• Providence started 0/4 from the field, but their zone kept Villanova on their heels early. Back to back baskets by Nate Watson from Maliek White feeds was capped off by a triple from White to put the Friars ahead, 7-2, a little more than 4 minutes in. The Providence run would be 9-0 before Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree scored to make it 9-4. That was the beginning of Villanova’s answer to Providence’s run with a 13-0 spurt of their own to take a 6-point lead, 15-9, with just under 11 minutes to go in the first half. Providence answered with 6 straight points to tie the game at 15 with 8:02 to go in the half. The first time the teams traded points without a scoring run came after Alpha Diallo and Eric Paschall traded 1/2 at the free throw line between 5:32 to go and 4:41 to go. The first time the teams traded field goals came after that with Diallo hitting a jumper at the 3:51 mark followed by Collin Gillespie nailing a 3-pointer to pull Villanova back in front, 25-23, with 3:26 to go in the half. Providence went on a scoring drought over the final 3:07 of the half and Villanova took advantage to finish on a 6-0 run and take a 7-point lead, 31-24, into the locker room.
• After Jermaine Samuels opened with 1/2 at the free throw line Providence went on a 6-0 run to bring them within 2 a few minutes into the second half. Every time Villanova looked like they were going to get a more comfortable lead the Friars had an answer to keep the deficit within reach. Through a little more than 8 minutes of action there were only 21 points scored between the two teams, and the Villanova lead never got larger than 8 but never less than 2 at this point. Providence tied the game at 44 after Diallo converted a 3-point play with 9:18 to go. Villanova pulled back ahead and maintained a small lead over the next several minutes of back and forth basketball. Villanova would pull ahead by 11 after some turnovers by the Friars. Diallo picked up his 4th foul with 5:19 to go, but Cooley kept his junior in the game. The Friars attempted to get back into the game late, but it wasn’t enough to against the top seed Wildcats. Providence only got as close as 5 with 3:18 to go before Villanova got 5 points from Samuels to give them a 10 point cushion with 1:29 to go. The Wildcats sealed the game at the free throw line to advance to the semifinals on Friday night against the winner of (4) Xavier and (5) Creighton.
• Providence was led by Watson with 15 points. Diallo and Jackson added 14 points a piece.
• Villanova was led by Paschall with 20 points. Gillespie also added 19 points and Booth had 13.
• Villanova owned offensive rebounds and turnovers in this game. The Wildcats grabbed 12 of their own misses and forced 16 Providence turnovers. Villanova only gave up 2 offensive rebounds on the other end, and they only turned it over 11 times. The Wildcats score 21 second chance points.
• Providence now awaits their postseason fate with hope for an NIT bid in play.

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