Butler Bulldogs at Villanova Wildcats

Booth scores 28 points, leads Villanova past Butler 75-54

Booth has been the steady scorer in the most uneven of seasons for the Wildcats. If Booth wants to leave with a third Final Four on his resume, he'll need another Wildcat or two to step up and help him and Eric Paschall carry the scoring load.

"We're still learning how to play well together," Booth said.

The Wildcats are running out of time to figure it all out. But against Butler, Booth and Paschall were enough.

Booth scored 28 points and Paschall had 12 to lead Villanova to a 75-54 win over Butler in the home finale on Saturday.

`We're just a work in progress," Wright said. "We shouldn't be at this point, but we are. Part of that's on us as a coaching staff, but I think we're going in a good direction. I like how we're playing right now."

The title banners (and one for 1985) were raised in the Wells Fargo Center, but not even the national champs could take center stage in Philly on Saturday.

It took some time for Villanova to feel at home. The Wildcats missed six of their first seven shots and struggling Butler led early by nine.

Booth took control and buried a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to give the Wildcats a 27-23 lead and they took off the rest of the way. Booth pushed the lead to 15 with a 3 early in the second half, and Paschall's thunderous baseline dunk got a rise out of fans on hand for the appetizer before the NBA's game of the night.

Villanova's search for a consistent third scorer goes on: Jermaine Samuels followed his 10 of 19 (5 3s) and 29-point outing in a win over No. 10 Marquette with just seven points against Butler. Saddiq Bey scored 11 points in a modest effort for the Wildcats.

"The tinkering has to end," Wright said.

The Bulldogs (15-14, 6-10) needed a win to remain in the NCAA Tournament picture and will pretty much need to win it all in two weeks in New York to have a shot at March Madness. Paul Jorgensen led Butler with 11 points. Butler had closed within eight late in the second half but couldn't sustain the run and Booth's fourth 3-pointer made it a 15-point game.

"We've had moments where we've looked like the team we want to look like, and for 20 minutes, I thought we were that," Butler coach LaVall Jordan said. "In the second half, that was not the case. It's just a little bit of soul searching to decide who we're going to be from this point out."

BIG PICTURE

Butler: Shot just 5 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Villanova: F Cole Swider was in uniform for the first time since he broke his right hand on Jan. 17 and could add some depth if he can return for the tournament.

UP NEXT

Butler host Xavier on Wednesday.

Villanova finishes the regular season Saturday at Seton Hall.

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• TV Channel: Butler at Villanova 2021 College Basketball, week 17, is broadcasted on FOX.
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