New York City- On a night they struggled offensively, Villanova found a way to first come back, then win. The 71-67 overtime victory over Xavier in the Big East semifinal put Villanova in tomorrow’s final at Madison Square Garden. The Wildcats trailed by seven in regulation with just over three minutes left in regulation. Jay Wright's club built a six point lead in the extra session. Xavier answered but could not draw even. Two Eric Paschall free throws sealed the verdict for Villanova.

Possessions: 68

Offensive efficiency: Villanova 104, Xavier 100

Four Factors:

eFG pct: Xavier 48%, Villanova 48%

FT rate: Villanova 28, Xavier 21

OREB pct:Xavier 37, Xavier 34

TO rate: Villanova 18, Xavier 19

Leading scorers: Phil Booth, Villanova 28 points

Paul Scruggs, Xavier 28 points

Villanova 24-9, Xavier 18-15

Final Summary: Senior leadership. Booth came up huge, constantly getting in the lane, finishing and generally providing offense when Villanova needed it most. Paschall, another Senior, sealed the verdict at the charity stripe.

In the stretch Xavier could not hold a seven point lead with just over three minutes to play. Giving up crucial offensive rebounds was a consensus reason they allowed the Wildcats to claw back in. Interestingly, Xavier had a 14-13 edge for the game in offensive rebound.

They gave up a few at a most inopportune time.