Maryland overcame a double-digit halftime deficit and took down the Wildcats in the Empire Classic on Sunday afternoon.
Despite Eric Dixon’s willpower and career-high 38 points, the Villanova Wildcats were unable to hold off the Maryland Terrapins in the Empire Classic on Sunday.
The ‘Cats squandered a double-digit halftime lead, as the Terrapins roared back into the game behind Derik Queen, Julian Reese and Ja’Kobi Gillespie.
It was a back-and-forth battle over the final eight minutes of the game. Queen hit a pair of free throws to give Maryalnd a one-point lead with 19.2 seconds remaining and the Terrapins held firm from there for a 76-75 win.
Villanova had one last possession. Dixon was triple-teamed and the ball found its way to Tyler Perkins for a three, but it was off the mark. The ball bounced out off Maryland, so the Wildcats regained the ball with 2.4 seconds remaining.
Dixon got one last shot off at the buzzer, but it was no good, and Maryland snatched the win.
The Terrapins surged back into the game with a 17-3 run that was sparked by Queen midway through the second half. He flushed down a dunk to ignite the second-half surge with 14:02 remaining. He came back to top it off with back-to-back baskets to give the Terps a 59-55 lead, with 8:07 left.
Both teams traded baskets and mini-runs, and there were seven lead changes over the final 3:30 of action.
Dixon finished with 38 points of 15-of-29 shooting, including a 5-for-11 clip from long range. He also had four boards, two assists and a steal.
He got off to a scorching start to the game, outscoring his teammates in the first half. 22 of his 38 points came before halftime, and he was a major catalyst in giving the ‘Cats a 40-28 lead at the break.
At one point, he scored nine straight points. Villanova’s largest lead was 14 points, which was in the closing minutes of the first half.
Villanova struggled to generate consistent offense outside of Dixon early on, but Jhamir Brickus would go on to finish with 11 points, four assists, one block and two steals. Tyler Perkins and Jordan Longino each finished with seven points.
Maryland was aggressive on the glass, especially in the second half. Reese and Queen each finished with six offensive rebounds, and they had 10 as a team in the second half. The Terrapins racked up 20 second-chance points in the comeback effort.
Queen led the way with a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double on 9-of-14 shooting. He also had five assists and a block. Reese added 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting, with 10 rebounds and a pair of blocks. Rodney Rice chipped in 16 points, while Gillespie added 12 points, three assists and three steals.
Villanova drops to 3-4 overall. The Wildcats will return to action against Rider on Wednesday night at Finneran Pavilion. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.