Villanova, Temple end the year on a high note

WHEN YOU watch Villanova games these days, you get the sense that the Wildcats simply will find a way to win, no matter what. They don't exactly toy with the opponents, because this team doesn't play around. But they have a great confidence that must be very discouraging for the teams that try to beat them. This season, 13 teams have tried and none has succeeded.

Butler was the latest, in the Big East opener Wednesday at the Pavilion. The Wildcats got the lead after 7 seconds, were tied for 22 seconds and controlled the game for 40 minutes, winning, 67-55.

Butler (10-4) is much improved, but its offense has been shaky. Villanova attacked that offense with its relentless defense, holding the Bulldogs to 22-for-62 (35.5 percent) shooting. The Wildcats had 16 blocks and steals, while committing only eight turnovers and holding Butler to .86 points per possession.

'Nova got 15 points from point guard Ryan Arcidiacono, who might be the most indispensable player in the city. Never judge him by numbers, though. Judge him by wins. Continually improving big man Daniel Ochefu had 10 points, nine rebounds and five blocks for a team that just tied the program's best-ever start.

If this 'Nova team is going to go one better than the 1937-38 squad, it will need to win tomorrow at Seton Hall (11-2). The Pirates beat streaking St. John's, 78-67, just before Villanova played on Wednesday. Yes, that would be the same Seton Hall that knocked Villanova out of the Big East Tournament in the quarterfinals last season. Doubt this Villanova group will have forgotten that game.

Last season's Temple defense was so historically bad that it just had to be an anomaly. It was. The Owls finished 257th in defensive efficiency, allowing teams to score 1.09 points per possession. After beating Connecticut in Hartford, 57-53, in overtime Wednesday in the American Athletic Conference opener, the Owls are 18th, with teams getting only .90 ppp.

Combine the seasonlong defensive improvement with the addition of transfers Jesse Morgan and Devin Coleman and you have a team that is 10-4, and 4-0 with the new guys.

Imagine if the Owls had a game a month ago in which Will Cummings and Quenton DeCosey shot a combined 3-for-19, as they did against UConn. They would have lost even with the defense. Morgan, however, had 17 points, including four more treys, giving him 16 in four games. He has been a game-changer.

Temple led most of the way against the Huskies, but when you shoot only 18-for-57 (31.6 percent), you will never lead by much. The Owls did lead, 51-45, with 90 seconds left in regulation, but did not again until OT.

It looked as if they had the game won again in OT, leading by two in the final seconds. But the officials said DeCosey fouled Daniel Hamilton shooting a three. His first two free throws were not close. He missed his third intentionally, but the ball never hit the rim, giving it back to Temple. Cummings hit two free throws to seal it.

Temple lost many close, pretty-to-watch games last season because its defense was so bad. This was definitely not pretty, with the teams combining to shoot 2-for-13 in OT. The Owls held the Huskies (6-5) to only .77 ppp, which was enough in a game in which they caught a break when UConn star Ryan Boatright was able to play only 17 minutes because of a leg injury. The Owls, who caught no breaks last season, took it and ran right into 2015.