Jeremiah Robinson-Earl leads Villanova Basketball to win over Winthrop

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl leads Villanova Basketball to victory over Winthrop

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 01: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl #24 and Justin Moore #5 of the Villanova Wildcats look on in the final moments the second half against the Creighton Bluejays at the Wells Fargo Center on February 1, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Creighton Bluejays defeated the Villanova Wildcats 76-61. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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Villanova Basketball Winthrop Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

On a night when there was no shortage of lower seeds advancing through to the second round of the NCAA tournament, Villanova Basketball was not one. Like Ohio State, Purdue and Tennessee fell earlier in the night, eyes turned to the Wildcats.

Perhaps only behind Virginia Basketball, Head Coach Jay Wright and the Wildcats were perhaps the trendiest pick to be upset in round one. An 18-9 Wildcats’ lead within the first eight minutes had many contemplating their brackets, by the time Chandler Vaudrin tied it at twenty-four with a lay-up with 5:30 remaining in the first half, it was clear this was going to be a contest.

A three-pointer, however, by Cole Swider with seven seconds left in the first half put the Wildcats up 34-33 going into the locker room.

The Eagles fought to keep the game close but by the time Bryan Antoine hit his second of back-to-back threes with 16:20 remaining in the game to put Villanova up 43-34 the writing was on the wall as to how the game was going to end. The Wildcats would win the game 73-63 behind 22 points by Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and 15 from Justin Moore.