For Villanova, much-needed win nearly gets away at Cincinnati

CINCINNATI - It was a Big East road win, over a team that will most likely be hosting a first-round NIT game this month.

A few weeks ago, that probably wouldn't have meant too much to Villanova Nation, other than what it did for the record.

But a few weeks ago, the Wildcats hadn't lost three of four.

The ninth-ranked team in the nation, which once was 20-1, needed this, if only for its collective sanity.

So Villanova (24-5, 13-4) chartered home after a 77-73 victory over a Cincinnati team (16-13, 7-10) that has dropped six of its last eight.

It probably shouldn't have been that close. But sometimes you can't be choosy.

"The end of games in the Big East just get crazy," said coach Jay Wright, whose team had lost at Syracuse, the new No. 1, by 18 on Saturday. "Things happen. It's everywhere.

"When you lose a game like [Syracuse], we wanted this really bad. It didn't kill us, but it was a tough loss."

This almost turned into something that would have been even tougher.

The Wildcats led by 10 after 12 minutes, but went back to the locker room tied at 31 after getting outscored 15-5 the rest of the first half. They were ahead by 11 with 16 minutes to go. But the Bearcats, who at halftime honored members of the 1961 and '62 national-title teams, had it back down to four some 5 minutes later. With 6:08 showing, Villanova had stretched it back out to 15.

It should have been over. It wasn't.

Cincy somehow scored the next 14 points. 'Nova's Reggie Redding made two free throws at 2:34. Cincy's Jaquon Parker missed a shot from the left wing that would have tied it.

At 1:31, the Wildcats' Scottie Reynolds drove the lane and almost got called for a walk before finding fellow senior Redding on the right wing. His three-pointer hit the rim, kissed off the glass and fell in.

"I didn't take any shots at Syracuse," Redding said. "After the game, coach kept telling me I had to be aggressive. As a senior, I need to make plays. He was on me the last couple of days at practice. So that's what I tried to come out and do."

Reynolds made one of two at the line at 40.3 seconds, and Redding did the same at 31.4. Cincy's Lance Stephenson bricked two at 19.4. When 'Nova's Taylor King converted a pair at 16.7, it should have been enough. But a three-point play by Stephenson, followed by a Villanova turnover and a trey from the key by the Bearcats' Rashad Bishop, made it 75-73 with 3.7 still left.

Reynolds settled things by going 2-for-2 at the other end.

"Me and Reg did a great job of making sure everyone had a clear head [after Syracuse]," said Reynolds, who scored all of his team-high 17 points after intermission. "Our goal was still the same, to be the best team we can be at the end of the season. No matter what happens. Everyone just stuck together and grinded it out."

The Wildcats will play No. 10 West Virginia (23-6, 12-5), a team they beat by seven on the road early last month, Saturday afternoon at the Wachovia Center. If they win, they'll clinch the second seed in the conference tournament. If they don't, they could end up in a three-way tie with the Mountaineers and No. 17 Pittsburgh (22-7, 11-5), which still has home games left against Providence and Rutgers. In that scenario, Villanova would become the fourth seed.

If Pitt loses out, which seems almost impossible, and West Virginia takes the rematch in South Philly, Villanova would lose that tiebreaker and finish third.

"You have to respect everyone in this league," said Reynolds, "because we know how tough it is . . .

"When my turn comes, I've got to take it."

The Wildcats had five others score in double figures. Corey Stokes had 14. Redding had nine of his 11 in the final 20 minutes. Antonio Pena, Corey Fisher and Mouphtaou Yarou added 10 apiece. It was the second consecutive start for Yarou, as Wright tried his best to use a larger lineup whenever possible.

Villanova, which attempted 22 fewer field goals, went 10-for-21 from the arc. But it shot 14 more free throws, which hasn't always been the case, especially lately. And, for the sixth time in seven games, the bench got outscored.

The Bearcats got 19 from Bishop, who hasn't been doing much lately but came within one of his career best. Deonta Vaughn, who burned Villanova here 2 years ago, had 18. But only four of them came in the second half, after Wright had Redding guard him.

Cincy went 26-for-66, 7-for-30 from deep.

"We kept a great attitude during the whole game," Redding said. "We played in a lot of difficult situations. Things aren't always going to go your way. In the end, we came out with a win."

At this point, who could ask for much more?