The opening game of the Gildan Charleston Classic resulted with gritty, strenuously-fought victory for the Villanova Wildcats, with the reigning National Champs beating Western Michigan, 76-65.
The early minutes of the matchup were a solid foreshadowing of the rest of the game. With a volley of turnovers given by both sides, a clear momentum was difficult to establish. Western Michigan was initially most affected, facing 10 turnovers in 10 minutes. Despite forcing the ball, the Wildcats were unable to capitalize on many of their possessions.
Sensing the scoreboard vacuum, Western Michigan amped their game, with Broncos freshman Thomas Wilder going in for eight straight points in an attempt to close out the half with force.