St. Mary’s Knocks Out Villanova

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By PETE THAMEL
Published: March 20, 2010

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Villanova looked vulnerable to an upset from the beginning of the N.C.A.A. tournament. The Wildcats played flat and looked uninterested for most of their first-round victory over 15th-seeded Robert Morris on Thursday and lacked urgency for most of Saturday’s game against 10th-seeded St. Mary’s in the South Region.

Although Villanova came back from deficits as large as 12 points to at least make it a game, one defining bank shot by the Gaels knocked the second-seeded Wildcats out of the tournament, 75-68.

With the score tied at 65-65 and 1 minute 16 seconds remaining, St. Mary’s Mickey McConnell lobbed in a left-wing 3-pointer off the backboard. That sparked a 10-3 run to end the game, capping a taut and exciting final minutes. The teams exchanged leads and played one of the most exciting games in a tournament that has been filled with them.

The St. Mary’s big man Omar Samhan was virtually unstoppable, living up to the “BEAST” tattoo on the inside of his lip. He finished the game with 32 points, and shot 13 for 17 from the floor. Samhan, a 6-foot-11, 265-pound center, showcased an old-school arsenal of low-post moves and a Puffs-soft touch, as Villanova did little to deter or fluster him.

As the clock dwindled, Samhan popped his jersey, showcasing the name St. Mary’s. He nodded cockily, as if he expected the victory. At the final buzzer, he chucked the ball to the rafters. He then capped his celebration by darting into the stands to trade hugs with the Gaels fans who had made the trip from the Bay Area.

Villanova’s loss continued a terrible N.C.A.A. tournament for the Big East Conference, which lost four teams in the first round after receiving eight bids, more than any other conference. The three teams that remained in the tournament were top-seeded Syracuse and third-seeded Pittsburgh in the West Region, and second-seeded West Virginia in the East.

Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds, who starred in last year’s N.C.A.A. tournament, shot 2 for 15 from the field against Robert Morris and followed that with 2-for-11 shooting on Saturday. Reynolds took two terrible looks on consecutive possessions in the waning minutes. He was benched to start the game against Robert Morris for what Coach Jay Wright termed a lapse in preparation.

Villanova, which trailed by 38-31 at halftime, got a break in the second half when a loose ball destined for a turnover hit an official’s foot. The ball bounced into Villanova’s hands, and Reggie Redding hit a 3-pointer to cut the St. Mary’s lead to 45-40 with 15:09 remaining. That possession seemed to give the Wildcats a lift , as they began to play with an urgency missing for most of their time here.

But Villanova, who was led by Corey Stokes’s 15 points, folded in the end. The Wildcats finished the season by losing 6 of their final 9 games.

Next week in Houston, St. Mary’s will play the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 11 Old Dominion and No. 3 Baylor.