Scottie Reynolds scored 22 points and Villanova rode some hot shooting in the second half to knock off Syracuse 82–63 yesterday, and dramatically help its cause in what amounted to an NCAA tournament elimination game. The teams split their regular-season meetings and each came into the conference tournament needing a couple of wins to breath easier on Selection Sunday. By the time Reynolds curled in consecutive 3-pointers with less than 7 minutes left to extend the lead to double figures, Jay Wright and the Wildcats could exhale ever so slightly.

Eighth-seeded Villanova advanced to play the top seed, No. 9 Georgetown, in a rematch of a second-round game won last year by the Hoyas. A victory against a team they’ve never beaten in four conference tournament games would almost surely be enough for the Wildcats. Unlike last season, when Syracuse was left out of the NCAA tournament despite winning 22 games, coach Jim Boeheim glumly acknowledged there won’t be much Sunday drama this time around.

* * *

WEST VIRGINIA 58, PROVIDENCE 53

Joe Alexander scored 22 points and West Virginia held Providence to two field goals over the final 7 minutes of a 58-53 victory yesterday.

The fifth-seeded Mountaineers (23–9) advanced to Thursday’s quarterfinals, where they will face fourth-seeded and 15th-ranked Connecticut. The Huskies beat West Virginia 79–71 in the teams’ only meeting on March 1.

* * *

PITTSBURGH 70, CINCINNATI 64

Sam Young scored 21 points, matching Cincinnati guard Deonta Vaughn nearly shot for shot, and Pittsburgh held on to beat Cincinnati 70–64 last night in the first round of the Big East tournament. Ronald Ramon hit three 3-pointers late and finished with 12 points for seventh-seeded Pittsburgh (23–9), which advanced to play second-seeded Louisville today. Keith Benjamin added 15 points and Levance Fields had 10.