ERIC DIXON

North Carolina, Duke and Kansas are bona fide basketball bluebloods, the best of the best in the men's college game.

Collin Gillespie scored 20 points, Eric Dixon hit a big 3-pointer late and second-seeded Villanova fended off seventh-seeded Ohio State 71-61 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Justin Lewis buried a 3 from the top of the arc with 11.5 seconds left to send Marquette to a 57-54 win over No. 11 Villanova.

Collin Gillespie hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points, and Justin Moore scored 15 points to lead No. 14 Villanova to an 82-42 win over Butler.

Ryan Hawkins scored 19 points to lead four players in double figures and Creighton closed with a flurry in a 79-59 victory over No. 9 Villanova in the Big East opener for both teams.

Zach Edey scored 21 points and No. 6 Purdue overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to beat No. 5 Villanova 80-74 and win the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament.

Johnny Juzang scored 25 points and No. 2 UCLA overcame a 10-point, second-half deficit before taking control in overtime to beat fourth-ranked Villanova 86-77.

Cole Swider hit the winning free throw with 1.9 seconds left and Gillespie scored 22 points to help No. 3 Villanova win its first game in 27 days, 76-74 over Seton Hall on Tuesday night. Myles Cale pulled Seton Hall to 72-70 with 2:33 left and Nova’s Justin Moore was whistled for an offensive foul. Gillespie missed a 3 and Shavar Reynolds grabbed the defensive board to set up a late look for Seton Hall. “We lost a basketball game — we didn’t lose a puppy,” Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard said.