PHOENIX (AP) -Three-pointers saved Xavier. Missed free throws doomed West Virginia.
B.J. Raymond made two 3-pointers in the last 1:18 of overtime Thursday night and the Musketeers advanced to the West Regional final with a 79-75 victory over coach Bob Huggins’ Mountaineers.
Third-seeded Xavier (30-6) will seek its first Final Four appearance when it plays the winner of the UCLA-Western Kentucky game in the regional final on Saturday.
Raymond, who had made only one field goal all night, hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to put the Musketeers ahead 75-74 with 1:18 to play. He then shook loose on an inbounds play, took a crosscourt pass and made a 3 with the shot clock expiring with 30 seconds to go for a 78-74 lead.
Josh Duncan scored a career-high 26 points, despite foul trouble, to lead Xavier. Joe Alexander scored 18 and had 10 rebounds for the Mountaineers (26-11).
West Virginia missed four of six free throws in the overtime. Alexander missed one with 14.2 seconds left in regulation that would have given his team a 65-64 lead.
East Regional
North Carolina 68, Washington State 47
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Tyler Hansbrough scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half and the top-seeded Tar Heels, not known for their defense, held Washington State to 32-percent shooting.
North Carolina is back to the NCAA round of eight for the second straight season.
Danny Green had 15 points to help the Tar Heels (35-2) set a school record for victories in a season while continuing their dominant tournament run. The No. 1 overall seed will play the Louisville-Tennessee winner Saturday with a clear home-court advantage, playing in an arena located about two hours from its Chapel Hill campus.
North Carolina improved to 24-1 in NCAA games played in its home state, and for the first time in this tournament, the Tar Heels didn’t crack 100 points. It didn’t matter.
Washington State’s perimeter scorers, Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver and Taylor Rochestie, couldn’t get their shots to fall. They combined for 26 points on 10-for-37 shooting for the Cougars (26-9).
Low and center Aron Baynes scored 14 points each.
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