Villanova wins and moves on
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - March 22, 2008 He even offered one up: "It's got to be Tampa Turmoil or
something," he said.
Sounds good, Coach.
Scottie Reynolds scored 21 points, Corey Fisher added 17 and
12th-seeded Villanova gave this NCAA tournament pod its fourth
upset in as many games with a 75-69 victory over No. 5 seed Clemson
in the first round of the Midwest Region on Friday night.
"I'm sure this is going to be talked about," Wright said.
"It's incredible what happened here today."
The Wildcats, who have more wins as a lower-seeded team in the
tournament than any program since 1979, overcame an 18-point
deficit in this one.
It was the perfect ending for a crazy day in Tampa, the
bracket-busting town that should be called Upset City after
Friday's opening round. It was the first site in NCAA history to
have four 12 or lower seeds win. In fact, no other place had even
had two in one day.
First, No. 12 seed Western Kentucky knocked off fifth-seeded
Drake in overtime with a desperation 26-footer at the buzzer. Then,
13th-seeded San Diego upended No. 4 seed Connecticut, hitting a
long jumper with 1.2 seconds left in overtime. And No. 13 seed
Siena led from the start to send fourth-seeded Vanderbilt home
earlier than expected.
For Villanova's shocker, Reynolds and Fisher were at the center
of it all.
"We didn't want to let this time slip away," Reynolds said.
The Wildcats trailed 36-18 with 5 minutes to play in the first
half. But they started hitting from 3-point range - Reynolds made
his first three 3s after the break - and slowly sliced into the big
lead.
Fisher was 2-for-3 from behind the arc and 9-of-10 from the
free-throw line.
Reynolds' biggest shot was an off-balance 3-pointer with Cliff
Hammonds in his face just before the shot clock expired. Hammonds
fouled him on the play, then dropped his head in disbelief after
the ball banked off the backboard and through the hoop.
Reynolds missed the free throw, but his bucket gave Villanova
its first lead of the game, 50-49 with 11:56 remaining.
"He's good, there's no doubt about it," Clemson coach Oliver
Purnell said.
The Tigers nearly folded from there, looking every bit like a
team that hadn't been in the NCAA tournament in 10 years.
But Villanova helped them get back in it.
Clemson trailed 64-57 with 3:44 remaining, but Terrence Oglesby
made five consecutive free throws - three after he was fouled on a
3-pointer and two more after Wright was whistled for a technical.
"I deserved it," Wright said. "It's like you tell the players
all the time, 'You've got to forget about it,' But in the back of
my mind, I'm hoping it doesn't cost us."
Clemson's Demontez Stitt tied it at 66 with two more free throws
with 1:55 to go, but the Wildcats retook the lead by making 9-of-10
from the stripe over the final 1:37.
Stitt led the Tigers with 14 points. K.C. Rivers Jr. added 12,
and Oglesby finished with 11.
Clemson said tournament experience was overrated, and players
pointed to their run in last year's NIT as something that would
help them.
They know now it's not the same.
The Tigers watched the upsets unfold ahead of them, seeing each
of the higher seeds fall, and felt it wouldn't happen to them.
"I thought, if anything, what happened earlier today got our
guys ready to go," Purnell said.
It did early.
The same guys who got thrown out of practice earlier this week
because Purnell felt they lacked effort jumped out to a 12-2 lead
in the opening minutes and looked like they might pull away for
good.
They had Villanova doubled up, 36-18, late in the first half.
Clemson played with the same energy, poise and determination
that got the team to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament
final.
It just didn't last.
Villanova, which has more NCAA tournament wins than Western
Kentucky, San Diego and Siena combined, badly wanted another one.
The Wildcats had hoped to prove to everyone that they deserved
to be in the 65-team field. They were one of the last teams to get
in, spending several anxious days waiting on the bubble.
When they did hear their name called during the selection show,
Wright got concerned whether his players would have a letdown after
such an emotional high.
They looked like they might to start the game.
But Reynolds, Fisher & Co. refused to let it happen.
"I really think they grew up today," Wright said.