Opportunity knocks in Crown for Villanova, USC

Field Level Media|published: Wed 2nd April, 21:27 2025

NCAA Basketball: Big East Conference Tournament Quarterfinal - Connecticut vs Villanova

Mar 13, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats forward Eric Dixon (43) drives to the basket against Connecticut Huskies forward Liam McNeeley (30) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

For opponents Villanova and Southern California, facing off in Thursday's quarterfinal round of the inaugural College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas, the opening-round of the tournament provided opportunities in the unknown.

For Villanova (20-14), interim coach Mike Nardi capitalized on the opportunity to score his first career head-coaching win as he oversees the program's transition from Kyle Neptune to the incoming Kevin Willard.

"This is a very special place that means a lot to a lot of people," Nardi said following Villanova's 85-64 blowout of Colorado on Tuesday, via the university athletic website. "I've grown up here as a student, as a man and as a player. Having the opportunity to coach guys like these who understand that means a lot."

Eric Dixon also leveraged the fledgling College Basketball Crown to become the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,257 points. Dixon posted 22 points in the opening round.

For USC (17-17), its 89-60 romp vs. Tulane on Tuesday marked an opportunity for some Trojans who did not see much playing time in the regular season to make a closing impact.

With two of the team's leading scorers in 2024-25 out -- 14.1-point per game scorer Wesley Yates III due to a foot injury and 11.8-point per game scoring Chibuzo Agbo for unspecified reasons -- Matt Knowling and Clark Slajchert moved into the starting lineup.

Slajchert scored 10 points in his second double-figure-point performance of the season. Knowling shot 3-of-4 from the floor for seven points and grabbed six rebounds.

The two seniors complemented fellow upperclassman Rashaun Agee, who notched 27 points on 10-of-12 shooting. USC coach Eric Musselman named Agee the Trojans player of the game in a video posted on the team's YouTube account.

"Listen to this: season-(best) first-half defense (for) points allowed," Musselman noted of USC's 24-point yield. "Great job."

The Trojans' season average of 75 points per game ties for 263rd nationally entering Wednesday. They will look to continue Tuesday's turnaround from that number against a Villanova offense that, behind Dixon's 23 points per game, averages 73.7 as a team.

Wooga Poplar's 14.7 points per game are second among Wildcat scorers. He went for a game-high 24 in Villanova's rout of Colorado.

--Field Level Media