Villanova wins AdvoCare title
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. >> Villanova is making a case to get back into the Top 25.
Collin Gillespie had a game-high 17 points, including two key late free throws, and the Wildcats won the AdvoCare Invitational by beating No. 14 Florida State 66-60.
“He loves the competition,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “I’m just glad he’s on our side.”
Gillespie made it 64-60 by connecting on a pair of free throws with 11.2 seconds to play in what was a tight second half.
Eric Paschall had 15 points and Phil Booth chipped in 12 for the defending national champions (5-2). Dhamir CosbyRoundtree had 11 points and eight rebounds.
Villanova went from No.
8 to out of the Top 25 — the first time since December
2013 — in last Monday’s poll after losing to Michigan 73-46 in a rematch of last season’s championship game and losing 76-68 in overtime to Furman.
Florida State (5-1) got 11 points from both Mfiondu Kabengele and Trent Forrest.
“They did a much better job of playing to their strengths than we did ours,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said. “I thought our guys gave good effort. I think that we’re a team that has a chance to develop into a pretty good basketball team.”
The Seminoles’ next game is Wednesday night against No. 24 Purdue.
“You only find out some of those areas that you need to work on when you play against great teams, highcaliber teams like we faced today,” Hamilton said.
Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman were all taken in the NBA draft after last year’s championship run.
“We’ve grown so much,” Wright said. “This whole season we’ve got to have a growth mindset.”
Gillespie had nine points to help Villanova take a 2625 halftime lead. The Wildcats (eight) and Florida State (nine).
OKLAHOMA STATE 90, NO. 19 LSU 77 >> LSU’s stay in the
Top-25 appears over. Cameron McGriff had
28 points. Lindy Waters added 16, and Oklahoma State won the third-place game.
Skylar Mays scored 20 points for the Tigers, who were coming off a 79-76 overtime loss to No. 14 Florida State on Friday.
“Not a lot to say, we got whipped,” LSU coach Will Wade said. “I didn’t have us prepared. We got beat in every facet. It was a rough, rough afternoon for us.”
Oklahoma State (4-2) beat Memphis 84-64 and lost to defending national champion Villanova 77-58 earlier in the invitational.
“Today wasn’t just about winning third place, that was on the line, but this is a game that I think will have a long lasting effect on our resume for postseason hopes,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. “It’s something that we can certainly build on and look to as that something that we can be proud of.”
McGriff hit a 3 and Waters made three free throws during a second-half opening 15-2 run that put Oklahoma State ahead 57-39 with 13 minutes to play.
LSU missed 12 of its 13 shots during the Cowboys’ surge.
“I’m ready to get back to work,” Mays said. “Obviously, the way we performed this week it’s not up to par.”
McGriff had 13 points as Oklahoma State grabbed a 42-37 halftime advantage. The Cowboys lead by 13 points 5 ½ minutes into the game.