West Virginia University
Villanova
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March 11, 2005 10:15 PM | Men's Basketball
NEW YORK – What a ride the West Virginia University basketball team is on right now! The No. 8-seeded Mountaineers beat Providence for a third time this year in the first round of the Big East tournament in Madison Square Garden, then knocked off top-seeded Boston College in the semifinals.
Tonight West Virginia dug deep within itself once again to pull off a thrilling 78-76 victory over No. 21-ranked Villanova to advance to the championship of the Big East tournament Saturday night in the world's most famous basketball arena.
Mike Gansey's two free throws with 0.2 seconds left snapped a 76-all tie and put the Mountaineers into the Big East championship game for the first time in school history. Gansey got to the line when he was clearly pushed in the back by Villanova's Allan Ray attempting to follow up Patrick Beilein's missed three. Gansey calmly sank both foul shots and Villanova's desperation heave fell harmlessly to the ground.
All five West Virginia starters reached double figures, led by Gansey's season-high 22 points. The 6-foot-4 junior also led all WVU rebounders with 10 including five offensive. Kevin Pittsnogle scored 18, Frank Young had another strong performance starting in place of Tyrone Sally with 12, Joe Herber scored 11 and J.D. Collins matched his career-high with 10.
West Virginia (21-9) once again had a terrific first half shooting the basketball like it did in wins against Providence and Boston College. West Virginia used a 20-2 run midway through the first half to turn a 23-13 deficit into 33-25 lead. Back to back threes by Gansey and Beilein to within six, and a Beilein steal led to a Gansey driving lay up. Frank Young nailed a pull up jumper to tie the game at 23, and after an Allan Ray jumper, West Virginia got another three from Gansey right ahead of a media timeout at 7:33.
Young followed with five straight points to give West Virginia a six-point lead, and Gansey added to the run with an easy basket on a nice feed from D'or Fischer. Ray snapped the West Virginia run with a pair of free throws.
West Virginia took its biggest lead of the game at 11, 42-31, on a basket in the paint by Fischer. Villanova closed the half with a pair of baskets to cut West Virginia's lead to seven, 42-35 at the half.
West Virginia held a 10-point lead at the second media timeout with 14:09 before Villanova came to life. The Wildcats used a 10-0 run to tie the game at 53. Ray got the run going with a three and Curtis Sumpter followed with a pair of free throws. A West Virginia 10-second violation led to a Will Sheridan jump shot to make it 53-50, Mountaineers. Sumpter then buried a three to tie the game and force Beilein to call timeout.
J.D. Collins responded with a tough runner to put the Mountaineers up two, 55-53. After a Sumpter basket, Herber knocked down a three and Pittsnogle followed his own miss to make it 60-55. West Virginia led by six, 71-65, at the game's final media timeout out at 3:39.
West Virginia led by five after a couple of Pittsnogle free throws, but Villanova answered with a Jason Fraser dunk to make it 73-70.
Randy Foye hit a tough runner with 56.3 seconds left to pull the Wildcats to within one, and J.D. Collins threw the ball away with 48.2 seconds left to give the ball back to Villanova. Sumpter worked himself free in the paint to give Villanova a one-point lead with 30.7 seconds left.
But Collins was able to break Villanova's pressure and penetrated into the lane and kicked the ball out to the wing to Herber, who coolly buried a three from the corner with 19.4 seconds left. It was West Virginia's 36th three of the Big East tournament so far.
Foye came down and made a basket to tie the game with 10 seconds left.
The Mountaineers withstood a super effort from Foye, who finished the game 10 of 20 for 22 points. Ray contributed 17, Sumpter scored 11 and Kyle Lowry came off the bench to contribute 10.
West Virginia made 28 of 57 field goals for 49.1 percent including 13 of 25 from three-point range against the conference's top three-point shooting defense. "When we shoot them like that, we can play with a lot of people," John Beilein said.
The Mountaineers held an amazing 30-18 rebounding advantage including a staggering 13 offensive rebounds. WVU's rebounding offset 14 turnovers, a couple coming in key situations late in the game.
Villanova (22-7) played equally well, hitting 30 of 54 from the floor for 55.6 percent including six of 11 from three. The Wildcats committed just five turnovers in a game in which both teams combined to score 154 points.
"That was a great college basketball game. It's difficult to take but we have to,'' Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "It's part of life and you move on. We have to win the next one that's what's on our minds now."
West Virginia, which lost to Villanova by 38 points back on Jan. 5, completed the biggest two-game turnaround against an opponent in Big East history.
No team has ever won four games to capture the Big East championship and it's just the third time in tournament history a team without a bye has made the finals.
"We'll use a 10-man rotation and everybody just has to give us enough," Coach John Beilein said of playing four games in as many days. "I hope that's not an issue. The issue will be the talent we face."
Saturday's game will tip off at 8 pm.
