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Big East: Georgetown Hires Ewing

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WASH DC – (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – Georgetown hired former star player Patrick Ewing as the school’s new head coach on Monday. Ewing, in his fourth season as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets, was in the mix for an NBA head coaching gig in recent years but never landed a top job. He has never been a head coach or coached at the college level.

 John Thompson Jr and Patrick Ewing
Ewing, 54, replaces John Thompson III, the son of Ewing’s former coach with the Hoyas, John Thompson Jr. A introductory news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET Wednesday.
“My four years at Georgetown were the best of my life,” Ewing said in a statement. “Georgetown is my home and it is a great honor for me to return to my alma mater and serve as the next head coach. I have been preparing to be a head coach for many years and can’t wait to return to the Hilltop.”
Ewing interviewed by phone initially and met face to face with university officials to coincide with the Hornets’ visit to Washington. Charlotte is scheduled to
play the Wizards on Tuesday night in the nation’s capital.
Georgetown fired Thompson III on March 23 after a second straight losing season. Ewing’s son, Patrick Ewing Jr., was a member of Thompson’s coaching staff.
“To hire a head coach with this depth of coaching experience and personal achievements is tremendous,” Georgetown athletic director Lee Reed said in a statement. “It is a thrill to have him come back to his alma mater and continue the legacy of tradition and success he had as a student-athlete on the Hilltop.”
Ewing joins Chris Mullin of St. John’s as the only Division I head coaches who were Hall of Famers as players. Both schools are in the Big East Conference.  Ewing played for Georgetown from 1981 to 1985 and led the team to the 1984 national title. The Hoyas reached the title game two other times during Ewing’s playing career.
Ewing was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft and made 11 NBA All-Star teams as a member of the New York Knicks.
“Of all the players that have gone from superstardom to putting in the time and paying their dues to becoming a head coach, Patrick deserves this probably more than any player ever,” said Miami Heat president Pat Riley, whom Ewing played for with the Knicks.
Ewing also been an assistant coach with the Wizards, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic.
“This is a big loss for the Charlotte Hornets, but we are all excited for Patrick to have the opportunity to go back to Georgetown,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said in a statement. “Everyone knows how much his alma mater means to him. I’ve had the privilege of working with him for 12 years with three organizations and I know the effort he has put into coaching. He has attacked this profession with the same mentality he had as a player, with hard work, dedication and a passion for the game of basketball. I’m thrilled that all of Patrick’s hard work has paid off and he has earned the opportunity to be Georgetown’s Head Coach. We wish him the best of luck in the next chapter of his coaching career.”
Thompson III went 278-151 in 13 seasons as coach of the Hoyas. Georgetown reached the NCAA Tournament eight times during Thompson’s reign, including a Final Four appearance in 2006-07, when the club went 30-7

 

DIGITAL SPORTS DESK The LEDE March Madness Recap

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No. 8 Wisconsin 65, No. 1 Villanova 62

BUFFALO – (Wire Service Report by The Sports Xchange) – Nigel Hayes scored 19 points and made the winning layup with 11.4 seconds remaining as No. 8 seed Wisconsin upset top-seeded Villanova 65-62 on Saturday in an NCAA Tournament second-round game at KeyBank Center.

Bronson Koenig added 17 points, including two late 3-pointers, for the Badgers (27-9), who are returning to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season. Ethan Happ added 12 points and eight rebounds and Vitto Brown scored 10.

Josh Hart had 19 points for defending national champion Villanova, which finished the season at 32-4. Donte DiVincenzo added 15 points and Jalen Brunson had 11.

Hayes drove the baseline and scored on a reverse layup to put Wisconsin ahead 64-62 with 11.4 seconds left. After Hart lost the ball on the ensuing possession, Brown was fouled and missed the second of two free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining. DiVincenzo grabbed the rebound but Villanova was unable to get off a shot.

No. 4 West Virginia 83, No. 5 Notre Dame 71

BUFFALO – No. 4 West Virginia dictated tempo with its full-court pressure defense and was efficient at the offensive end in defeating fifth-seeded Notre Dame in a second-round game at KeyBank Center.

West Virginia (28-8) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in 11 years and will face No. 1 seed Gonzaga at the West regional in San Jose, Calif.

Jevon Carter led the Mountaineers with 24 points, matching a season high. Daxter Miles Jr. (18 points), Tarik Phillips (12 points off the bench) and Carter combined for 54 of West Virginia’s 83 points on 17-of-29 shooting.

Notre Dame, the only team to reach the Elite Eight round of the last two NCAA tournaments, finished the season at 26-10. Bonzie Colson led the Irish with 27 points and eight rebounds, including a career-high four 3-pointers.

No. 1 Gonzaga 79, No. 8 Northwestern 73

SALT LAKE CITY — Nigel Williams-Goss scored 20 points while Jordan Mathews and Zach Collins added 14 apiece to help No. 1 seed Gonzaga survive a late rally and beat Northwestern in the second round of the West Region.

The Bulldogs (34-1) prevailed despite scoring just four baskets over the final 13 minutes of the second half. Gonzaga advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive season.

Bryant McIntosh scored 20 points and Vic Law added 18 and eight rebounds to lead the eighth-seeded Wildcats. Northwestern (24-12) rallied from a 21-point deficit in the second half but ultimately couldn’t overcome a sluggish start on offense.

No. 11 Xavier 93, No. 3 Florida State 66

ORLANDO — Xavier used a harassing zone defense to stifle Florida State on one end of the floor and rode a balanced scoring attack to put the Seminoles away on the other end.

Once a bubble team that was the last to hear its name called on Selection Sunday, No. 11 seed Xavier is headed back to the Sweet 16 after a convincing victory over third-seeded Florida State at Amway Center.

Trevon Bluiett had a game-high 29 points for the Musketeers (23-13), who will play Arizona next week at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. It will be their sixth appearance in the Sweet 16 over the past decade.

Kaiser Gates had 14 points, including a pair of critical 3-pointers, to help Xavier pull away in the second half. Dwayne Bacon led the Seminoles (26-9) with 20 points but missed all five of his 3-pointers.

No. 4 Butler 74, No. 12 Middle Tennessee 65

MILWAUKEE — Kelan Martin scored 19 points and Andrew Chrabascz added 15 as Butler won a second-round game at Bradley Center and advanced to the Sweet 16.

After shooting 49 percent in their opening game against Winthrop on Thursday, the Bulldogs stayed hot against the Blue Raiders. Butler connected on 51.1 percent, including 8 of 15 from beyond the arc.

Butler (25-8) will face either top seed North Carolina or No. 8 Arkansas in the South Regional semifinal Friday in Memphis.

Jacorey Williams led the Blue Raiders (31-5) with 20 points and Antwain Johnson added 19. Giddy Potts, the Blue Raiders’ second-leading scorer this season at 15.8 points per game was held scoreless on 0-of-8 shooting.

No. 2 Arizona 69, No. 7 Saint Mary’s 60

SALT LAKE CITY — Freshman center Lauri Markkanen scored 16 points and collected 10 rebounds to help Arizona rally after halftime.

Allonzo Trier added 14 points — all in the second half — for the Wildcats (32-4), who will play No. 11 seed Xavier in the Sweet 16. Arizona coach Sean Miller coached the Musketeers from 2004 to 2009 before taking over in Tucson.

Jock Landale finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds and Calvin Hermanson added 14 points for the Gaels (29-5), who have advanced to the Sweet 16 just one time during coach Randy Bennett’s tenure.

No. 4 Florida 65, No. 5 Virginia 39

ORLANDO — Playing maybe its most complete game of the season, Florida dismantled Virginia at Amway Center.

The Gators (26-8) advanced to the Sweet 16 to face No. 8 Wisconsin next Friday at Madison Square Garden.

Devin Robinson (14 points and 11 rebounds) and Justin Leon (14 points and 10 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles against a Virginia defense that came in allowing just 56.1 points per game.

The Gators held the Cavaliers (23-11) to a season-low 17 points in the first half.

No. 4 Purdue 80, No. 5 Iowa State 76

MILWAUKEE — The Cyclones rallied from a 19-point second-half deficit but couldn’t find a way to stop Caleb Swanigan, who scored 20 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out seven assists as Purdue advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010.

Purdue moves on to Kansas City, where it will face either top-seeded Kansas or No. 9 Michigan State in a Midwest Regional semifinal.

Vincent Edwards led No. 4 Purdue (27-7) with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while Isaac Haas added 14 points in 15 minutes.

Deonte Burton scored 17 of his team-high 25 points in the second half for Iowa State (24-11)

MARCH MADNESS: Villanova Knocked-Out by Wisconsin

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BUFFALO – (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – Nigel Hayes scored 19 points and made the winning layup with 11.4 seconds remaining as No. 8 seed Wisconsin upset top-seeded Villanova 65-62 on Saturday in an NCAA Tournament second-round game at KeyBank Center.

Nigel Hayes

Bronson Koenig added 17 points, including two late 3-pointers, for the Badgers (27-9), who are returning to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season. Ethan Happ added 12 points and eight rebounds and Vito Brown scored 10.

Josh Hart had 19 points for defending national champion Villanova, which finished the season at 32-4. Donte DiVincenzo added 15 points and Jalen Brunson had 11.

Neither team led by more than eight points in a game that went down to the wire.

After DiVencenzo stole the ball at midcourt and made one of two free throws to tie the game, Hayes drove the baseline and scored on a reverse layup to put Wisconsin ahead 64-62 with 11.4 seconds left.

Hart worked his way into the paint to try and tie the game for Villanova, but Happ held his ground inside and Hart lost the ball.

Brown was fouled after coming up with the loose ball but he missed the second of two free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining. DiVincenzo grabbed the rebound, but Villanova was unable to get off a shot.

The Badgers trailed by seven points with six minutes remaining but rallied to tie the game on a Koenig 3-pointer with 3:27 to go. Koenig, who sat for more than 10 minutes of the second half after picking up his fourth foul, hit another 3 to give Wisconsin a 62-59 lead at the 2:00 mark.

Villanova took its first lead since the early stages of the game on Brunson’s layup that made it 39-37 with 13:28 remaining. The Wildcats went on a 6-0 run while the Badgers turned the ball over on three straight trips.

Wisconsin shot 54 percent in the first half and led for all but 3:25 of the first 20 minutes. The Badgers took a 20-12 lead, the largest of the game for either team, midway through the half and went into halftime ahead 31-27.

For the second straight NCAA Tournament game, Villanova started slowly, shooting below 30 percent (8 for 27) in the first half. In the first round against 16th-seeded Mount St. Mary’s, the Wildcats went 5 for 21 before clawing their way back in the game.

NOTES: Wisconsin has won 13 NCAA Tournament since 2014, the most of any team during that span. … Villanova lost in the second round as a No. 2 seed in its last NCAA Tournament appearance in Buffalo in 2014. … Villanova defeated Wisconsin in the only previous meeting between the two schools at the 1995 Maui Invitational

March Madness: Friday Round-Up

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No. 7 Michigan 92, No. 10 Oklahoma State 91

INDIANAPOLIS — Derrick Walton Jr. and D.J. Wilson each sank two pressure-packed free throws during the final 10 seconds Friday afternoon and No. 7 seed Michigan held off a late rally from No. 10 seed Oklahoma State 92-91 in Midwest Regional action.
Walton led Michigan (25-11) with 26 points, and Wilson added 19 for the Big Ten tournament champion Wolverines, who extended their winning streak to six, including four in the conference tourney. Michigan will face No. 2 seed Louisville in the next round.
Oklahoma State (20-13) got 23 points from Jawun Evans and 19 from Jeffrey Carroll. The Cowboys shot 54.7 percent (35 of 64) and outrebounded Michigan 40-21 but could not overcome the Wolverines’ 16 made 3-pointers in 29 attempts (55.2 percent).

No. 2 Louisville 78, No. 15 Jacksonville State 63
INDIANAPOLIS — No. 2 seed Louisville got 18 points from Mangok Mathiang and steadily pulled away from No. 15 seed Jacksonville State in Midwest Regional action.
The victory sets up a rematch of the 2013 NCAA championship game against Michigan on Sunday. The No. 7 seed Wolverines advanced earlier Friday with a 92-91 victory against Oklahoma State.
Louisville (25-8) outrebounded Jacksonville State (20-15) by a 36-23 margin and got 16 points each from Deng Adel and Quentin Snider.
Jacksonville State got 30 from Norbertas Giga, who made 11 of 13 field-goal attempts, including 5 of 5 from 3-point range, but the Gamecocks were outscored 44-14 in points in the paint and 24-3 on second-chance points.

No. 3 seed Baylor 91, No. 14 New Mexico State 71
TULSA – Third-seeded Baylor dominated the final 20 minutes against 14th-seeded New Mexico State in the East Regional matchup at the BOK Center.
After first-round exits against 14th-seeded Georgia State and 12th-seeded Yale the last two seasons, Baylor (26-7) responded to a two-point deficit at halftime versus New Mexico State by winning the second half, 53-33.
Guard Al Freeman led Baylor with 21 points, reserve forward Terry Maston added 19 and nine rebounds, forward Jo Lual-Acuil had 16 and forward Johnathan Motley finished with 15 points and a team-leading 10 rebounds for the Bears, who will face 11th-seeded USC in the next round.
Guard Braxton Huggins and guard Ian Baker each scored 19 to lead New Mexico State (28-6) and forward Eli Chuha added 11.

No. 11 USC 66, No. 6 SMU 65
TULSA – No. 11 seed USC erased multiple double-digit deficits on their way to edging sixth-seeded SMU in the East Region at the BOK Center.
Trojans guard Elijah Stewart hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 37 seconds left and ultimately felled the Mustangs. SMU guard Shake Milton took a running jumper in the lane with one second left but it bounced away off the rim as the buzzer sounded.
Stewart led USC (26-9) with 22 points while forwards Chimezie Metu and Bennie Boatwright each added 14 for the Trojans, who advanced to face third-seeded Baylor.
Forward Semi Ojeleye scored 24 points to lead SMU (30-5), guard Sterling Brown added 17 and Milton had 11. SMU saw its 16-game winning streak snapped and failed in its attempt to notch its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1988.

No. 3 Oregon 93, No. 14 Iona 77
SACRAMENTO — Oregon fans jumped to their feet as Dillon Brooks drove to the basket for an emphatic dunk to punctuate its victory over Iona in a first-round Midwest Regional game at the Golden 1 Center.
Tyler Dorsey scored 24 points for third-seeded Oregon (30-5). Brooks scored 18 points, Jordan Bell posted 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Payton Pritchard added 16 points as the Ducks advanced to a matchup against No. 11 seed Rhode Island.
Jordan Washington had 22 points and 11 rebounds for 14th-seeded Iona (22-13). Sam Cassell Jr. came off the bench to score 16 points and Deyshonee Much added 15.
Oregon was without senior forward Chris Boucher, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the Pac-12 tournament. Boucher was third on the team in scoring, second in rebounding and first in blocked shots, but the Ducks still had way too much firepower for the Gaels (22-13).

No. 11 Rhode Island 84, No. 6 Creighton 74
SACRAMENTO — Hassan Martin powered his way inside for a basket, turned toward the crowd and flexed for the Rhode Island band. It was still early in the second half, but it was already clear that the Rams would not go down without a fight in their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999.
Jeff Dowtin scored 23 points to help 11th-seeded Rhode Island upset sixth-seeded Creighton in a Midwest Regional first-round game at the Golden 1 Center.
Kuran Iverson added 17 points for the Rams (25-9), who will play third-seeded Oregon in a second-round game Sunday for the right to go to the Sweet 16. E.C. Matthews posted 16 points and seven rebounds. Martin had 12 points and eight rebounds.
Marcus Foster and Ronnie Harrell Jr. scored 15 points apiece for Creighton (25-10), which lost nine of 16 after point guard Maurice Watson Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury.

No. 1 North Carolina 103, No. 16 Texas Southern 64
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Justin Jackson, who struggled with perimeter shooting the past few weeks, broke out by scoring 19 of his 21 points in the first half as North Carolina overpowered Texas Southern in the first round at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Jackson made 5 of 8 shots from 3-point range, though he missed his lone two-second half attempts in the South Regional matchup. Jackson was named the ACC Player of the Year, but in the previous four games he was a combined 7-for-31 on 3-point attempts.
Isaiah Hicks added 17 points, Kennedy Meeks had 13 points, Tony Bradley supplied 12 points and Luke Maye and Nate Britt each chipped in 10 points for top-seeded North Carolina (28-7).
Next for the Tar Heels is Sunday’s second-round game against eighth-seeded Arkansas (26-9), which eliminated ninth-seeded Seton Hall by 77-71 in the site’s opening game. Kevin Scott scored 19 points and Demontrae Jefferson had 13 points for No. 16 seed Texas Southern (23-12), which remained winless in NCAA Tournament play.

No. 8 Arkansas 77, No. 9 Seton Hall 71
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Moses Kingsley scored 23 points and Arkansas regrouped down the stretch to overcome Seton Hall in the first round at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Jaylen Barford added 20 points, Dusty Hannahs poured in 14 points and Dustin Thomas had 13 for eighth-seeded Arkansas (26-9), who will play No. 1 seed North Carolina in Sunday’s second round of the South Regional.
Barford scored after a Seton Hall turnover to give the Razorbacks a 72-71 edge with 1:21 left. The Pirates (21-12) had multiple chances, missing a would-be go-ahead shot and then, after an official review determined they should keep the ball when it went out of bounds, committed another turnover.
An intentional foul against Seton Hall allowed Barford to sink two free throws with 18 seconds left, with Arkansas retaining possession and going on to win.

No. 3 UCLA 97, No. 14 Kent State 80
SACRAMENTO — At one point, the score was almost as scary as the sight of Lonzo Ball crashing to the floor, but UCLA overcame both to beat Kent State in the opening round at the Golden 1 Center.
TJ Leaf scored 23 points for the third-seeded Bruins (30-4), who will play sixth-seeded Cincinnati in a second-round South Regional game on Sunday.
Thomas Welsh had 16 points and eight rebounds for UCLA. Aaron Holiday came off the bench to post 15 points and 11 assists. Ball also scored 15 points and Isaac Hamilton added 14.
Jaylin Walker scored 23 points for 14th-seeded Kent State (22-14). Jimmy Hall had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Deon Edwin scored 18.

No. 7 South Carolina 93, No. 10 Marquette 73
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Sindarius Thornwell scored 29 points, leading a big second half for South Carolina in a victory over Marquette at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
P.J. Dozier pumped in 21 points and Duane Notice and Chris Silva each added 10 points for seventh-seeded South Carolina (23-10).
The Gamecocks, who were spurred on by a partisan home-state crowd, play in the second round against second-seeded Duke (28-8), which ousted Troy with an 87-65 victory in the first game of the evening.
JaJuan Johnson scored 16 points, Andrew Rousey and Markus Howard both had 13 points and Sam Hauser contributed 12 points for 10th-seeded Marquette (19-13), which ended up with its most lopsided loss of the season.

No. 9 Michigan State 78, No. 8 Miami (Fla.) 58
TULSA  — A year after being ousted in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Michigan State made that a distant memory by routing Miami.
Ninth-seeded Michigan State overwhelmed eighth-seeded Miami late in the first half and kept going on the way to a victory in the Midwest Regional at the BOK Center.
Forward Nick Ward scored 19 points to lead Michigan State, which will face No. 1 Kansas in the second round Sunday. Guard Miles Bridges added 18 and guard Joshua Langford had 13.

No. 6 Cincinnati 75, No. 11 Kansas State 61
SACRAMENTO — Troy Caupain drove inside against his defender, absorbed the contact and finished at the rim as the referee whistled for a foul that sent Cincinnati’s senior guard to the free-throw line for a three-point play.
Caupain pounded his chest, turned to the crowd and roared at a group of shrieking Kansas State fans before calmly sinking the free throw, sending the Bearcats on their way to a victory over Kansas State in a South Regional game at the Golden 1 Center.
Caupain posted 23 points and seven rebounds for sixth-seeded Cincinnati (30-5), which will face No. 3 UCLA in a second-round game Sunday. Kyle Washington scored 16 points. Gary Clark had 15 points and seven rebounds.
Wesley Iwundu scored 19 points for 11th-seeded Kansas State (21-14), which played for the second time in 72 hours after beating Wake Forest in a play-in game Tuesday.

No. 10 Wichita State 64, No. 7 Dayton 58
INDIANAPOLIS — Conner Frankamp’s clutch 3-pointer with 1:24 remaining gave No. 10 seed Wichita State a seven-point lead, and the Shockers defeated seventh-seeded Dayton 64-58 in South Regional first-round action.
The victory extended Dayton’s winning streak to 16 and its record to 31-4. The Flyers finished 24-8.
Landry Shamet led the Shockers with 13 points, Zach Brown added 12 and Shaquille Morris scored 10. Frankamp’s big 3-pointer was his only field goal.
Wichita State will take on No. 2 seed Kentucky on Sunday in the second round.

No. 2 Duke 87, No. 15 Troy 65
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Grayson Allen scored 21 points and Jayson Tatum racked up 18 as early outside shooting carried Duke past Troy at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Matt Jones and Frank Jackson added 14 points each for second-seeded Duke (28-8), which has won five games in a row since ending the regular season with losses in three of four games. Tatum also had 12 rebounds.
Duke’s second-round opponent Sunday will be No. 7 South Carolina, who defeated Marquette 93-73.

No. 1 Kansas 100, No. 16 UC Davis 62
TULSA — Kansas skipped the opening-round drama as it pulled away from 16th-seeded UC Davis in the first half and cruised to victory in the NCAA Midwest Regional at the BOK Center.
The top-seeded Jayhawks established a 20-point lead by dominating the last 10 minutes before halftime and never looked back.
Kansas (29-4) advances to play ninth-seeded Michigan State (20-14) at the BOK Center on Sunday. The Spartans defeated eighth-seeded Miami 78-58.
Guard Frank Mason III had 22 points and eight assists to lead the Jayhawks. Forward Josh Jackson added 17 points and guards Devonte’ Graham and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk each had 16.

No. 2 Kentucky 79, No. 15 Northern Kentucky 70
INDIANAPOLIS — No. 15 seed Northern Kentucky wouldn’t give in, but No. 2 seed Kentucky simply had too much talent.
De’Aaron Fox scored 19 points and Malik Monk sank four clutch free throws during the final 30.3 seconds, lifting Kentucky to a South Regional victory over Northern Kentucky in Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Wildcats will face No. 10 Wichita State on Sunday in the second round.
Bam Adebayo added 15 points and 18 rebounds for the Wildcats (30-5), Isaiah Briscoe had 17 points and eight rebounds and Monk finished with 12 points

DIGITAL SPORTS DESK The Lede March Madness Afternoon Round-Up

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No. 7 Michigan 92, No. 10 Oklahoma State 91

INDIANAPOLIS — Derrick Walton Jr. and D.J. Wilson each sank two pressure-packed free throws during the final 10 seconds Friday afternoon and No. 7 seed Michigan held off a late rally from No. 10 seed Oklahoma State 92-91 in Midwest Regional action.

Derrick Walton Jr.

Walton led Michigan (25-11) with 26 points, and Wilson added 19 for the Big Ten tournament champion Wolverines, who extended their winning streak to six, including four in the conference tourney. Michigan will face No. 2 seed Louisville in the next round.

Oklahoma State (20-13) got 23 points from Jawun Evans and 19 from Jeffrey Carroll. The Cowboys shot 54.7 percent (35 of 64) and outrebounded Michigan 40-21 but could not overcome the Wolverines’ 16 made 3-pointers in 29 attempts (55.2 percent).

Walton’s 3-pointer with 9:06 remaining pushed Michigan into a 70-64 lead, but Evans countered with a layup to pull the Cowboys to within 70-66. It was close the rest of the way.

No. 2 Louisville 78, Jacksonville State 63

INDIANAPOLIS — No. 2 seed Louisville got 18 points from Mangok Mathiang and steadily pulled away from No. 15 seed Jacksonville State in Midwest Regional action.

The victory sets up a rematch of the 2013 NCAA championship game against Michigan on Sunday. The No. 7 seed Wolverines advanced earlier Friday with a 92-91 victory against Oklahoma State.

Louisville (25-8) outrebounded Jacksonville State (20-15) by a 36-23 margin and got 16 points each from Deng Adel and Quentin Snider.

Jacksonville State got 30 from Norbertas Giga, who made 11 of 13 field-goal attempts, including 5 of 5 from 3-point range, but the Gamecocks were outscored 44-14 in points in the paint and 24-3 on second-chance points.

No. 3 seed Baylor 91, No. 14 New Mexico State 71

TULSA – Third-seeded Baylor dominated the final 20 minutes against 14th-seeded New Mexico State in the East Regional matchup at the BOK Center.

After first-round exits against 14th-seeded Georgia State and 12th-seeded Yale the last two seasons, Baylor (26-7) responded to a two-point deficit at halftime versus New Mexico State by winning the second half, 53-33.

Guard Al Freeman led Baylor with 21 points, reserve forward Terry Maston added 19 and nine rebounds, forward Jo Lual-Acuil had 16 and forward Johnathan Motley finished with 15 points and a team-leading 10 rebounds for the Bears, who will face 11th-seeded USC in the next round.

Guard Braxton Huggins and guard Ian Baker each scored 19 to lead New Mexico State (28-6) and forward Eli Chuha added 11.

No. 11 USC 66, No. 6 SMU 65

TULSA – No. 11 seed USC erased multiple double-digit deficits on their way to edging sixth-seeded SMU in the East Region at the BOK Center.

Trojans guard Elijah Stewart hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 37 seconds left and ultimately felled the Mustangs. SMU guard Shake Milton took a running jumper in the lane with one second left but it bounced away off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

Stewart led USC (26-9) with 22 points while forwards Chimezie Metu and Bennie Boatwright each added 14.

Forward Semi Ojeleye scored 24 points to lead SMU (30-5), guard Sterling Brown added 17 and Milton had 11. SMU saw its 16-game winning streak snapped and failed in its attempt to notch its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1988.

No. 3 Oregon 93, No. 14 Iona 77

SACRAMENTO — Oregon fans jumped to their feet as Dillon Brooks drove to the basket for an emphatic dunk to punctuate its victory over Iona in a first-round Midwest Regional game at the Golden 1 Center.

Tyler Dorsey scored 24 points for third-seeded Oregon (30-5). Brooks scored 18 points, Jordan Bell posted 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Payton Pritchard added 16 points.

Jordan Washington had 22 points and 11 rebounds for 14th-seeded Iona (22-13). Sam Cassell Jr. came off the bench to score 16 points and Deyshonee Much added 15.

Oregon was without senior forward Chris Boucher, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the Pac-12 tournament. Boucher was third on the team in scoring, second in rebounding and first in blocked shots, but the Ducks still had way too much firepower for the Gaels (22-13).

No. 8 Arkansas 77, No. 9 Seton Hall 71

GREENVILLE – Moses Kingsley scored 23 points and Arkansas regrouped down the stretch to overcome Seton Hall in the first round at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Jaylen Barford added 20 points, Dusty Hannahs poured in 14 points and Dustin Thomas had 13 for eighth-seeded Arkansas (26-9), who will play either North Carolina or Texas Southern in Sunday’s second round of the South Regional.

Barford scored after a Seton Hall turnover to give the Razorbacks a 72-71 edge with 1:21 left. The Pirates (21-12) had multiple chances, missing a would-be go-ahead shot and then, after an official review determined they should keep the ball when it went out of bounds, committed another turnover.

An intentional foul against Seton Hall allowed Barford to sink two free throws with 18 seconds left, with Arkansas retaining possession and going on to win, earning a matchup with top-seeded North Carolina on Sunday

DIGITAL SPORTS DESK The Lede MARCH MADNESS Day One Recap

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No. 8 Northwestern 68, No. 9 Vanderbilt 66
SALT LAKE CITY – Bryant McIntosh scored 25 points and made a pair of go-ahead free throws with 14.6 seconds left to help Northwestern hold on in its first NCAA Tournament game.
Scottie Lindsey and Dererk Pardon added 14 points apiece for the Wildcats (24-11). Vanderbilt rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit and took a 66-65 lead on Riley LaChance’s layup with 18 seconds left. But Matthew Fisher-Davis inexplicably fouled McIntosh seconds later and sent him to the line. The Commodores (19-16) still had a chance for a go-ahead basket, but Lachance missed a 3-pointer with six seconds remaining.

 Devon Blakely (20)
No. 12 Middle Tennessee 81, No. 5 Minnesota 72
MILWAUKEE – Middle Tennessee did it again.
Reggie Upshaw scored 16 of his team-leading 19 points in the second half as 12th-seeded Middle Tennessee recorded the first upset of the NCAA Tournament with an 81-72 victory over No. 5 Minnesota on Thursday.
Giddy Potts scored 17 for the Blue Raiders (31-4), who, as a No. 15 seed, upset second-seeded Michigan State in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament.
Middle Tennessee connected on 48.3 percent of its shots and made 7 of 13 3-pointers. The Blue Raiders led by 17 points with less than 12 minutes left. The Gophers cut the margin to four points but could get no closer.
Amir Coffey led Minnesota (24-10) with 17 points.
No. 11 Xavier 76, No. 6 Maryland 65
ORLANDO – Trevor Bluiett came alive in the second half to finish with a game-high 21 points and Sean O’Mara added a career-high 18 as the Musketeers toppled the Terrapins.
Quentin Goodin added nine points, nine assists and five rebounds for Xavier (22-13).
Melo Trimble was 5 for 15 from the floor — 1 for 9 from 3-point range for Maryland (24-9), which won 20 of its first 22 games before stumbling to six losses in 10 games down the stretch.No. 1 Villanova 76, Mount St. Mary’s 56
BUFFALO – Donte DiVincenzo came off the bench to score 21 points and grab a career-high 13 rebounds and the defending national champion Wildcats shook off a slow start to defeat the Mountaineers.
Jalen Brunson added 14 points, Mikal Bridges scored 13, Josh Hart had 11 and Eric Paschall chipped in 10 for Villanova (32-3). The Wildcats didn’t take control until the second half, when they shot 63 percent with 16 layups and dunks.
Miles Wilson recorded 22 points and seven rebounds for Mount St. Mary’s (20-16), which had its five-game winning streak snapped. The Mountaineers defeated New Orleans in a First Four game Tuesday night in Dayton.No. 1 Gonzaga 66, No. 16 South Dakota State 46
SALT LAKE CITY – Jordan Mathews scored 16 points and Johnathan Williams collected 14 rebounds to lead top-seeded Gonzaga to victory.
The Bulldogs (33-1) trailed much of the first half, but pulled away after halftime after holding the Jackrabbits (18-17) to 29.0 percent shooting in the second half.
Mike Daum, who entered the tournament as the nation’s second-leading scorer at 25.3 points per game, scored 17 points to lead South Dakota State.No. 2 Arizona 100, No. 15 North Dakota 82
SALT LAKE CITY — Lauri Markkanen scored 20 points, including several key first-half baskets, to power the Wildcats past the Fighting Hawks.
Rawle Alkins chipped in 18 points and Allonzo Trier added 16 for Arizona. The Wildcats (31-4) won their fifth straight game and for the 10th time in its last 11 games.
Quinton Hooker scored 25 points and Drick Bernstine added 20 to lead North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks (22-10) made their NCAA Tournament debut after winning the Big Sky tournament and regular-season championship.

No. 3 Florida State 86, No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast 80
ORLANDO — Dwayne Bacon scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Seminoles rebuffed the upset-minded Eagles.
Jonathan Isaac showed why he is a potential NBA lottery pick, recording 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Florida State. Terance Mann scored 11 points for the Seminoles, while Xavier Rathan-Mayes added 10.
Brandon Goodwin led all scorers with 28 points on 12-of-27 shooting and had seven assists for Florida Gulf Coast (26-8). Zach Johnson chipped in 17 points, five assists and four rebounds.

No. 4 Purdue 80, No. 13 Vermont 70
MILWAUKEE — Caleb Swanigan scored 15 points and Issac Haas added eight as the Boilermakers outlasted the upset-minded Catamounts.
Vince Edwards scored 21 points for Purdue (26-7), who outscored undersized Vermont in the paint 42-24 and winning the battle on the boards 36-28.
The Catamounts (29-6) shot 44.5 percent from the floor, made 10 of 27 3-pointers and got 20 points from Anthony Lamb and 15 from Trae Bell-Haynes.

No. 4 West Virginia 86, No. 13 Bucknell 80
BUFFALO – Tarik Phillip had 16 points off the bench to lead five double-figure scorers for West Virginia at KeyBank Center.
Esa Ahmad and Lamont West each scored 15 points for the Mountaineers (27-8), who advance to meet Notre Dame on Saturday.
Bucknell never led after the first four minutes of the game but was able to cut West Virginia’s lead to three points three times in the second half.
Kimbal Mackenzie tied a Bucknell (26-9) record for most points in an NCAA Tournament game with 23. He made a career-high five 3-pointers on seven attempts.

No. 4 Florida 80, No. 13 East Tennessee State 65
ORLANDO — Florida forward Devin Robinson scored a game-high 24 points and added seven rebounds to help Florida advance to a second-round game against Virginia.
The Gators (25-8) trailed 37-35 in the early minutes of the second half before forward Justin Leon nailed a 3-pointer leading to a hot stretch that put the Gators up 47-39.
T.J. Cromer finished with a team-high 19 points for East Tennessee State.

No. 4 Butler 76, No. 13 Winthrop 64
MILWAUKEE — Avery Woodson knocked down six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points to lead Butler to a victory in the South Regional at the Bradley Center.
The Bulldogs (24-8) shot 49.0 percent overall while going 20 for 30 from the free throw line, while Winthrop made just five free throws on 10 attempts.
Xavier Crooks and Keon Johnson sank three 3-pointers apiece and finished with 23 and 17 points, respectively, for Winthrop (26-7).

No. 5 Notre Dame 60, No. 12 Princeton 58
BUFFALO — Bonzie Colson had 18 points and seven rebounds as Notre Dame held on to defeat Princeton.
Trailing by a point, the Tigers had a chance to win the game on their final possession, but Devin Cannady missed an open 3-pointer with 3.0 seconds remaining. Notre Dame’s Steve Vasturia pulled down the rebound, was fouled and made one free throw to set the final score.
Matt Farrell added 16 points and four assists for the Irish (26-9). Notre Dame will meet West Virginia next. The loss snapped a 19-game winning streak for Princeton (23-7).

No. 5 Virginia 76, No. 12 UNC Wilmington 71
ORLANDO  – London Perranted had 24 points and Marial Shayok finished with 23 to help Virginia rally from a slow start.
Virginia (23-10) trailed 26-11 midway through the first half, but held a one-point lead at halftime and used a 10-0 run during the second half to build a 54-45 lead.
Devontae Cacok made a layup to pull the Seahawks (29-6) within 73-71 with less than a minute to play before Shayok scored to make the lead 75-71. Chris Flemmings led UNC Wilmington with 18 points.

No. 5 Iowa State 84, No. 12 Nevada 73
MILWAUKEE — Monte Morris scored 19 points to lead the Cyclones over the Wolf Pack.
Four players scored in double figures for the Cyclones (24-10), who shot 55.6 percent from the field and made eight of 19 3-pointers to win for the 10th time in their last 11 games.
Nevada (28-7), which won nine straight coming into the tournament, got 22 points from Cameron Oliver but made only 40 percent of its shots and was 8-for-26 from distance.

No. 7 Saint Mary’s 85, No. 10 VCU 77
SALT LAKE CITY — Jock Landale scored 18 points and collected 13 rebounds for his 16th double-double of the season to lead the Gaels.
Joe Rahon and Calvin Hermanson chipped in 16 points apiece for Saint Mary’s (29-4), who had five players score in double figures. The Gaels shot 55.6 percent from the field and edged the Rams 37-29 in rebounds.
JeQuan Lewis scored 30 points to lead VCU. The Rams (26-9) rallied in the second half after falling behind by 15 points at halftime, but they could not overcome 15.4 percent shooting (2 of 13) from the perimeter.

No. 8 Wisconsin 84, No. 9 Virginia Tech 74
BUFFALO – Bronson Koenig dropped a career-high 28 points as the Badgers survived a strong challenge from the Hokies.
Koenig set a career high with eight 3-pointers on a career-most 17 attempts. Nigel Hayes scored 16 points and Ethan Happ added 10 points and eight rebounds as Wisconsin (26-9) advances to meet defending national champion Villanova in Saturday’s second round.
Zach LeDay led Virginia Tech (22-11) with 23 points. Ty Outlaw added 16 points and seven rebounds

 

March Madness: Afternoon Results

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No. 12 Middle Tennessee 81, No. 5 Minnesota 72

MILWAUKEE – Middle Tennessee did it again.
Reggie Upshaw scored 16 of his team-leading 19 points in the second half as 12th-seeded Middle Tennessee recorded the first upset of the 2017 NCAA Tournament with an 81-72 victory over No. 5 Minnesota in a first-round South Regional contest on Thursday at the Bradley Center. Giddy Potts scored 17 for the Blue Raiders (31-4), who, as a No. 15 seed, upset second-seeded Michigan State in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament.

Middle Tennessee connected on 48.3 percent of its shots and made 7 of 13 3-pointers. The Blue Raiders led by 17 points with less than 12 minutes left. The Gophers cut the margin to four points but could get no closer.  Amir Coffey led Minnesota (24-10) with 17 points.

Gonzaga defeated South Dakota State

No. 1 Gonzaga 66, No. 16 South Dakota State 46
SALT LAKE CITY – Jordan Mathews scored 16 points and Johnathan Williams collected 14 rebounds to lead top-seeded Gonzaga to victory.
The Bulldogs (33-1) trailed much of the first half, but pulled away after halftime after holding the Jackrabbits (18-17) to 29.0 percent shooting in the second half.
Mike Daum, who entered the tournament as the nation’s second-leading scorer at 25.3 points per game, scored 17 points to lead South Dakota State.

No. 8 Northwestern 68, No. 9 Vanderbilt 66
SALT LAKE CITY – Bryant McIntosh scored 25 points and made a pair of go-ahead free throws with 14.6 seconds left to help Northwestern hold on in its first ever NCAA Tournament game.
Scottie Lindsey and Derek Pardon added 14 points apiece for the Wildcats. Northwestern (24-11) will face no. 1 seed Gonzaga in the second round on Saturday.
Vanderbilt rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit and took a 66-65 lead on Riley Lachance’s layup with 18 seconds left. But Matthew Fisher-Davis fouled McIntosh seconds later and sent him to the line. The Commodores (19-16) still had a chance for a go-ahead basket, but Lachance missed a 3-pointer with six seconds remaining.

No. 5 Notre Dame 60, No. 12 Princeton 58
BUFFALO – Bonzie Colson had 18 points and seven rebounds as Notre Dame held on to defeat Princeton.
Trailing by a point, the Tigers had a chance to win the game on their final possession, but Devin Cannady missed an open 3-pointer with 3.0 seconds remaining. Notre Dame’s Steve Vasturia pulled down the rebound, was fouled and made one free throw to set the final score.
Matt Farrell added 16 points and four assists for the Irish (26-9). Notre Dame will meet West Virginia next. The loss snapped a 19-game winning streak for Princeton (23-7).

No. 5 Virginia 76, No. 12 UNC Wilmington 71
ORLANDO – London Perranted had 24 points and Marial Shayok finished with 23 to help Virginia rally from a slow start.
Virginia (23-10) trailed 26-11 midway through the first half, but held a one-point lead at halftime and used a 10-0 run during the second half to build a 54-45 lead.
Devontae Cacok made a layup to pull the Seahawks (29-6) within 73-71 with less than a minute to play before Shayok scored to make the lead 75-71.
Chris Flemmings led UNC Wilmington with 18 points.

No. 4 Butler 76, No. 13 Winthrop 64
MILWAUKEE — Avery Woodson knocked down six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points to lead Butler to a victory in the South Regional at the Bradley Center.
The Bulldogs (24-8) shot 49.0 percent overall while going 20 for 30 from the free throw line, while Winthrop made just five free throws on 10 attempts.
Xavier Crooks and Keon Johnson sank three 3-pointers apiece and finished with 23 and 17 points, respectively, for Winthrop (26-7).

No. 4 West Virginia 86, No. 13 Bucknell 80
BUFFALO – Tarik Phillip had 16 points off the bench to lead five double-figure scorers for West Virginia at KeyBank Center. Esa Ahmad and Lamont West each scored 15 points for the Mountaineers (27-8), who advance to Notre Dame on Saturday.
Bucknell never led after the first four minutes of the game but was able to cut West Virginia’s lead to three points three times in the second half.
Kimbal Mackenzie tied a Bucknell (26-9) record for most points in an NCAA Tournament game with 23. He made a career-high five 3-pointers on seven attempts.

No. 4 Florida 80, No. 13 East Tennessee State 65
ORLANDO – Florida forward Devin Robinson scored a game-high 24 points and added seven rebounds to help Florida advance to a second-round game against Virginia.
The Gators (25-8) trailed 37-35 in the early minutes of the second half before forward Justin Leon nailed a 3-pointer leading to a hot stretch that put the Gators up 47-39.
T.J. Cromer finished with a team-high 19 points for East Tennessee State

March Madness: Villanova Scores No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tourney

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PHILADELPHIA – (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – The much-anticipated release of the NCAA Tournament bracket always ends up with perennial No. 1 seeds, upset-minded schools and, of course, teams that believe they were snubbed.  There are predictions to make down the road like a potential Villanova-Duke East Regional final at Madison Square Garden.

Jay Wright

There are teams looking to advance to the Final Four for the first time in program history such as Gonzaga.

There are teams making their first-ever appearance in the field such as Northwestern.

There are teams like Syracuse, which was left out just one year after earning a surprising at-large berth as a No. 10 seed and going to the Final Four.

It’s all part of March Madness.

“There are so many talented teams in college basketball,” said Villanova coach Jay Wright, whose team finished 31-3, won the Big East tournament title and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. “There isn’t much separation between many of these teams. For us, we’re focused on the one game at a time approach. I think you have to be. But I think there are 20 teams that can win it.”

Once again, the power conferences provided a bevy of teams led by the Atlantic Coast Conference with nine. The Big East and Big 10 had seven teams apiece. The Big 12 and the Southeastern Conference each had six, followed by the Pac-12 with four and the Atlantic 10 with three.

Villanova, which won 15 regular-season games in the rugged Big East, is in search of consecutive national championships. Only Duke (1991 and 1992) and Florida (2006, 2007) have accomplished the feat over the past 40 years.

This Wildcats’ team was decimated by injuries with Wright playing mostly a seven-man rotation. Guard Phil Booth, who led them with 20 points in last season’s national championship game against North Carolina, played in only three games all season because of left knee tendinitis.

But Villanova still managed to earn the No. 1 overall seed.

“There are so many good teams out there and we saw that in our conference alone,” said Villanova sophomore guard Jalen Brunson. “Every night, we were playing a very, very good team. It was a battle every night. We respect every opponent we face and that will be no different as we head into the NCAA Tournament. We’re not looking past our first game. That’s always our approach.”

In the history of the 64-team field, a No. 16 team has never beaten a No. 1 seed since 1985. In 1989, Georgetown eked past No. 16 Princeton 50-49 in a controversial finish. There have been other fairly close games in this matchup through the years, but expect the No. 1 seeds to move on again.

On the No. 2 seed line, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville and Arizona are all quite formidable. But No. 2 seeds have been knocked off in the past and it’s conceivable that it could happen again.

Last season, No. 15 Middle Tennessee upset Michigan State. In 2013, Florida Gulf Coast wowed the country with its high-flying dunks and flashy play with a win over Georgetown. In 2012, Lehigh took down Duke behind current NBA star CJ McCollum.

So it can happen.

Let the Madness begin. Storylines will play out. Upsets will likely occur.

“It’s the greatest time of the year,” said Villanova senior guard Josh Hart, a National Player of the Year candidate. “It’s my senior year, so I’m all in. We’ll start with the first one and take it from there. I do believe that as a senior, I appreciate everything even more and I don’t want it to end.

DIGITAL SPORTS DESK The LEDE Villanova Takes the EAST

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Villanova 74, Creighton 60
When: 5:30 PM ET, Saturday, March 11, 2017
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York
Attendance: 19,812
NEW YORK – (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – Josh Hart had 29 points and six rebounds as second-ranked Villanova captured its second Big East tournament championship in three years with a 74-60 victory over Creighton on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Jalen Brunson scored 17 points and Kris Jenkins added 14 for the top-seeded Wildcats (31-3).

Hart made 9 of 18 shots from the field, including 4 of 8 from 3-point territory, and 7 of 8 free throws.

Villanova had advanced to the Big East tournament title game for the third season in a row. It became only the fifth team in conference history to move to the championship game in three consecutive seasons. Louisville, Connecticut, Pittsburgh and Syracuse are the others to accomplish the feat. The Wildcats routed eighth-seeded St. John’s 108-67 in the quarterfinals and edged fifth-seeded Seton Hall 55-53 in the semifinal round on Friday before closing out sixth-seeded Creighton for the title. Villanova is now 3-5 all time in the Big East tournament final, with its other championships in 1995 and 2015.

Marcus Foster and Cole Huff led Creighton with 13 points apiece and Justin Patton added 10.

Despite the loss, their third of the season against the defending national champion Wildcats, the Bluejays (25-9) are a lock for an NCAA Tournament berth.

Villanova didn’t relax after building a 14-point halftime lead.

When Hart drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key, the Wildcats went ahead 46-26.

After Creighton got within 57-45, Hart and Brunson each knocked down two free throws to quickly extend Villanova’s lead back to 16 at 61-45.

The Bluejays never cut the lead within double figures in the final four minutes.

Villanova broke open a close game early with Hart scoring 11 straight points for a 22-17 lead.

Hart stayed aggressive and the Wildcats went on a 8-0 run to take a 30-20 advantage. Hart and Brunson combined for 26 points in the first half as Villanova went into the locker room with a 36-22 lead.

It was the second consecutive game that Villanova held its opponent below 30 points in the first half.

NOTES: The 35th Big East tournament final at Madison Square Garden was a complete sellout. … Creighton had 10 turnovers in the first half and wound up with 17, tying a season high. … The Bluejays are 5-4 all time in the Big East tournament. … Villanova was 15 of 19 from the free throw line. … Creighton has at least 25 wins for the sixth time in program history. … Villanova G Jalen Brunson scored in double figures in all three Big East tournament games.

BIG EAST Final Game Scout: Creighton vs ‘Nova

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Creighton vs Villanova
When: 5:30 PM ET, Saturday, March 11, 2017
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York

NEW YORK – (Special Preview for Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – Josh Hart and No. 2 Villanova are in the midst of a magical ride that has lasted nearly a full year. The Wildcats can continue their impressive run of domination Saturday when they face Creighton in the Big East tournament title game at Madison Square Garden.

Josh Hart (3)

Hart lifted the Wildcats past Seton Hall on Friday with an offensive rebound that he converted into a dramatic three-point play with under 10 seconds remaining. The win – its 36th in the last 39 games – moved No. 1 seed Villanova within one victory of its second league tournament title in the last three years. The Wildcats lost to Seton Hall in the championship game last season but of course went on to win the national title behind Hart, Kris Jenkins and Jalen Brunson, among others. This year’s squad has dreams of back-to-back national championships but must not overlook the Bluejays, who nipped Xavier in the final seconds on Friday behind Marcus Foster’s decisive 3-pointer.

TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, Fox

ABOUT CREIGHTON (25-8): The Bluejays received 21 points apiece from Foster and freshman center Justin Patton on Friday and hit 13-of-20 3-pointers as a team in a confidence-boosting win. Creighton has been inconsistent since losing point guard Maurice Watson Jr. to a season-ending knee injury in January, but has won three of four since a loss at Villanova. Patton shot 10-of-13 from the field in the semifinals and has shot at least 50 percent in every game this season except for one.

ABOUT VILLANOVA (30-3): The Wildcats on Friday shot under 42 percent from the field and went 5-of-19 from the arc while missing seven of their 17 foul shots in their lowest scoring game of the season. “I think we got outplayed tonight. We just found ways at the end. Great players make great plays,” said coach Jay Wright, whose team needs Jenkins in particular to return to form. The senior forward is 7-of-34 from 3-point range over the last five games and he followed up his season-high 24-point effort in the quarterfinals with a four-point effort – his second-lowest total of the year – in the semis.

TIP-INS

1. Creighton has made the Big East tourney final once, falling to Providence in 2014. Prior to joining the Big East, Creighton won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament in 2012 and 2013.

2. Villanova won the two meetings with Creighton this season by 10 and 16 points, with Hart averaging 17 points and 8.5 rebounds in those two outings.

3. Wildcats G Donte DiVincenzo entered the Big East tournament shooting just over 30 percent from 3-point range. In the last two games, however, he is 7-of-9 from the arc.

Copyright 2017

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