA Tournament.
The Hoyas just couldn’t stop Hart in the clutch. He hit a 3 off a Georgetown turnover for a seven-point lead and turned a steal into a layup that made it 70-60 and sent the Pavilion crowd into a frenzy.
Hart, who scored 17 points in the first half, missed his first seven shots in the second and was scoreless until a late free throw.
“That team is too good,” Georgetown coach John Thompson III said.
The Wildcats (23-2, 10-2) held on and won the 79th game in the series between these decades-long rivals.
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