PHILADELPHIA — Eric Dixon and Tyler Burton each scored 15 points to lead No. 22 Villanova to a 90-63 win over American in their season opener on Monday night.
The Wildcats led by as many as 32 in the first game of what they expect to turn into a bounce-back season after a 17-17 finish in coach Kyle Neptune’s first year.
Neptune already faced the burden of replacing Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright. Neptune and the Wildcats then missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012, tightening the pressure on Neptune to make a fast turnaround in Year 2.
So Neptune attacked the portal and brought in four transfers designed to make 2023 just a blip and not the start of a dip in the program.
Washington State transfer TJ Bamba and Burton from Richmond both cracked the starting lineup. Bamba and Burton didn’t produce big point totals in the first half but did just enough to push back the Eagles (out of the Patriot League). Bamba made his only 3-pointer of the half - the Wildcats were only 2 of 10 on 3s at the break - for a 12-point lead.
Bamba’s second 3 of the game made it 48-33 in the second half. The next bucket? Burton hit his first 3 to inch the game closer to a blowout.
It was good news for the new faces at the Pavilion.
Dixon, a second-team All-Big East preseason pick, made 6 of 10 baskets. Justin Moore scored 10 points to open his fifth season, a return made possible in large part thanks to the program’s healthy name, image, and likeness collective.
BIG PICTURE
American: Colin Smalls led the Eagles with 16 points. He scored nine in the first half to help keep the Eagles competitive for about 15 minutes. American, which finished 17-15 overall last season while going 9-9 on the road, pulled to 24-23 on Smalls’ 3-pointer. The Wildcats then went on an 11-0 run and kept the Eagles scoreless for 4:16 to take a 41-31 lead into halftime.
Villanova: The Wildcats expect more big plays like the sequence that saw Dixon block a shot that led to a Burton 3 for a 64-37 lead and brought the crowd - including Wright, watching with his family - to its feet.
UP NEXT
American plays Thursday at William & Mary.
Villanova is home Friday against Le Moyne.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.