VILLANOVA, Pa.– Marquette guard Stevie Mitchell made the most of his homecoming here yesterday.
The 6-3 sophomore, who grew up 50 miles away just outside Reading, PA.and was the PIAA 2021 Player of the Year at Wilson West Lawn, was heavily recruited by Villanova.
“A lot of my friends were big Villanova fans and wanted me to go there, but I’m happy with my decision,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell had a career day, scoring career high19 points, 12 in the second half as the Golden Eagles defeated the defending Big East tournament champions, 67-68, in the most dramatic conference game to date before a sellout crowd at the Finn. Mitchell shot 8 for 13. He also did a good job defensively, making four steals and helping limit Villanova’s best perimeter offensive player Caleb Daniels to 4 for 14 shooting and 13 points.
Mitchell had plenty of moral support. He rounded up 31 tickets for family and friends, several who wore his No. 4 jersey.
This was Marquette’s second straight victory over the Cats at the Finn after nine consecutive road losses and third in the last two years.
Shaka Smart’s young, well coached Golden Eagles (11-4, 3-1) won this one with defense, rallying from a 44-39 halftime deficit to hold Villanova to just 22 points on 9 of 29 shooting.
“They take away your strengths,” Villanova first year coach Kyle Neptune said. “They make it hard it hard to get to the rim and they also do a good job taking away threes.”
Forward Oliver Prosper slipped inside and scored on a dunk off a pass from Oso Ighodaro to give the Golden Eagles a 68-66 lead with 1:41 left and Marquette on the final possession escaped when Eric Dixon missed a jumper from the elbow that rimmed out with 4 seconds to play that could have forced overtime.
Cam Whtimore, Villanova’s much hyped blue-chip freshman forward, scored 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 26 minutes during his first career start, looking every bit of the NBA lottery pick he is projected to be next June. But after being the best player on the court and powering Villanova’s offense to a huge first half, he disappeared in the second half despite having just one personal. Whitmore got just eight minutes of playing time and just 26 seconds in the final seven minutes, making it easier for Marquette to guard the ultra-aggresive Cats. “It was just a feel,” Neptune said when asked about it.
