Wayns scores 29 in Villanova’s loss to St. Louis

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Maalik Wayns' best offensive performance of his collegiate career could not enable Villanova to beat the best opponent it has faced this season.

Wayns scored 29 points, but the Wildcats lost to undefeated St. Louis, 80-68, on Friday in the 76 Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The junior made 10 of 20 shots from the field and 8 of 10 free throws. In the first seven minutes, Wayns converted five of seven shots in scoring 11 points.

"He's a strong, quick guard with a nice change-of-pace dribble," said the Billikens' Jordair Jett, who guarded Wayns. "It felt like a challenge."

Wayns attributed his success to St. Louis' defense.

"They were denying everybody and not letting us get into our offense," he said. "I couldn't make any passes, so I had to be aggressive."

James Bell added a season-best 16 points. But the rest of the Wildcats (4-1) made just nine of 22 field-goal attempts.

"Maalik got his, but we made everyone else earn theirs," Billikens forward Brian Conklin said.

Villanova built a 26-16 lead with 9 minutes, 19 seconds remaining in the first half, with Wayns contributing 14 points. But in the final 10 minutes of the half, the Wildcats made only two baskets.

Meanwhile, St. Louis (5-0) finished the half with a 22-8 surge to take a 38-34 halftime lead.

"We played like a young team," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "When you play a good team and you have a chance to control the game, you've got to do that.

"We were grinding and executing, and then we just got crazy. We took some crazy shots and they got out on the break. They got easy baskets from us taking horrible shots and turning the ball over."

Most of those shots came from the perimeter. The Billikens made six shots from three-point range during their surge and set a single-game tournament record with 14 baskets beyond the three-point arc.

"They'll work the ball," Wright said. "They don't take the first shot or even the second shot. They take the third shot.

"We just had no answers, defensively. Everything we tried to do, they'd make the extra pass, make the extra play."

The Billikens extended their lead to 14 points before the Wildcats narrowed it to 67-60 with 6:35 to play. But Villanova scored only two points on foul shots in the next 3:46.

"You could definitely see that we got under their skin toward the end of the game," Conklin said. "It was the defense that was frustrating them. We were just making them earn everything."

Wright said that St. Louis could provide trouble for Temple and St. Joseph's in the Atlantic Ten Conference.

"They're going to be one of the top teams," Wright said. "I think they're a top-25-caliber team."

The Billikens shot 51 percent overall, 51.9 percent from three-point distance. Jett finished with a career-high 19 points. Cody Ellis added 14 points, Kyle Cassity scored 12, and Conklin grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.

Before the Wildcats conclude the 76 Classic on Sunday, they have one more piece of business on the agenda.

"I think we're golng to do Disneyland," Wright said. "It'll be my first time, and I want to see it."