Villanova 65, Saint Joseph's 61: James Bell hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 25.9 seconds left and the visiting Hawks failed to get off another shot until the final buzzer in an intense Big 5 affair at The Pavilion in Philadelphia.

Bell and JayVaughn Pinkston led the Wildcats (6-4) with 12 points apiece. Langston Galloway had 22 to pace Saint Joseph's, which was in control until Villanova closed the game on a 9-0 run, capped by Bell's clutch shot from the left wing.

The game increased in intensity after Hawks forward Halil Kanacevic hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer midway through the second half and flashed an obscene gesture at the Villanova fans. Kanacevic avoided a technical foul, but the move seemed to ignite the Wildcats, who scored the next six points.

Saint Joseph's (5-3) battled back and took a 61-56 lead on Galloway's sixth 3-pointer with 2:16 left. However, Kanacevic hurt his team in the final minute, first missing two free throws with 45.8 seconds left and then committing a big turnover in the closing seconds with Saint Joseph's down two.

Kanacevic was having trouble inbounding the ball with three seconds left. He tried to throw the ball off a Villanova defender but it bounced directly back at Kanacevic and off his leg while he stood out of bounds, much to the delight of a frenzied Wildcats crowd. Bell was then fouled and hit the ensuing free throws for the final margin.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Villanova has a 45-25 series advantage. ... Carl Jones had 16 points and a game-high five assists for the Hawks. ... The Wildcats finish their Big 5 slate with a 2-2 record. Saint Joseph's is 0-1 and plays its other three intra-city games in 2013.