Eric Dixon makes history and leads Villanova to victory over Providence in South Philly | Villanova vs. Providence Recap
Written by David Szczepanski on January 18, 2025
PHILADELPHIA, PA—On Friday night, Villanova hosted its first home game at the Wells Fargo Center this season against Providence. The Wildcats honored the 40th anniversary of the 1985 National Champions. The game was not stress-free, but the Cardiac ‘Cats survived a slow start and multiple replay reviews in the final ten seconds.
Villanova defeated Providence, 75-73, in a close battle in South Philadelphia. The Wildcats completed the second-half comeback by outscoring the Friars, 43-36, in the final twenty minutes. Eric Dixon played one of his best games in the last couple of weeks. He was seven-for-16 from the field with 23 points and eight rebounds. Dixon passed Josh Hart for sole possession of tenth place on Villanova’s all-time scoring list. He now has 1,944 points. Dixon is 22 points away from tying Randy Foye for ninth place.
Villanova defeated Providence at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday night.
Jhamir Brickus, a graduate guard from Coatesville, PA, scored at least 18 points for the second time this season. Brickus’ 18-point performance greatly boosted the Wildcats, especially early in the second half. He scored nine points in the first nine minutes of the second half. Providence led Villanova, 37-32, at halftime.
Wooga Poplar finished the game with a double-double. He was five-for-11 from the field for 15 points. He also accumulated 13 rebounds on Friday night.
Villanova converted 43% of its field goal attempts. The Wildcats were seven-for-26 (27%) from behind the arc. Despite some three-point struggles, the Wildcats won the rebounding battle and limited turnovers.
Villanova’s head coach, Kyle Neptune, acknowledged Providence’s efficient shooting, but he also stressed Villanova’s hard-fought effort.
“They [Providence Friars] made some tough shots, some guys got warm, but again, I was proud of the way our guys fought to the very end,” Neptune said.
The Wildcats outrebounded the Friars, 37-31, at the Wells Fargo Center. Providence is among the best rebounding teams in the Big East, with more than 39 rebounds per contest. Villanova also dominated the paint battle against Providence. The Wildcats scored 24 points in the paint compared to Providence’s 14 points.
Eric Dixon discussed Villanova’s rebounding against Providence in his postgame press conference.
“We base our program on defending and rebounding, every single game that we come into,” Dixon said.
Both teams limited turnovers in Friday’s Big East battle. Villanova committed only seven turnovers against Providence. The Friars allowed nine turnovers.
Providence made 43% of its field goals and 39% of its three-point attempts. The Friars were without Bryce Hopkins and Ryan Mela. Hopkins has been out since December 10th with a knee injury. Mela, who was named Big East Freshman of the Week on Monday, missed Friday’s game with an illness.
Despite the key injuries, the Friars battled until the final whistle in South Philly. Bensley Joseph, a former teammate of Wooga Poplar at Miami, led Providence with 20 points. He was four-for-seven from behind the arc. Corey Floyd Jr. finished the game with 18 points and four rebounds. Justyn Fernandez, a sophomore from Richmond, VA, was six-for-13 from the field, including five threes, for 17 points.
Key Takeaways
Brickus’ 18-Point Performance
Jhamir Brickus sparked Villanova’s second-half comeback against Providence. He was just two-for-seven from the field for four points in the first twenty minutes. However, he was five-for-seven from the field in the second half with 14 points in 18 minutes. He averaged 12.6 points in his last three games. In this three-game stretch, Brickus was 14-for-28 (50%) from the field. His season-high in points was 22 against St. Joseph’s on November 12th.
Brickus talked about his mindset as a playmaker and a scorer for the Wildcats.
“I really just take what the defense gives me,”Brickus said.
He also stressed the importance of facilitating and helping his teammates create offense. Brickus averages 5.5 assists per game.
Poplar’s Fifth Double-Double of 2024-25
Wooga Poplar, a senior from Philadelphia, PA, has scored at least ten points in his last seven contests. He has reached double-digits in 10 of his last 11 games. Poplar has five double-doubles this season. He averages 14.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Villanova Honors the 1985 National Champions
Villanova celebrated the 1985 National Championship Team at halftime on Friday night. Coach Neptune discussed what it meant for the players to be honored at the Wells Fargo Center.
Villanova honored the 40th anniversary of the 1985 National Championship Team at halftime against Providence.
“Really helps cement Villanova as one of the best programs in the country,” Neptune said. “We’re honored that they continue to come around and take such pride in the program. We play for them. We want them to be proud of what they see.”
The Road Ahead + WXVU’s Live Coverage of Villanova vs. Georgetown
Villanova improved to 12-7 overall on Friday. The Wildcats are 5-3 in conference play in 2024-25. They will battle Georgetown on Monday night at the Finneran Pavilion. WXVU’s live coverage starts at 5:30 p.m. with the pregame show. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
