Darius Johnson scores 42 as Villanova’s season ends in Crown semifinals

UCFs Darius Johnson scored 42 points, including a late game-tying 3-pointer, as Villanova squandered a late lead in a 104-98 loss in overtime of the semifinals of the College Basketball Crown Saturday in Las Vegas.The setback brings an end to the Wildcats season at 21-15.

It also ends the storied career of Eric Dixon, who scored 29 points.

He finished with a program-record 2,314 points for his career.Dixon added seven rebounds, but he was just 9-for-24 from the field, including 1-for-11 from 3-point range.

The Wildcats shot 8-for-31 (25.8 percent) from deep and allowed UCF to go 15-for-35 (42.9 percent).The Knights (20-16) advance to take on Nebraska in the final after the Cornhuskers defeated Boise State, 79-69, in the first game.

Sundays final at T-Mobile Arena is at 5 p.m.Wooga Poplar had a season-high 32 points, plus 11 rebounds.

Enoch Boakye paired 11 points with 11 rebounds.

Tyler Perkins had 18 points off the bench.

Perkins, Jhamir Brickus and Jordan Longino all fouled out, the latter after an 0-for-7 shooting day.Johnson was 17-fo-20 at the line for UCF and added seven assists and five rebounds.

Jordan Ivy-Curry had 18 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Dior Johnson and Dallan Coleman scored 13 points each, and Tyler Hendricks had 12.Villanova trailed by 10 with 12 minutes left but fought back with a 10-2 run.

Boakye put them ahead, 75-74, with 5:23 left, and a Perkins 3-pointer with 2:39 left made it 83-77.

The lead was still four points, on Dixons jumper with 36 seconds left.Moustapha Thiam got UFC within two with a dunk with 24 seconds left.

Brickus made two at the line five seconds before an Ivy-Curry layup with 14 ticks left for an 87-85 Nova edge.

Brickus missed his first of two free throws with 13 seconds left, allowing Darius Johnson to hit a 3-pointer with nine ticks left and tie the game at 88.

Poplars runner at the buzzer missed.UCF started the OT session with an 8-2 run, Darius Johnson capping it with an and-1 after an Ivy-Curry triple.

Dixon got Villanova within two at 96-94, then again with his only 3-pointer of the game for a 100-98 deficit with 34 seconds left after UCF went 4-for-6 from the line to leave the door ajar.

But Darius Johnson sealed it with four more free throws around a missed Poplar triple and a Dixon turnover to seal it..

This article has been shared from the original article on pottsmerc, here is the link to the original article.