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No. 6 Villanova 68, No. 18 Butler 65: Darrun Hilliard II scored a career-high 31 points, capped by a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1.5 seconds left, as the visiting Wildcats edged the Bulldogs in a Big East showdown.

Hilliard made a career-best eight 3-pointers in 13 attempts to go along with eight rebounds and three assists for Villanova (23-2, 10-2 Big East), which finished a two-game sweep of Butler. JayVaughn Pinkston added 12 points for the Wildcats, who won their sixth straight and handed the Bulldogs their second loss in 14 home games.

Alex Barlow matched his career high with 19 points and Kellen Dunham also scored 19 for Butler (18-7, 8-4), which had a 34-25 edge on the boards but saw a five-game win streak end. Kelan Martin added 10 points off the bench for the Bulldogs, but missed a 3-pointer from the left side of the key at the buzzer that would have tied it.

Hilliard made three of Villanova’s five 3-pointers and the Wildcats held Butler to 29.6 percent in the opening 20 minutes to build a 27-22 lead at intermission. Dunham scored 10 points as the Bulldogs started the second half with a 14-4 burst for a five-point bulge with just under 16 minutes to go.

Villanova made four more 3-pointers – two by Hilliard – during a 14-5 run that recaptured the lead, but Butler battled back within 60-59 with 4:45 to go. Barlow’s 3-pointer gave the Bulldogs a 63-62 lead, Hilliard went 3-of-3 at the foul line and Roosevelt Jones tied the game on a layup with 17.3 seconds left before Hilliard’s heroics.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Hilliard’s previous highs were 26 points against Marquette last March and six 3-pointers against Creighton last month. … Butler C Kameron Woods scored only three points, but grabbed 12 rebounds. … Villanova G Ryan Arcidiacono, who came in averaging 10.4 points, went 0-of-6 from the field and did not score.