Georgetown entered this week's Big East men's basketball tournament in a strange position. The 13th-ranked Hoyas were ranked higher nationally than all but two conference rivals, but they were seeded only fifth for the action at Madison Square Garden. In its opening game, Georgetown showed why it had earned the lofty national ranking, brushing aside 13th-seeded Pittsburgh with a thorough 64-52 victory Wednesday in the second round of the conference tournament. The Hoyas (23-7) will play fourth-seeded Cincinnati (22-9) in the quarters Thursday. Playing tough defense, Georgetown used its length to make it difficult for the Panthers to score easy baskets, and the Hoyas cleaned up the glass, outrebounding Pittsburgh, 36-25. Georgetown outscored the Panthers in the paint, 28-20. Center Henry Sims and guard Otto Porter led Georgetown with 20 points each. The Hoyas shot 49 percent from the field. UConn gets 20th win: Connecticut and West Virginia have been ordinary teams this season, giving their meeting Wednesday in the Big East tournament implications that rippled beyond Madison Square Garden. With a 71-67 overtime victory, ninth-seeded UConn did more than advance to Thursday's quarterfinals, where it will face No. 1 Syracuse. The Huskies picked up their 20th win and probably ensured themselves a berth in the NCAA tournament. Louisville pips Seton Hall: It would have been somewhat poetic for Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard to virtually secure his first NCAA tournament appearance Wednesday night by beating the man who gave him his start. But after a 61-55 loss to Louisville in the second round of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden, Seton Hall will spend the next few days sweating. Willard's mentor, Cardinals Coach Rick Pitino, was not going to cede a win that easily. The seventh-seeded Cardinals proved again why they are among the nation's toughest defensive teams. Louisville — ranked fifth in the nation in field-goal defense (37.9) and seventh in steals per game (9.2) — held the Pirates to 32.7 percent shooting. S. Florida beats Villanova: Freshman Anthony Collins scored 17 points to lead South Florida to a 56-47 victory over the Wildcats in the second round of the Big East tournament.
