PHILADELPHIA — Villanova turned the site of its latest romp into the scene of a Super Bowl pep rally.
Omari Spellman hit six 3 pointers, had 26 points and 11 rebounds, and helped No. 1 Villanova kick off a rousing day in Philadelphia sports with a 92-76 win over Seton Hall on Sunday.
The Wildcats (22-1, 9-1 Big East) won their ninth straight game in front of a crowd dotted with green jerseys and chanting for the Eagles hours before the Super Bowl.
Mikal Bridges, who scored 17 points, hit a 3 with 2:22 left for a 21-point lead that seemed to serve as the cue for fans to turn their full attention toward the Super Bowl. They put on dog masks (an Eagles rallying symbol) and chanted "We Want Brady!"
For about 25 minutes, the Pirates (17-6, 6-4) served the Wildcats a serious scare.
No. 17 Ohio State survives
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Keita Bates-Diop scored a career-high 35 points and had 13 rebounds and No. 17 Ohio State held off Illinois, 75-67, on Sunday.
The Buckeyes, playing without suspended guard Kam Williams, overcame an Illinois lead to tie the score at the 5-minute mark. But they wouldn't get the game in hand until Kaleb Wesson grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up with 48 seconds left. That gave the Buckeyes a 72-67 lead, and any momentum Illinois had was gone for good.
Jae'Sean Tate scored 11 points for the Buckeyes (20-5, 11-1), who have won three straight and 10 of their last 11. They move on to a showdown with No. 3 Purdue on Wednesday to determine first place in the Big Ten.
Colts LB struck, killed
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson was one of two men killed early Sunday when a suspected drunken driver struck them as they stood outside their car along a highway in Indianapolis, the team and police said.
The Colts said in a statement Sunday that the team is "heartbroken" by Jackson's death and that the 26-year-old "was loved by all in the Colts organization."
State police identified the victims as Jackson, who grew up in Atlanta, and 54-year-old Jeffrey Monroe, of Avon, Indiana. Police say they were killed when a suspected drunken driver struck them as they stood outside their car along Interstate 70 on Indianapolis' west side.
The 6-foot, 234-pound Jackson attended Georgia Southern. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals in May 2015 and released by the team about three months later. Jackson was signed to the Colts practice squad in December 2015 and then by the Colts to reserve/future contract in January 2016.
He was placed on injured reserve by the Colts last September.
Woodland wins in playoff
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Gary Woodland beat Chez Reavie with a par on the first hole of a playoff Sunday in the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Playing three groups ahead of Reavie, Woodland birdied three of the last four holes for a 7-under 64 — the best round of the day — to finish at 18-under 266 at TPC Scottsdale.
Woodland celebrated with wife Gabby and son Jaxson Lynn, who was born a month premature in June. They were expecting twins, but lost one of the fetuses in a miscarriage.
Reavie made a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th to force the PGA Tour's fourth straight playoff and the event's third overtime finish in a row.
In the playoff on 18, Woodland hit short of the green from the left fairway bunker and chipped to 2 feet to set up his third PGA Tour victory and first since 2013.