PROVIDENCE, R.I., March 18 (UPI) -- Mouphtaou Yarou and Scottie Reynolds combined for 11 points in overtime Thursday in No. 2-seed Villanova's 73-70 NCAA tournament win over Robert Morris.
The 15th-seeded Robert Morris Colonials (23-12) were looking for a rare first-round upset of a No. 2-seed and led for nearly all of regulation before falling.
Villanova (25-7) escaped into a second-round South Region match Saturday against 10th-seeed St. Mary's, which eliminated seventh-seeded Richmond 80-71 in Thursday's second game at Providence, R.I.
Villanova led the first five minutes of the game but not again until Corey Fisher's jumper 14 seconds into overtime that broke a 58-58 tie.
Yarou scored four consecutive points and Reynolds erased three points from Robert Morris with a 3-pointer that made the score 67-61 with 1:15 to go. The Colonials got back within 67-66 but Yarou connected on a pair of free throws.
Reggie Redding added another free throw for Villanova but Karon Abraham drilled a 3-point shot. Reynolds made two free throws and Abraham's final 3-point desperation try was no good, ending the game.
Reynolds ended with 20 points, most coming on 15-of-16 free-throw shooting, and Yarou had 17 points and eight rebounds. Abraham led all scorers with 23 points.
