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NCAA Tournament roundup with Philly locals who continue to dance

Monday's big story on the college basketball scene was the Villanova women advancing comfortably into the Sweet 16.

The packed Villanova student section for the game against Florida Gulf Coast in the Women's NCAA Tournament.at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University on Monday.
The packed Villanova student section for the game against Florida Gulf Coast in the Women's NCAA Tournament.at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University on Monday.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
    by Javon Edmonds
    Published 

Second round action of the women’s NCAA Tournament wrapped up on Thursday night with Villanova as the only Philly school taking part in the festivities.

Outside of that, the 215 had to settle with players and coaches from the area.

Villanova, the Philly school outside of Philly

All-American forward Maddy Siegrist was her normal, dominant self, scoring 31 points in the Wildcats’ 19-point win against Florida Gulf Coast. The Wildcats’ performance was good enough for FGCU head coach Karl Smesko to describe them as a Final Four team.

The Wildcats are going to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003. The 2003 squad went to the Elite Eight… and this reporter wasn’t even two-years old yet.

Villanova’s magical season continues on Friday against Miami, a program whose men’s and women’s teams both upset Indiana in the second round of their respective tournaments (Wooga Poplar, a 2020 Philadelphia Public League champion at Math, Civics and Sciences, had something to do with the men’s win).

Geno’s Huskies, not the steaks

In the Seattle region, Norristown alum Geno Auriemma and his Connecticut team continued their quest to return to the top of the food chain.

The Huskies completely dominated Baylor, holding the Bears to 34.4 percent shooting. UConn also snagged 11 more boards than Baylor.

The Big East champions return to action Saturday against Ohio State.

The supporting cast

Still in the Seattle Region, Duke’s Imani Lewis, a graduate forward from Life Center Academy in Willingboro, NJ, didn’t see any action in the Blue Devils’ overtime loss to Colorado.

» READ MORE: The party goes on for Villanova, into the NCAA Sweet 16

Duke wasn’t the only team in the Seattle region to be upset on Monday. No. 4 Texas lost by 22 to No. 5 Louisville — not exactly the dog fight that Duke-Colorado was.

In the NIT Villa Maria Academy product Paige Lauder didn’t see action in Columbia’s 78-73 win against Fordham. The Lions from New York City will play the Orange from upstate Friday at 7 p.m.