Pre-game notes: Villanova dealt Iowa painful loss in '83

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas - Entering tonight's Battle 4 Atlantis championship game, Villanova leads its series with Iowa 3-1. But one Wildcats' win stands out as vital in the teams' history.

On March 25, 1983 in Kansas City, Villanova center John Pinone sank two free throws with 12 seconds left to lead Villanova past Iowa 55-54 in the Sweet Sixteen. It marked the final game for Iowa Coach Lute Olson, who accepted the coaching position at Arizona three days later.

Greg Stokes, father of current Iowa player Darius Stokes, scored 22 points, and current Iowa radio analyst Bobby Hansen scored 21 in the heartbreaking loss. It was Hansen's last game as a Hawkeye.

“Fifty-five, 54, I still remember the score,” Hansen said before Saturday's game. “I'm still mad about it.

“I was standing there talking to Jerry West, and I'm still in my uniform and Lute walked by. The next time we saw him, he took the job.”

Villanova then lost the Elite Eight match-up 89-71 against Houston, which was loaded with Clyde Drexler and Akeem (later Hakeem) Olajuwon. Houston ultimately lost the national title to North Carolina State. Villanova claimed the NCAA title two years ago in an epic upset against Georgetown.

Iowa, meanwhile, was stuck in the snow.

“There was a blizzard back in Iowa,” Hansen recalled. “Fans came down and parents had to drive back through it to get back.”

Xavier flops

Xavier built a 15-point lead against Iowa in the opening-round game only to fall apart in a 77-74 overtime loss. The Muskateers' slide at Atlantis only began that night.

Xavier dropped a consolation game against Tennessee on Friday and then finished last in the tournament with an 84-78 loss to USC in the seventh-place game.

“We played really good competition all three days in a row,” Xavier Coach Chris Mack said. “But we weren't up to the task.”

Xavier finished the tournament with 53 turnovers, worst among the eight schools.

Past meetings

Iowa and Villanova last met at the 2006 Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. Villanova crushed the Hawkeyes 89-60. Iowa blasted Villanova 97-74 back at the 1987 Maui Invitational. Villanova won the teams' other meeting in 1961.

Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery guided Siena to the 2008 NCAA tournament where his squad ran into Villanova but lost 84-72 in the second round.

Tidbits

Iowa assistant coach Andrew Francis formerly served as administrative assistant and video coordinator for two years under Villanova Coach Jay Wright before joining McCaffery's Siena staff in 2007. ... Iowa gains $200,000 in scholarship money by competing in the tournament championship game. ... Iowa wore black uniforms for the third straight game in the tournament.

TV

NBC Network televises the Villanova-Iowa game at 8:30 p.m. (Mediacom [IC/CR] – 69; ImOn – 43; South Slope – 49; DirecTV - 220; Dish - 152 or 159)