Providence, RI (Sports Network) - Scottie Reynolds was held out of the starting lineup by head coach Jay Wright, but came off the bench to score five of his team-high 20 points in overtime, as Villanova escaped with a 73-70 win over Robert Morris in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Villanova Narrowly Avoids Massive Upset, Fights Back To Top Robert Morris In OT
Reynolds and Corey Fisher did not start for what Wright termed a "minor teaching point." Maalik Wayns started for Reynolds and Corey Stokes replaced Fisher for Villanova (25-7), which is the second seed in the South Region.
Mouphtaou Yarou turned in a solid game with 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks for the Wildcats, who will play either Richmond or Saint Mary's in the second round. Taylor King ended with 10 points.
Villanova, which is trying to get back to the Final Four after getting knocked out by North Carolina last year, had dropped five of its last seven matchups entering the contest.
Karon Abraham led all scorers with 23 points, while Mezie Nwigwe went for 13 points, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer for Robert Morris (23-12), which was making its second straight appearance in the tourney and the seventh overall in school history. The Colonials fell to 1-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
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