Clark, Reynolds Lead No. 20 Villanova Over Columbia 72-56

Shane Clark scored 15 points and Scottie Reynolds added 14

Dec. 22, 2007

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) - Shane Clark scored 15 points and Scottie Reynolds added 14 to lead No. 20 Villanova past Columbia, 72-56 on Saturday night.

Dante Cunningham added nine points and 12 rebounds for the Wildcats (9-1), who won their fifth game in a row and defeated the Lions for the fourth straight time.

Villanova's only loss came Nov. 25, a 69-68 setback against North Carolina State in the championship game of the Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

K.J. Matsui scored 19 points - including six 3-pointers - and John Baumann added 13 for Columbia (4-7), which is coached by former Villanova assistant Joe Jones. Columbia still hasn't defeated a team from the Big East since a 58-54 victory over Seton Hall in 1985-86.

Villanova jumped out to a 12-0 lead and breezed to a 41-24 halftime advantage. Clark connected on back-to-back 3-pointers in the first 2:04 of the second half to make it 47-26.

Columbia, which was 20-of-56 from the field, slowly cut the lead to 62-52 with 5:16 remaining on a basket by Ben Nwachukwu. But the Lions got no closer than 10 the rest of the way.

In the first half, the Wildcats led by 22 on three occasions thanks to some hot shooting. They hit 15-of-28 from the field, including 6-of-13 from beyond the 3-point arc.