Kansas cruises to 81-65 win over Villanova in Final Four
The last three times the Jayhawks and Wildcats have met in the tournament, the winner has gone on to win it all. Playing without injured guard Justin Moore, Villanova (31-7) watched as Kansas scored the game’s first 10 points and eventually built a 19-point cushion. The Jayhawks’ lead soon stretched to 15 midway through the first half before Jay Wright finally called timeout. “This is legit revenge for 2018,” tweeted the Mavericks’ Jalen Brunson, who had a big role for Villanova that night. McCormack finally made them pay for going small with a rim-rattling dunk that gave Kansas control again with 10:25 to play.
mlive.comMarch Madness 2022: Latest betting odds and lines as NCAA Tournament heads to Final Four
Odds are now out for both of Saturday’s matchups - Villanova vs. Kansas and UNC vs. Duke - so let’s dive into them. New players can click here to sign up with this FanDuel Sportsbook promo code and lock in this $150 instant bonus. Aside from the rivalry, the narrative of Coach K’s potential final game unthinkably being a loss to Duke’s archrivals will push some bettors toward the Blue Devils’ side. Caesars Sportsbook promo code MLIVEMAR2 unlocks a can’t-miss Bet $20, Win $200 Final Four bonus, where just one point from your team earns you $200. A promo code also exists for those who would prefer their sign-up bonus to be a $1,100 risk-free first bet.
mlive.comIn Sweet 16 matchup with Villanova, Michigan basketball will face experienced, proven team
In Thursday’s NCAA Tournament matchup, Michigan will face a Villanova team that is talented, experienced, and battle tested. The Wolverines picked off 6 seed Colorado State and 3 seed Tennessee to advance to their fifth straight Sweet 16. Up next is a trip to San Antonio to face 2 seed Villanova. Villanova won the league tournament and enters Thursday’s game having won five straight and 12 of its last 13. On Saturday they trailed by five at half against Tennessee, a team that was even hotter than Villanova is, but won 76-68.
mlive.comChamps again: Villanova tops Creighton to win Big East title
While Collin Gillespie waited to twirl the souvenir net from atop a ladder he could not have climbed a year ago, he was spotted by another former Villanova star who knows how to win a championship game in crunch time. Kris Jenkins joked maybe it was his and Gillespie's shared uniform No. 2 that made the Wildcats so fearless when the outcome was at stake. Or maybe it's just the Wildcat Way forged under coach Jay Wright of shaking off nerves, bad shots, a stifling defense, whatever distraction got in their way, to always hit that next big shot and win the next big game.
news.yahoo.comClose range: Baylor grinds to Elite 8 in 62-51 win ova 'Nova
Davion Mitchell, a 46% shooter from 3 this season, went 0 for 3 from long range on a 14-point day. Jared Butler scored nine points on 1-for-9 shooting from 3, and MaCio Teague had five points without a 3. The guards did a great job of not settling and probing more.”Because of that, Baylor shot 53% in the second half, even though it made only one 3. Constantly harassing Villanova shooters who'd carved out space in the first half, Baylor held Villanova to 37.5% shooting in the second and 0 for 9 from 3. Forward Brandon Slater left the game about midway through the second half after landing awkwardly during a fight for a rebound.
Michigan, Villanova Push To Sweet 16 Despite Key Injuries
Villanova spent all season operating with the security of having senior point guard Collin Gillespie leading the attack. Now the Wildcats and Wolverines have figured out how to win without them in the NCAA Tournament. And both teams are in the Sweet 16 after successfully adjusting so far to those major late-season hits. “There’s no feeling sorry for ourselves,” Villanova forward Jermaine Samuels said after the second-round win against North Texas. And whatever happens, happens.”Gillespie provided Villanova with scoring (14 points), playmaking (4.6 assists), and 3-point shooting (nearly 38%).
detroit.cbslocal.comPick Six: Veterans to watch as NCAA Tournament begins
(AP Photo/Chase Stevens)INDIANAPOLIS – There has never been a better time to have senior leadership in the NCAA Tournament than this season. AdVirginia intends to play after withdrawing from the ACC Tournament because of COVID-19 protocols, which means fans will get to say Sam Hauser running the show. Dru Smith is their leading scorer and Jeremiah Tilmon finally reached his potential this season, and both aim to help Missouri snap a four-game NCAA Tournament skid. Herb Jones is an All-American candidate and Jaden Shackelford is Alabama's leading scorer, but John Petty Jr. makes the SEC Tournament champs go. Then there's Tennessee forward John Fulkerson, who sustained facial fractures in an SEC Tournament win over Florida and underwent surgery Sunday.
Georgetown upsets Big East top seed Villanova 72-71 at MSG
The Hoyas are back in the Big East Tournament semifinals for the first time in six years, with the former Georgetown and Knicks star leading the way. Georgetown last reached the Big East semifinals in 2015. “We played against the Cadillac, the Bentley, whatever you want to call them, of the Big East — the class of the Big East. The quarterfinal day at the Garden is often the best of the Big East Tournament. They had not won even a single Big East Tournament game since 2016 before beating Marquette in the first round Wednesday.
Late tip-in helps Providence hold off No. 10 Villanova 54-52
(AP Photo/Stew Milne)David Duke made a tiebreaking tip-in with 2.8 seconds left on Saturday and Providence held on after blowing a 20-point lead to beat No. Duke and Nate Watson scored 20 points apiece, and Noah Horchler had 10 points and 13 rebounds for Providence (13-12, 9-10 Big East). PC led 38-18 in the first before Villanova scored the first 11 points of the second. He joined Gillespie on the bench for the second half, wearing a boot. SECOND HALF WOESProvidence took an 11-point lead into halftime in its last game, against St. John’s on Wednesday.
Villanova wins Big East title; McDermott coaches under fire
McDermott’s use of a phrase evoking slavery overshadowed what was expected to be fantastic showdown between the top two teams in the Big East. 10 Villanova capture the Big East title with a 72-60 win over 14th-ranked Creighton. “The pain I saw in their eyes was immense,” McDermott said after the game. The Big East title was a formality on the Main Line — Villanova is 114-26 with two national titles since the conference was reconfigured in 2013. BIG PICTURECreighton: McDermott isn’t off the hot seat yet.
Bulldogs show some bite in 73-61 win over No. 8 Villanova
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – Chuck Harris scored 20 points and Jair Bolden added 15 on Sunday to lead Butler to a 73-61 victory over No. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds to lead Villanova (15-4, 10-3), which had won 13 of its previous 15 and was favored by 10 1/2 points. Clearly, Villanova wasn't itself during the first half — shooting 28% from the field, grabbing just one offensive rebound and giving up 34 points. But the Bulldogs produced two solid performances this week by beating Seton Hall and now Villanova. AdTWO MEN OUTThe Bulldogs seem to have been playing short-handed all season and Sunday was no exception.
No. 19 Creighton rolls past No. 5 'Nova behind Zegarowski
The Bluejays pulled away early in the second half of the meeting of the Big East's top two teams. Early in the second half, Zegarowski made a move to get Gillespie to go the other way, then swished a one-handed floater in the lane. The Wildcats had shot 70% in the second half of that game and a season-best 63% overall. The Wildcats weren't nearly as good at CHI Health Center, shooting 33% in the second half and 37.5% for the game. Creighton: This was the performance the Bluejays had been looking for from Zegarowski, who had been up and down following offseason knee surgery.
St. John's shuts down No. 3 Villanova in 70-59 upset
Alexander scored 16 points and St. John's smothered No. The latest victory gave St. John's its first four-game Big East winning streak since the 2014-15 NCAA Tournament team. '”AdVillanova was the first top-5 opponent to play in the Queens gym since St. John's lost 72-71 to No. If we can get a Big East game, we’ve got to play the Big East game. St. John's: Saturday at Providence, which has won nine of the past 11 meetings.
No. 3 Villanova rolls to 9th straight, handles Seton Hall
3 Villanova went up by 16 points in the second half, Jay Wright never felt comfortable against Seton Hall. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl scored 23 points in a foul-plagued 21 minutes and Villanova rolled to ninth straight victory with an unexpectedly easy 80-72 decision over Seton Hall on Saturday. Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard was disappointed. That kills you against really good teams.”UP NEXTVillanova: at St. John's on Wednesday. Seton Hall: at Providence on Wednesday.
No. 3 Villanova edges Seton Hall in return from 27-day break
3 Villanova win its first game in 27 days, 76-74 over Seton Hall on Tuesday night. Mamukelashvili scored 23 points and Rhoden had 19. Myles Cale pulled Seton Hall to 72-70 with 2:33 left and Nova’s Justin Moore was whistled for an offensive foul. Mamukelashvili tied it and the Seton Hall bench started chanting “Defense! Gillespie missed a 3 and Shavar Reynolds grabbed the defensive board to set up a late look for Seton Hall.
Villanova coach Wright gets 600th win in victory over Butler
7 Villanova, and coach Jay Wright won his 600th career game in an 85-66 victory over Butler on Wednesday night. Wright (600-268) was already Villanova's winningest coach and he became the 39th coach in Division I history to reach 600 wins. Wright is 478-183 since he was hired in 2001 and he has built the Wildcats into one of the elite programs in college basketball. Villanova: The Wildcats hit 10 3s and showed they have the talent to again win the Big East. ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
No. 12 Villanova hands No. 17 Texas first loss 68-64
(AP Photo/Michael Thomas)AUSTIN, Texas – After opening the season in a Connecticut “bubble,” Villanova went all the way down to Texas to get a big win. 17 Texas 68-64 Sunday, handing the Longhorns their first loss after a strong start. BIG PICTUREVillanova: The Wildcats won in their first trip to Texas since winning the 2018 national championship in San Antonio. STAT LINE:Kai Jones, who doesn’t start for Texas but is averaging 20 minutes per game, is shooting 19 of 22 this season. Texas hosts Texas State on Wednesday night in the Longhorns’ final non-conference game before starting Big 12 play.
Iowa's Garza heads list of notable seniors in 2020-21 season
After boosting his stock with an outstanding junior season that got cut short, Garza heads the list of star seniors gearing up for the 2020-21 campaign. The 6-10 forward averaged 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds, up from 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds as a sophomore. KANSAS G MARCUS GARRETTGarrett averaged 9.2 points last season, but his biggest contributions come on the other end of the floor. VILLANOVA G COLLIN GILLESPIEThis 6-3 guard averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals last season. GONZAGA F COREY KISPERTThe 6-foot-7 Kispert earned preseason AP All-America honors as he begins his final season with the top-ranked Bulldogs.
No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first time
FILE - Gonzaga players celebrate after defeating Saint Mary's in an NCAA college basketball game in the final of the West Coast Conference men's tournament in Las Vegas, in this Tuesday, March 10, 2020, file photo. Gonzaga will begin the college basketball season No. 1 for the first time after coach Mark Few's bunch earned 28 first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll released Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
No. 1 Zags: Gonzaga begins season atop Top 25 for first time
Iowa was picked fifth behind national player of the year front-runner Luka Garza, its highest preseason ranking in school history. The Bears, who also have their highest preseason ranking, spent five weeks at No. THE REST OF THE POLLCreighton lost Ty-Shon Alexander to the NBA and Davion Mintz to Kentucky but still landed the highest preseason ranking in school history at No. 17, its highest preseason ranking since the final Phi Slama Jama team of Hakeem Olajuwon began the 1983-84 season at No. 6 in the final poll last season but losing Mountain West player of the year Malachi Flynn and two other elite producers.