Wildcats Put on Shooting Display, Down Irish
January 7, 1999
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - John Celestand scored 18 points as Villanova beat Notre Dame 93-62 Thursday afternoon in a game that was rescheduled due to the snow storm that blanketed the Midwest over the weekend. Villanova (11-4, 2-3 Big East) and Notre Dame (8-7, 2-2), both in the middle of a three-game sweep over five days because of the rescheduled game, seemed lethargic in the early going of the unusual 4 p.m. start. But the Wildcats, who shot 39 percent in the first half, hit their first eight shots in the second period, including 5-of-5 from 3-point range, as they took a 64-31 lead with 15:19 left. The Wildcats went up 39 points on Rafal Bigus' layup with less than 12:00 left, and the Irish trailed by at least 30 points most of the half. Howard Brown added 15 for the Wildcats, while Brian Lynch scored 14 and Jermaine Medley had 13. Notre Dame and Villanova, which were snowed out Saturday, put on a horrid offensive display in the first half. At one point, they were a combined 3-for-20 from the floor and had only scored 25 points halfway through the opening period. They finished the half with 23 turnovers, but Villanova took a 40-23 lead into the lockerroom after a 13-3 run to finish the period, capped off by Lynch's 3-pointer. While Villanova seemed to cure its offensive woes in the second half, the Irish didn't. The finished with 23 turnovers and shot 39 percent (20-for-51). Troy Murphy led Notre Dame with 17 points, while David Graves added 10.
By JR ROSS
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