VILLANOVA barely moves on!!!!!...written by Ronald Carthen

Thank you very much Robert Morris Colonials, out of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, for almost ruining my bracket this year.

When the Colonials were up 55-47 with more than four minutes left in the game, I thought the Wildcats season was over. Thank goodness Scottie Reynolds was able to draw some fouls and go six of seven from the free throw line in more than a three minute span. I was so glad when Mouphtaou Yarou tied the game 58 all. It would have been nice if Maurice Sutton had made that layup with nine tenths of a second, but what's March Madness without a little overtime drama.

With a little more than a minute left to play, Scottie Reynolds hit a big three-pointer to extend the lead 67-61. I'm saying to myself there's no way the Colonials will come back now, but little do I know.

With 41 seconds left, the Colonials Josiah Whitehead made both free throws to cut the Wildcats lead 68-65. When Corey Stokes was caught in a trap, Mezie Nwigwe steals it from Corey and made the layin to cut the lead to one. I was so surprised how the Wildcats was giving this game away. When Mouphtaou was caught with three defenders at midcourt, I thought the referees were going to call a jump ball and possesion Colonials, but the refs called a foul on Karon Abraham. I didn't hear what Colonials coach Mike Rice was saying but I can read lips. I heard enough F-bomb's to last an entire season for a head coach.

With the Wildcats up 70-67 with 21 seconds, the Karon thought he could cut the lead to one, but as soon as he went for the layup, Maurice rejected the basket and Scottie threw it to a wide open Reggie Redding. Can someone tell me why Reggie didn't lay it in and decided to run down the clock? He only made one of his two free throws to extend the lead to four. If anything almost caused the Cats the game, it was his bad decision to not lay it in. That would lead to Karon making a three-pointer to cut the lead to one with 11 seconds left.

When Scottie made his free throws to extend the lead to three. The Colonials had nine seconds to send this to a second overtime, but Mezie missed the game-tying three-pointer and the Wildcats nightmare was over.

I know Scottie and Corey didn't start due to a "minor teaching point," but that gives them no excuse how bad they played. Don't let Scottie's 20 points, five rebounds, and two assists fool you. He was two of 15 from the field and was 15 of 16 from the free throw line. Corey wasn't any better with six points come on. This is supposed to be one of the best backcourts in the nation.

The Wildcats better get it together for their next opponent very quickly in the second round on Saturday. Shooting more than 35 percent from the field will not get it done.

Come on Cats I have you in the Final Four don't do this to me!!!!!