NCAA TOURNAMENT EAST REGION
NO. 16 RADFORD VS. VILLANOVA PPG PAINTS ARENA, 6:50 P.M. TV/Radio: Records: A look at Radford: A look at Villanova: NO. 1
TNT/WTEL (610AM). Radford (23-12). Villanova (30-4).
Probable starters for Radford:
Ed Polite Jr. 6-5 Jr. F (13.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg); Carlik Jones 6-0 RFr. G (11.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.1 apg); Donald Hicks 6-3 So. G (7.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 40.3 3-point FG percentage); Randy Phillips 6-8 Sr. C (6.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg); Christian Bradford 6-1 Sr. G (4.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg).
Probable starters for Villanova:
Jalen Brunson 6-3 Jr. G (19.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.7 apg, 53 FG percentage, 41 3-point FG percentage); Mikal Bridges 6-7 Jr. G/F (18.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 52 FG percentage, 43 3-point field goal percentage); Phil Booth 6-3 RJr G (10.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.8 apg, 45 FG percentage, 39 3-point field goal percentage; Omari Spellman 6-9 RFr. F (10.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.5 blocked shots per game, 44 FG percentage, 44 3-point FG percentage); Eric Paschall 6-9 RJr. F (10.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 53 FG percentage).
This is the Highlanders’ third trip to the NCAA tournament. All three have been as a No. 16 seed. Radford lost to No. 1 Duke and Elton Brand, 99-63, in the first round in 1998 and fell to eventual national champion North Carolina, 101-58, in the first round in 2009. Radford is riding an eight-game winning streak. That includes 71-61 triumph over LIUBrooklyn Tuesday in the First Four, the first NCAA tournament victory in program history, and the fourth tournament win for the Big South Conference. Defense is Radford’s strength. The Highlanders are 14th nationally in scoring defense (64.3 ppg) and 18th in field goal percentage defense (40.5).
This is Villanova’s sixth straight appearance in the Big Dance and the 13th in the last 14 seasons under Jay Wright. The Wildcats beat Big South champion UNC-Asheville in the opening round on its way to the 2016 national championship. The Wildcats are 21-11 in the NCAA Tournament under Wright. Bridges has been on a tear lately. The redshirt junior averaged 23.1 points and five rebounds over the last eight games and was received the Dave Gavitt award as the Most Outstanding Player in the Big East tournament. This is Villanova’s second trip to Pittsburgh in the last four seasons. The Wildcats beat Lafayette before being upset by North Carolina State in the second round in 2015.