Can Anyone Stop Villanova?
LOUISVILLE, K.Y., (CBS) -- There is a calm and confidence about them that's undeniable. You can see it in the way they're shooting, and defending. Right now, the best team in the country is the Villanova Wildcats. And there is a simple explanation why: Just when you think you've seen them at their best, they're showing a whole new dynamic that possibly even their coach Jay Wright wasn't aware of.
Villanova reached the Sweet 16 by beating its first two opponents by an average of 24.5 points a game. The No. 2-seeded Wildcats reached the Sweet 16 shooting 59% in their first two games of the NCAA Tournament. They were supposed to be challenged by Miami, a 27-win team with veteran guard experience.
So much for that.
Villanova never trailed in making an astounding 32-of-51 (62.7%) and pounding a very good Miami team, 92-68, at the KFC Yum! Center, in Louisville, Kentucky, to advance to the Elite 8 for the first time since 2009, when the Wildcats reached the Final Four.
Villanova (32-5) will play the winner of Maryland and No. 1-seed Kansas on Saturday.
Senior calming-factor Ryan Arcidiacono and junior forward Kris Jenkins scored 21 points apiece for Villanova on a combined 15-for-21 shooting (71%).
Miami was exceptional in the first half, making 14 of 21 (66%) shots, but the Wildcats defense amped up the heat in the second half, forcing the Hurricanes to shoot 11 for 26 (42%).
"We set the tone in the second half," Arcidiacono said. "We have to take it one game at a time, but I think we can go all of the way."
Villanova has now beaten its first three opponents by a combined 72 points, winning its three NCAA Tournament games by an average of 24 points.
That just doesn't happen in March in the NCAA Tournament. Maybe after one game, or possibly even two. But not three games—and the Wildcats haven't shown any signs of slowing down.
"We're thrilled against an outstanding Miami team," Wright said. "You could tell by that first half both teams couldn't stop each other. Both of us are man-to-man teams, and both of us went zone because we just couldn't guard each other. We just kept it going. Looking at the offensive numbers. Miami shot 53%, 58% from three(-point range). It was just two very good teams.
"I thought we just defensively in the second half really, really stepped up. If you look at the numbers, it's kind of crazy to think that was good defense. But I'm very proud of our second-half defense. When you play great teams like Miami, that's going to happen. We just got more stops than them."
Miami was completely stunned.
"We played against great teams like that in the ACC all of the time, but it was a bit of a surprise they came out like that in the first half and we dug ourselves a hole," said Miami guard Sheldon McClellan, who scored a game-high 26 points. "Every time we made a run, they seemed to get those timely baskets. Sometimes, they scored two times in a row, three times in a row. We never got those important stops."
Here is another very pertinent stat: Villanova has 61 assists on 95 made shots. That's hitting cutters to the basket, that's sharing the ball that ripping opposing defenses to shreds.
The question on everyone's mind as the weekend begin to determine the Final Four begins is: Can anyone stop Villanova?
"We're playing the best basketball we've played all year," Wright said. "We've played well this year, but not this well. A big part of this is that Daniel Ochefu is healthy. Since January 12, he has not been healthy, but it made everyone else better. That's a big key for us."
