Eric Dixon authored another impressive performance, scoring 27 points as Villanova topped visiting Fairleigh Dickinson 86-72 in nonconference action on Wednesday.
Dixon, who entered the night second in the nation in scoring at 25.7 points per game, shot 9-of-13 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the foul line. Wooga Poplar helped out with 19 points, while Jhamir Brickus chipped in 10 points and 10 assists as the Wildcats (6-4) earned their fourth straight win.
Terrence Brown (27 points) and Jo’el Emanuel (14) were the top scorers for the Knights (4-7), who fell to 0-6 on the road this season.
Fairleigh Dickinson scored the first two points of the second half to get within 45-38 before Villanova went on a 9-2 run to jump ahead by 14.
Dixon recorded two three-point plays during that surge, sandwiched around a 3-pointer by Poplar. Soon thereafter, the Wildcats scored eight straight — including four by Dixon — to increase their lead to 19.
Brown and Dylan Jones helped whittle FDU’s deficit to 11 with 10 1/2 minutes to play, but six straight points by the hosts recalibrated the momentum. First, Dixon found Nnanna Njoku for a dunk, then Dixon knocked down a pair of free throws before Enoch Boakye’s dunk made it 73-56.
Villanova led by as many as 19 down the stretch.
Neither team led by more than four in the first half until Poplar’s jumper put Villanova ahead 30-24 with about six minutes left. Poplar made another 3-pointer shortly thereafter, then Dixon made one from long range as the Wildcats’ lead grew to 36-28.
Tyler Perkins’ 3-pointer with just under two minutes left before halftime gave the hosts their first double-digit lead at 41-31.
The Knights quickly cut that deficit in half before Dixon’s layup and Josiah Moseley’s two free throws gave Villanova a 45-36 lead at the break.
The Wildcats shot 64 percent from the field in the first half – including 5-of-12 from 3-point range — and went 8-of-8 from the foul line.