NEW YORK -- Villanova withstood a second-half run from Providence to defeat the Friars in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament, 76-68. The Wildcats advance to the title game to face the winner of Xavier vs. Seton Hall.
This was Jay Wright’s fifth straight win in the conference tournament, after winning the championship in 2014-15.
Do the Wildcats need to win on Saturday to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? It likely depends what happens in other conference tournaments. The loser of the ACC Tournament -- whether it’s Virginia or North Carolina -- could be in some trouble, while Oklahoma would likely be out of the running with a Big 12 tournament loss.