Villanova getting a little mojo back at AdvoCare Invitational

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. >> Defending national champion Villanova got its swagger back.

Eric Paschall had 22 points and Phil Booth added 20 as Villanova advanced to the AdvoCare Invitational championship game by beating Oklahoma State, 77-58, Friday.

The Wildcats, who made a tournament-record 16

3-pointers, will play No. 14 Florida State, which knocked off No. 19 LSU in overtime,

79-76, at 1 p.m. Sunday for the championship. It’s the sixth straight year Villanova will play for a tournament title in November.

“This was a good next step for us,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “We’re just trying to get better every game. Oklahoma State gave us good competition. We knew they could really speed us up by driving the ball. They forced us to play physically and I was really proud of our guys.”

Villanova (4-2) stopped a two-game skid by beating Canisius 82-56 in Thursday’s first round.

“They play with a champion mindset,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. “You can sense there’s urgency to the way they prepare, the way they warm up, the way they huddle during game, the way they communicate defensively.”

Oklahoma State (3-2) got 15 points from Mike Cunningham. The graduate transfer played in his second game after missing the Cowboys’ first three with a left hamstring injury.

“We were just off today,” Boynton said. “We let them control the tempo.”

Paschall had 20 points, including six 3-pointers, as Villanova took a 42-26 halftime advantage. The Wildcats went 10-for-24 from 3-point range during the half.

“I feel like my teammates just did a great job of finding me,” Paschall said.

Booth’s 3-pointer gave Villanova a 54-29 lead four minutes into the second half.

Oklahoma State got within

60-47 on Cunningham’s 3 with 8½ minutes to go.

The Cowboys will face the LSU at 4 p.m. Sunday for third place. NORTHWESTERN 91, LA SALLE

74>> Senior guard Ryan Taylor and senior forward Vic Law each scored 21 points to help the Wildcats recover from their first loss of the season in the consolation bracket of the Wooden Legacy Tournament at Cal State Fullerton.

Junior center A.J. Turner added 20 points as the Wildcats (4-1) moved into the fifth-place game against either Grand Canyon or Utah. La Salle will face the loser of the Grand Canyon-Utah matchup.

Senior guard Pookie Powell had 23 points for La Salle

(0-6), one game after his streak of 10-consecutive double-digit games ended. Sophomore center Miles Brookins added 12 points for the Explorers, while freshman forward Jared Kimbrough had

10.

After giving up a seasonhigh 78 points in a loss to Fresno State Thursday, the Wildcats gave up another 74. Northwestern had held each of its first three opponents to

54 points or less. Northwestern cruised to the victory, taking a 25-10 lead nine minutes into the game and leading 45-26 at halftime.