Simeon Wilcher Shines in St. John’s Victory Over Villanova

New York: Simeon Wilcher might not have had the best shooting night, but he really stepped up in other ways. With Deivon Smith out for most of the second half due to a shoulder injury, Wilcher had to play a lot more minutes, and he delivered when it counted.

He made some crucial plays in St. John’s 80-68 comeback win over Villanova at the Garden. One of his big moments was stripping Villanova’s Eric Dixon and scoring a layup, which helped put St. John’s ahead by three with just over three minutes left. He also hit a key jumper when Villanova was closing in.

Coach Rick Pitino praised Wilcher, saying he made big steals and did everything right, even if it didn’t show in the stats. Wilcher shot only 3-of-10 but didn’t let that get him down. He played solid defense and was clutch when it mattered.

He didn’t leave the court in the second half until he fouled out with just 30 seconds left. He joked about needing those media timeouts to catch his breath. Freshman Jaiden Glover made a brief appearance, still dealing with a wrist issue but improving.

The game drew a huge crowd, with former Villanova coach Jay Wright and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in attendance. It was the second-largest crowd for a St. John’s home game since Pitino took over, just behind last year’s sellout against Connecticut.