Foye helps Villanova foil Louisville
A 24-point performance from guard Randy Foye and a double-double from center Jason Fraser helped No. 2 Villanova power past Louisville, 76-67, Thursday night at Freedom Hall. Villanova (10-0) never trailed the entire game and held as big as a 13-point lead at one point in the second half over the No. 8-ranked Cardinals.
The Wildcats foiled Louisville (11-2) in the Cards' first-ever Big East home basketball game. Louisville star Taquan Dean was hampered the entire game with foul trouble, playing just nine minutes in the first half and just 18 for the game.
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It did not matter if Dean was on the court or not, Foye and Allan Ray shot
Villanova to yet another win.
The senior guards combined for 41 points on 11-of-30 shooting as
the third-ranked Wildcats continued their unbeaten start,
rudely welcoming No. 8 Louisville to the Big East Conference,
76-67.
In the conference opener for both school, Villanova (10-0, 1-0
Big East) took advantage of some early turnover problems by
Louisville and the foul trouble of leading scorer Dean to grab a
big advantage and hold on for its second win over a Top-10
team.
Taking an 8-0 edge in the early moments when a steal by Foye led
to a layup by Kyle Lowry, the Wildcats built the lead to 21-9
on a free throw by Foye with 10:55 to play.
Dean, who was held without a point in the first half, then
picked up his third foul on an offensive charge just seconds
later.
Despite the loss of their leading scorer, the Cardinals rallied
behind their freshman, Chad Millard and Terrence Williams, to
close within 36-30 at the half.
Foye hit a 3-pointer coming out of the break and went the
distance for a layup to rebuild the edge to 46-35 with 16:10
remaining.
With Dean whistled for another foul early in the second, David
Padgett took over inside for Louisville, scoring six points on a
12-3 run to make it 56-52 with 8:54 left.
Ray hit a 3-pointer, Foye had a layup and Jason Frasor added two
baskets to push the bulge to 66-54 with 4:42 to play.
Foye finished with 24 points and Ray had 17 for the Wildcats,
who beat the Cardinals for just the fourth time in nine all-time
meetings.
Padgett scored 17 points and Dean finished with nine - nearly
eight below his season average - for Louisville, which committed
17 turnovers.