No. 2 Villanova Survives No. 7 Ohio State's Upset Bid; Will Play Michigan in Sweet 16

No. 2 Villanova will return to the Sweet 16 after surviving a 71-61 win over No. 7 Ohio State on Sunday.

Collin Gillespie had 20 points at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, avoiding a potential upset bid in the second round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Villanova was seemingly in full control of the game early, leading by 11 points at halftime and as much as 15 in the second half.

The Buckeyes still kept the game within striking distance, eventually making a move with under 12 minutes left. A 15-5 run cut the deficit to two, putting pressure on the South Region's No. 2 seed.

The Wildcats still came through when it mattered, with Eric Dixon hitting a huge three in the final minutes.

It was enough for Villanova to pull out a close win in a game it never trailed.

Malaki Branham and E.J. Liddell combined for 40 points for Ohio State, but it wasn't enough for the upset.

Villanova sometimes has trouble reaching the second weekend, but the squad is usually dangerous from that point on. Three of the last four trips to the Sweet 16 later featured a Final Four appearance, including two national championships.

The Wildcats will face No. 11 Michigan in the Sweet 16.

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Notable Performances

Collin Gillespie, G, NOVA: 20 points, 4 assists

Jermaine Samuels, F, NOVA: 17 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals

Eric Dixon, F, NOVA: 13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block

E.J. Liddell, F, OSU: 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks

Malaki Branham, G, OSU: 23 points, 4 assists

Kyle Young, F, OSU: 6 points, 6 rebounds

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Collin Gillespie Leads Balanced Effort for Villanova

It wasn't the best game from Gillespie, who finished 5-of-14 from the field and 2-of-9 from three, but he came through at important times for the Wildcats.

The senior helped Villanova build an early lead with excellent individual ability:

Gillespie outscored Ohio State for the first eight minutes of the game as Villanova quickly went up double digits.

The guard went quiet during the middle stretch of the game when his team held a double-digit lead, but he sprung back into action with clutch buckets down the stretch.

It was then Gillespie who drew extra attention in the post before kicking it out to Dixon for the key three-pointer.

Villanova had four players in double digits, including a strong showing by Jermaine Samuels. It was still Gillespie who made the key plays in the game's biggest moments, helping the Wildcats advance to the Sweet 16.

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Ohio State Falls Short Despite Branham's Heroics

For much of the game, Ohio State simply seemed overmatched against an opponent that was better on both ends of the court.

Liddell did his part, but the squad needed a secondary scorer to even be competitive.

Branham apparently got the message, lighting it up in the second half to get his team back in the game.

The freshman helped Ohio State cut a 15-point second-half deficit down to two with some big shots.

It was seemingly a miracle for the Buckeyes to even be that close after being bailed out by difficult shots in the first half.

The Buckeyes still trailed by 11 at halftime, and the score could have been much worse:

Branham and Liddell put up a fight in the second half, but there simply wasn't enough scoring depth.

Once Kyle Young left the game with an apparent head injury, Ohio State couldn't keep up on the scoreboard.