Amari Williams blocked Justin Moore’s driving layup with 3 seconds left to preserve Drexel’s 57-55 win over No. 18 Villanova in the fifth-place game of the Big 5 Classic on Saturday in Philadelphia.
Williams finished with 12 points, six rebounds and five blocked shots for the Dragons (5-3). He made one of two free throws with 31 seconds remaining for the two-point edge.
Luke House added 11 points for Drexel, who defeated Villanova for just the second time.
Eric Dixon scored 21 points and Jordan Longino added 13 for the Wildcats (6-3), who have dropped two in a row.
Villanova just 5-of-27 (18.5 percent) from 3-point range.
Hakim Hart grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with 3:37 left to close Villanova within 54-51.
Dixon hit two free throws with 1:51 remaining and the Wildcats deficit was one, 54-53.
Williams posted up and scored on Drexel’s next possession for a 56-53 lead.
Longino then made a short jumper with 1:06 to go and Villanova trailed 56-55.
Drexel went ahead 14-9 with 9:33 left in the first half when Jamie Bergens dropped in a 3-pointer from the wing.
Dixon responded with a trey with 8:23 remaining to close Villanova within two, 14-12.
House hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 4:59 to go for a 19-13 Dragons advantage.
On the Wildcats’ next possession, Tyler Burton made a trey to slice the deficit in half.
When Longino hit a 15-foot jumper with 1:38 left, Villanova trailed 22-21.
Drexel led 26-25 at halftime.
The Wildcats received 12 points from Dixon, including a four-point play with 11.3 seconds remaining, to stay within one.
Williams stayed active defensively with his fourth blocked shot and Drexel pulled ahead 32-27 three minutes into the second half.
Williams banked in a deep 3-pointer as the shot clock expired for a 41-35 advantage with 13:37 to go.
Garfield Turner hit a tough left-handed layup in the lane for a 47-40 Drexel lead with 8:51 left.
–Field Level Media
