Many were hoping that it would be an “All-Philly” second round match up if both the number-two seeded Villanova Wildcats and the Temple Owls had won. However, that would not come to fruition as the #10-seeded Temple Owls would fall to the 7th-seed Iowa Hawkeyes. That Temple-Iowa game was tabbed as a potential upset, but that did not come true. Villanova would look to make their first Sweet 16 since 2009 when they lost to the eventual champions, the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Wildcats obliterated the UNC-Asheville Bulldogs in the first round with a score of 86-56. Villanova looked to be the favorite in this game. The winner would go on to play the Miami Hurricanes who shocked the Shockers from Wichita State.

First of all let me say, this game would really never be close. This game was a rout from about the twelve-minute mark in the first half. Starting at the twelve-minute mark, the Hawkeyes started to not be able to hit a shot. Iowa went five minutes without hitting a shot, and Villanova took a 39-21 entering the break on a 5-0 run. The lead would be 54-29. According to ESPN, the 54 points that the Wildcats would score would be the most points that Villanova would score in a half in the tournament. The contest would end with a score of 87-68. For the first time since ‘09, ‘Nova will advance to the Sweet 16.

Like I said earlier, the Wildcats will move on to play the Miami Hurricanes who defeated the Wichita State Shockers by a score of 65-57.