TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Mouphtaou Yarou scored 16 points and JayVaughn Pinkston had 15 as Villanova beat South Florida 61-53 on Wednesday night.

Daniel Ochefu added 12 points for Villanova (11-4, 2-0 Big East), which has won seven in a row.

South Florida (9-5, 0-2) got 12 points from Victor Rudd. The Bulls had won the four previous games between the programs, including all three last season.

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Ryan Arcidiacono, the Big East Rookie of the Week, gave Villanova a 46-32 lead on his first basket of the game, a 3-pointer, midway through the second half. The freshman, averaging 13 points, finished with five points.

Pinkston's layup made it 48-32 one minute after Arcidiacono's basket.

Rudd connected on a 3 to cut the South Florida deficit to 49-41 with 7 minutes remaining. Villanova quickly responded on baskets by Yarou and Ochefu to make it 53-41

After trailing by 18 early in the second half, South Florida got within 42-30 on a pair of free throws by Rudd with 13 minutes to play. It was the first bucket of the game for Rudd, who entered averaging a team-best 11.5 points.

South Florida point guard Anthony Collins had 11 points.

Ochefu had 10 points as Villanova grabbed a 34-20 halftime lead.

The Wildcats took a 29-14 advantage 2 minutes before intermission on a long-range jumper by Achraf Yacoubou. Two free throws by Yarou extended the Villanova lead to 34-17.

Darrun Hilliard made a 3-pointer and Pinkston had a put-back basket to put Villanova up 13-6 with 13 minutes left in the opening half.