In a battle of East Coast-West Coast, two Catholic schools, and two teams that both made the National Championship game over the last two years, 'Cats vs. 'Dogs--only one could come out on top.
No. 4 Villanova downed No. 12 Gonzaga in the opening game of the Jimmy V Classic Doubleheader at Madison Square Garden, winning 88-72.
"This was a great win for us," Villanova's Phil Booth said. "A lot of experienced guys, older guys, we saw what they did last year."
The Wildcats set the tone early with their press and three-point shooting, capitalizing on the Bulldogs' weaknesses coming into the heavyweight matchup.