No. 8 seed N.C. State vs. No. 1 seed Villanova

When: Saturday, 7:10 p.m.

Where: Consol Energy Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Television: TBS (Brian Anderson, Steve Smith, and Dana Jacobson)

Radio: Villanova IMG Network: 610 WTEL AM / villanova.com and TuneIn Radio (Ryan Fannon & Whitey Rigsby)

Series: N.C. State leads 12-10

Game Notes

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PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Villanova Wildcats were back on the floor at the Consol Energy Center Friday afternoon as they looked to get set for a Saturday night clash with North Carolina State (21-13 overall) in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Wolfpack rallied late to defeat No. 9 seed LSU 66-65 in the second game of Thursday night's double header here.

Villanova advanced by virtue of a 93-52 victory over Lafayette, the second largest margin of victory for the Wildcats in their rich NCAA Tournament history that dates to the first Final Four in 1939 at the Palestra.

Junior Dylan Ennis led a balanced Villanova attack with 16 points and added five assists. The Wildcats also leaned on their interior tandem of senior JayVaughn Pinskton and junior Daniel Ochefu. The pair connected on 9-of-10 field goal attempts and also collected 15 rebounds.

Six Wildcats finished in double figures in points and the 93 points were the most scored by a Villanova team in the NCAA Tournament since a 101-91 victory over LIU in the 1997 event.

Pinkston pointed to the chemistry this group has as a team strength.

"It seems so special," stated the senior from Brooklyn, N.Y. "Anybody can go off on any given night, everybody is so balanced and nobody can focus on just one person. We all have one goal and that's to win." Villanova and N.C. State last collided in the 2007 Old Spice Classic Final in Lake Buena Vista., Fla. The Wolfpack edged the Wildcats 69-68 that night on the game's final possession.

A Dante Cunningham tip-in with 2.2 seconds left on the clock in the second half had given the Wildcats a 68-67 lead. But Cunningham was whistled for a foul on a 3-point attempt by Gavin Grant on the ensuing possession. Grant sank two of three free throws with 0.4 seconds left on the clock and the game ended with the Wolfpack on top, 69-68.

North Carolina State has captured the last four meetings in the series.

The winner of this clash in the first of two games here in Pittsburgh, advances to the East Regional semifinal in Syracuse next Friday.

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