Villanova Returns With Important Win Over Providence

This season the Villanova Wildcats have lost three games. One was against Syracuse and two were against Creighton.

The two against Creighton were blowout losses. In the first, the Bluejays routed the Wildcats by 28 points 96-68. The second was this past Sunday and was not any better. Villanova gave up 101 points to Creighton, whose Doug McDermott scored 39 points in the process.

All the coaching staff of Villanova could do was speak volumes of how well McDermott played against them.

Tuesday night, Villanova defeated Providence in double overtime 82-79 doing what they have done each team they have lost to Creighton and Syracuse, return with an important win.

The win was an impressive display of hard-fought, physical bounce back basketball, which was similar do how they came back following their other two defeats.

The win showed how tough and talented Villanova is while the loss left the Friars on the bubble. Both Villanova games that followed losses to Creighton were overtime victorious and kept the team’s season afloat.

The Friars were desperate for a win. With less than a month remaining until big Selection Sunday, Providence are tiptoeing on the bubble hoping it does not burst prior to that fateful Sunday in March when 65 teams what for their names to be called.

There are as many as 25 teams that are stuck on the bubble and many will not make the Big Dance.

Providence played as if their lives were on the line. Bryce Cotton possibly the nation’s most underrated player played the entire 50 minutes of the games. Cotton plays a higher percentage of his team’s minutes that any other player in the country. He scored 22 points, dished out 9 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds.

Providence has been hit hard by injuries but took an early lead in the first half then lost it.

Ryan Arcidiacono scored the last basket of the game while being fouled to give the 3-point overtime victory to Villanova.

The Friars had one last chance to tie at the buzzer but LaDontae Henton’s jumper hit the rim short and bounced away.

Providence has lost five of its past seven games overall. The losses included Georgetown, St. Johns, Xavier and Marquette.

The Friars nonconference schedule is not strong and only included a win against Creighton on January 18. Now Providence must play on the road against Seton Hall and Butler before ending the season against Marquette and Creighton.

As good as Cotton is, he might just miss out on March Madness, in his last season as a Friar if Providence cannot win its remaining games.

For the Wildcats, things continue to move on. The grit of the team showed on Tuesday and they were able to response with another win.

However, once the postseason arrives there will be no second chances as its one and out, if you lose.