Published March 25, 2006 01:33 am - With everyone’s eyes on Villanova’s sensational guards, overlooked forward Will Sheridan put the Wildcats on the cusp of the Final Four.
Villanova advances
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: UConn wins in overtime.
The Associated Press
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS
—
With everyone’s eyes on Villanova’s sensational guards, overlooked forward Will Sheridan put the Wildcats on the cusp of the Final Four.
Down 59-58 in the closing seconds of overtime, Sheridan slipped behind Boston College’s defense to get an inbounds pass under the hoop. Eagles forward Sean Williams was late getting over and charged with goaltending when he batted the shot away with 3 seconds left, giving Villanova the lead.
Louis Hinnant’s desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer missed everything, allowing the Wildcats to escape with a 60-59 victory Friday night. They advance to play Florida in the Minneapolis Regional final Sunday.
Randy Foye carried the load for most of the game, scoring 29 points to offset a horrendous night from Allan Ray and the rest of Villanova’s vaunted four-guard lineup.
Foye scored six straight points for top-seeded Villanova (28-4) at the end of regulation, then added a 3-pointer and tough driving layup in overtime for a 58-55 lead.
Jared Dudley and Craig Smith came right back with layups, the last one by Smith with 12 seconds to go to give No. 4 seed BC a 59-58 lead.
On the ensuing possession, Foye was foiled on a drive to the hoop and the ball trickled out of bounds. With the Eagles (28-8) blanketing Foye on the inbounds play, Sheridan sneaked in for the open look.
The Villanova faithful leaped out of their seats after the goaltending call, hoping their Wildcats might be headed back to the Final Four for the first time since Rollie Massimino’s underdogs shocked Georgetown for the national championship in 1985.
Florida 57, Georgetown 53
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Florida’s Corey Brewer made one basket in the second half, and he made it count.
Brewer’s tiebreaking, falling-down shot and subsequent three-point play with 27.5 seconds left lifted the third-seeded Gators. Florida (30-6) will play top-seeded Villanova on Sunday in the final, with the winner advancing to next weekend’s Final Four in Indianapolis.
Brewer and rest of Florida’s super sophomores are erasing memories of the Gators’ recent tournament failures. The Gators hadn’t been past the second round since 2000.
Joakim Noah had 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in yet another all-around effort. Taurean Green scored 13 points, and Al Horford added 12 points to give the Gators what they needed to get past the tenacious, seventh-seeded Hoyas (23-10).
Jeff Green led Georgetown with 15 points, and Ashanti Cook added 12 points.
Washington Regional