Justin Moore’s game-winning three advances Villanova to quarterfinals in Big East tournament

NEW YORK — What was Villanova’s mission against a DePaul team poised to become the first Big East team to lose all 21 conference games in a season? Avoid the unthinkable.

For, say, 30 or so minutes, the unthinkable wasn’t even in consideration. For the next eight, it was “They won’t… will they?” Then for 1 minute, 52 seconds, the disaster had happened, the Titanic had sunk — Villanova was on the verge of losing to a team in consideration for the worst record in Big East history.

With eight seconds left, Villanova down two, Justin Moore rose from three. Swish.

“Thank god for Justin Moore,” said head coach Kyle Neptune.

Moore’s three sealed the victory, as No. 6 Villanova (18-14, 10-10) avoided the unthinkable in a 58-57 win over No. 11 DePaul (3-29, 0-21).

The Wildcats will advance to the quarterfinals in the Big East tournament to face No. 3 Marquette (23-8, 14-6) Thursday night (9:30 p.m., FS1).

“This is March, man,” Neptune said.

» READ MORE: Is Eric Dixon the last vestige of the Villanova Way? Villanova hopes not.

The Wildcats shot 42% in the first half, but missed makeable shots, passed up open threes, and were saved by three Jordan Longino treys and a couple of Eric Dixon layups. Five turnovers doesn’t seem terrible, but they were unforced errors. DePaul had a few open shots of its own at first, but Villanova’s defense wilted to close the first half, allowing two open threes and an uncontested layup.

Needing a spark out of halftime, the Wildcats struggled . They’ve been plagued by a habit of giving up double digit runs, and facing the worst power conference team in the country, decided to allow yet another. An 11-0 Blue Demon run gave them an eight-point lead, their largest second half lead since December.

Did Villanova respond with a run of its own? Sure, but that almost gives the Wildcats too much credit. Their run was fueled less by their own offense, more by the Blue Demons facing an unfamiliar situation (leading) and unsure of how to respond.

“We’ve been in some close games at halftime, and we’re lost the first four in [the next] eight minutes in dramatic fashion because this team didn’t really believe,” said DePaul interim coach Matt Brady, a Haddon Heights native. “And for whatever reason this team believed [tonight].”

Still, Villanova’s comeback didn’t seem to be enough. The Blue Demons led by two with the ball and 37 seconds to go. DePaul’s Jalen Terry, who was the only Blue Demon in double digits with 18 points, pulled up for a jumper near the free throw line, but Mark Armstrong swatted it out of bounds. Villanova’s defense held for the final 2.7 seconds, earning it the chance to avoid disaster.

Villanova needs at least two wins in New York to have a shot at the NCAA tournament, and it seemed like the Wildcats looking ahead to their matchup with Marquette Thursday night. Though every Wildcat denied it postgame (“We treat every game like it’s our Super Bowl,” Longino said), Villanova played like a team looking 24 hours into the future.

A win’s a win, though, the Wildcats’ performance didn’t help their NCAA tournament hopes. Dixon’s 21 points were Villanova’s only consistent offense, and even he had to take 20 shots to get them. Armstrong, who attacked regularly hoping to find that spark, had 11 points but four turnovers. The Wildcats shot 42% overall and finished with 58 points against a team that allowed 90 points or more nine times this season.

Villanova’s defense was solid against the Big East’s worst offensive team. Villanova held DePaul to 28% shooting in the first half, 37% overall.

“We pride ourselves on defending and rebounding through tough times,” Neptune said. “I thought our defense carried us through not being able to make a shot.”

However, that offense should sound alarm bells for Villanova’s hopes for the remainder of the season. Defense kept Villanova in it, but DePaul’s offense (ranked 266th on KenPom) is the worst the Wildcats will face for the rest of the year.

Villanova needed a miracle to avoid the unthinkable. They’ll need much more going forward.