Not-so-super Nova: Champs struggle early

For 20 minutes, Villanova looked ordinary, vulnerable, maybe even a little scared.

The Wildcats finished like champions.

Donte DiVincenzo scored 21 points and the NCAA Tournament’s top seed shook off a shocking start and stumbled forward in the East Region on Thursday night with a 76-56 victory over No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s in Buffalo, N.Y.

Leading by just one at halftime, the Wildcats (32-3) opened the second half with a 21-6 run and took their first step toward defending their championship. Villanova is trying to be the first back-to-back titlist since Florida in 2007, and the Wildcats will have to play better to make history.

“I’m not annoyed,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “I really am shocked, not how Mount St. Mary’s played, but that we didn’t start the game with energy. We don’t have time to figure it out.”

Since the NCAA went to seeding in 1985, No. 1 seeds are 130-0 against No. 16s. The historic upset remains elusive, but for a while it looked as if it could happen inside KeyBank Center.

Freshman Miles Wilson scored 22 points as the Mountaineers (20-16), who edged New Orleans in a First Four matchup on Tuesday, gave the defending champions all they could handle in the first half.

“I was thinking we could get the win,” Mount St. Mary’s Elijah Long said.