Missouri shows Villanova plenty

NEW YORK - Villanova wasn't supposed to win last night at Madison Square Garden. So when the Wildcats, who had lost two of their previous three games, trailed 10th-ranked, unbeaten Missouri by 16 points with a little over 12 minutes to go in the first game of the Jimmy V Classic doubleheader, well, it seemed about right.

But 11 minutes later the Wildcats were within seven, with the ball. A turnover coming out of a timeout when Maalik Wayns got trapped in the corner and threw a pass that sailed untouched into the backcourt, pretty much derailed their comeback. The Tigers, who have a bunch of seniors, then converted five of six free throws before the Wildcats could score again. The final was 81-71, as Missouri improved to 8-0 for the first time in five seasons. Villanova will take a 5-3 record into Saturday's bus ride to Temple, which hasn't lost at home in nearly 2 years.

"We weren't surprised by how good they were," coach Jay Wright said of the Tigers. "We tried to scrap and fight and keep it close and steal it at the end. That was our chance [before the turnover]. We could have put a little more pressure on them.

"We got better. It's a little embarrassing to sit here and say that, when you lose by 10, but that's where we are right now. To beat this kind of team, you have to grind and grind and make some plays at the end. That's exactly what we were looking for. But we made a couple of [late] mistakes, and they made a couple of great plays. But I can [still] feel good about that."

Missouri, which beat then-No. 20 Cal by 39 a few weeks ago in Kansas City, reminds Wright of his 2005-06, perimeter-oriented club that made it to the Final Eight.

"They're fun to watch," he acknowledged.

But not necessarily to play. The Wildcats led by two after 13 minutes. Following a 14-2 Missouri run, they were down 13 at the break. The Tigers, who had closed the first half by making eight of their last 14 shots, started the second by going 6-for-6. And it looked like this one might be over. Except it wasn't. Villanova kept coming, and with 5 minutes left got to within six. Missouri got field goals on its next two trips.

The margin became a dozen, but Wayns hit his first two baskets of the second half, a trey from straightaway and a midrange leaner from the left wing, to get the Wildcats back in it one final time. At this point, they just didn't have enough.