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Boivin: Villanova offers intriguing blueprint for ASU

HOUSTON - Right next door to what was once billed the Eighth Wonder of the World -- a sad, decaying relic known as the Astrodome -- a college basketball team was making a case for being the ninth.

In a Final Four game Saturday at NRG Stadium, Villanova blew out Oklahoma by 44 points, the largest victory in a national semifinal game, and shot a jaw-dropping 71.4 percent.

For those in the Valley, the game showcased a more interesting nugget:

College basketball success can be found in an area with four professional sports teams and a population of 1.