DOME SWEEP DOME FOR VILLANOVA

February 23, 2009


Villanova and Syracuse highlighted Sunday's Big East schedule with an afternoon showdown at the Carrier Dome televised by CBS nationally. The Wildcats withstood a late flurry of potential game-tying three's as Villanova Survives Syracuse, 89-86 (Philadelphia Daily News), sweeping the season two-game home and home with the Orange.

Senior Dwayne Anderson led six Wildcats in double figures with 22 points.

In front of an excited crowd of nearly 27,000 partisan to the home team, Villanova Turns on the Defense Against Syracuse (Philadelphia Inquirer) to ignite an 11-0 run to answer an Orange run that saw them erase a 10-point deficit to take a 59-57 lead midway through the second half.

Reggie Redding was the defensive catalyst, picking up two of his six steals at the beginning of the run, in helping 'Nova regain control of the game. Redding also added 11 points and a team-high 7 assists in the game.

Villanova, 10-4 in the Big East and 22-5 overall, also got 15 points from senior Shane Clark and sophomore Corey Fisher and 12 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists from senior Dante Cunningham. Scottie Reynolds added 10 in the win.

Nova finishes up the regular season with a trip to DePaul this week before a Saturday-Monday pair with Georgetown (home) and Notre Dame (road) before closing with Providence ahead of the 2009 Big East Tournament.