INDIANAPOLIS – (Official News Release from BIG EAST) – Villanova and Creighton, the BIG EAST’s top two teams in the regular season, have advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Championship. The Wildcats, who were ranked 18th in last week’s Associated Press poll, will meet Baylor, the top seed in the South Region, on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. ET. The Bluejays, No. 19 by AP, also meet a No. 1 seed, Gonzaga in a West Region semifinal at 2:10 p.m.
Gonzaga is ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, while Baylor is No. 3.
Wildcat/Bluejay Similarities: Besides being ranked consecutively at 18th (Villanova) and 19th (Creighton) in the AP poll, both teams are No. 5 seeds in their respective regions and will battle the top seeds next. The venue for both teams this weekend will be the same, Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse. Both contests will be telecast on CBS. Villanova and Creighton each knocked off No. 12 seeds in the first round and No. 13 seeds in the second round.
Villanova and Creighton shared the BIG EAST regular-season title last year and both were locks for the 2020 NCAA Tournament, if it had been played.
NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
SOUTH REGION
First Round – March 19
No. 5 Villanova 73, No. 12 Winthrop 63
Second Round – March 21
No. 5 Villanova 84, No. 13 North Texas 61
Regional Semifinals – March 27
No. 5 Villanova vs. No. 1 Baylor – CBS 5:15
WEST REGION
First Round – March 20
No. 5 Creighton 63, No. 12 UCSB 62
Second Round – March 22
No. 5 Creighton 72, No. 13 Ohio 58
Regional Semifinals – March 28
No. 5 Creighton vs. No. 1 Gonzaga – CBS 2:10
EAST REGION
First Round – March 20
No. 5 Colorado 96, No. 12 Georgetown 73
No. 10 Maryland 63, No. 7 Connecticut 54