Villanova, St. John's deliver an entertaining game

NEW YORK - Nobody told these teams it was only January.

But then, circumstance occasionally dictates a measure of desperation, even in January basketball.

Two months before the madness descends, The World's Most Famous Arena witnessed basketball that was completely Ides-worthy.

Villanova won, 90-72, thanks to a clinically proficient stretch run in the final 10 minutes. It was nowhere near as lopsided as the score reflected.

"We were both very hungry teams tonight," Villanova coach Jay Wright said.

In an era of one-and-done mediocrity even as seasons end, this was a rare midseason treat: 40 minutes of vintage basketball, played by experienced players at a high level in a rivalry rich in history.

Perhaps they're just this well-coached, this well-developed as programs.

Perhaps their recent issues added urgency.

Either way, it was special.

Villanova's annual visit to St. John's at Madison Square Garden usually would carry a measure of intrigue. A generation ago, Rollie Massimino would put his team on a train and he and Lou Carnesecca would pit their stables of NBA prospects against each other.

Now, Wright and Steve Lavin - more telegenic, if less accomplished - feature less-pedigreed rosters. They play in a Big East Conference diluted by football-fueled defections, and they began a little after 9 p.m. to accommodate a network - Fox Sports 1 - that didn't exist when the programs were most relevant (or, for that matter, the last time either made it past the first week of the NCAA Tournament).

This otherwise unremarkable Tuesday night in New York carried unusual significance.

Villanova's hopes of setting a school record with 14 straight wins to start a season had ended Saturday when the Wildcats lost at Seton Hall.

Delayed, perhaps for a more fitting venue, was Wright's chance to post his 300th win at Villanova, where he has coached since 2001. It is a measure of Wright's humility that the university has not promoted the milestone.

"I feel so blessed just to be at Villanova," Wright said afterward.

"I feel honored to help him do it," said senior swingman Darrun Hilliard. "He's touched so many guys' lives."

St. John's had sprinted out to an 11-1 start and earned a No. 15 national ranking, its highest in 3 years. Then it lost its first two games in Big East action: at Seton Hall, then, worse, to visiting Butler - but that was without Philadelphia native Rysheed Jordan, who briefly left the team after the death of his grandmother. He returned last night but played poorly.

The losses dropped the Red Storm to 24th in the country, but the Storm remained in the Top 25 for a fifth consecutive week, its longest run since Ron Artest played in Queens.

Artest's 1999 edition, long before his days as beer depository and Metta World Peace advocate, made it to the Elite Eight. Jordan's 2015 edition would find itself bounced from the Top 25 without at least a decent showing last night.

St. John's gave a decent showing.

Another loss would almost assuredly drop 'Nova, ranked sixth last week, from the Top 10. The Wildcats almost assuredly will remain.

Both deserve ranking recognition. They played with refreshing desperation. They played with remarkable crispness.

In the first 7 minutes, St. John's had blocked five shots, deflected four passes and sunk three three-pointers off about four extra passes.

Villanova had gutted out a series of long possessions, collected four offensive rebounds and drawn five fouls - three on their first possession.

The teams had combined, unofficially, for a dozen floor burns.

Villanova led by one.

St. John's held that lead at the half.

For the game, St. John's shot 48.3 percent and Villanova 55.7, but those numbers should not impugn either squad's defensive effort or execution. Simply, the offenses were run so efficiently, most of the shots taken were of excellent caliber.

Once, Hilliard drove, drew a double-team underneath, but stayed cool and found Daniel Ochefu, emerging as a dominant post player, for a dunk. The next possession, Hilliard missed a three-pointer - but Ochefu ran down the long rebound, ripped the ball away from a startled St. John's player and found Hilliard smartly streaking to the hoop for a layup and a 27-22 lead.

Raw, tireless Nigerian center Chris Obekpa played with the energy, athleticism and length of shorts (midthigh) that recalled, if not Walter Berry, then, at least Malik Sealy. Obekpa's energy was infectious.

That was evidenced by the 8,565 fully engaged fans of both persuasions who packed the lower bowl at MSG - not the sort of turnout Walter Berry and Chris Mullin commanded when they hosted Ed Pinckney and Dwayne McClain, but a fine showing for a cold Manhattan weeknight.

They got a great show.

Sir'Dominic Pointer's jumper early in the second half came at the cost of JayVaughn Pinkston's sizable chest colliding with his - and no call. Pointer played on, and forced the 'Cats into a timeout when his alley-oop dunk with 14:28 to play.

Everybody wanted a piece of this game.

Obekpa committed a third personal foul early in the second half, but returned after about 2 minutes, collected a hoop on one end and blocked a shot at the other. He left with what appeared to be an ankle injury midway through the second half, but returned within minutes, but to little effect.

He was limping badly.

But not badly enough.

D'Angelo Harrison, the Red Storm's top scorer (20.3) and an all-league selection last season, led all scorers at halftime with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting, and his scoring was so selfless it was almost silent. In fact, his most visible moment came when he hammered Ryan Arcidiacono at the end of the first half.

That happened with 0.9 seconds left in the half. Harrison's fully inked body, Mohawked hairdo and notched eyebrows lay at the base of the stanchion for at least 2 minutes as he grabbed his right knee. He and had to be helped off the court.

Harrison missed . . . 0.9 seconds.

That's right: He started the second half and scored nine more.

It was that kind of game.

Harrison wasn't going to miss it.

Neither was Obekpa.

Even in January.

On Twitter: @inkstainedretch

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