MILWAUKEE, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Scottie Reynolds' short jumper with less than 19 seconds left Saturday allowed No. 8 Villanova escape with a 74-72 Big East victory over Marquette.
Reynolds finished with a game-high 23 points for the Wildcats (12-1, 1-0 Big East), while Maalik Wayns chipped in 16 and Reggie Redding added 11.
The Wildcats shot 47.5 percent from the field but only 3-of-10 3-pointers.
Marquette (9-5, 0-2) got 19 points from Jimmy Butler, and 17 points and 14 rebounds from Lazar Hayward.
It was the Golden Eagles' second straight loss to a Top 10 team. They sustained a one-point loss to No. 6 West Virginia Tuesday.
Villanova and Marquette swapped the lead back and forth through the first half, with the Wildcats up 35-34 at the break. The second period was more of the same, with neither team able to take control.
The Golden Eagles led 71-69 when Butler hit two free throws with 1:49 left but Redding answered with two free throws of his own. Hayward later made 1-of-2 free throws but Reynolds followed with his key jumper from inside the free-throw line to make it 73-72 with 18.1 seconds left.
Redding made one more free throw for the final margin.
