Villanova Reaches Third Final Four In 31 Years After Win Over Kansas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Villanova had beaten its first three NCAA Tournament opponents by an average of 24 points. Kansas had torn through its first three by an 18-point average margin of victory. The Wildcats were holding teams to 64.3 points a game, the best of any team in the Elite 8. Kansas was surrendering just 67.7 to opponents. Villanova had averaged 88 in the tournament, Kansas 85.7.
Something had to give between these powerhouses that were playing like titans entering Saturday night's Elite 8 NCAA Tournament game at the KFC Yum! Center, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Despite their sudden shooting accuracy going slightly haywire, despite going over five minutes without a basket, despite Kansas having shots drop down from off the top of the backboard, and despite the fact with just over 11 minutes to play they had only scored six points the entire second half (and just one basket), the Villanova Wildcats will be advancing to the Final Four after beating the tournament's No. 1 seed Kansas, 64-59.
It's the first time Villanova (33-5) will be going to the Final Four since 2009, when the Wildcats lost to eventual national champion North Carolina. The Wildcats will face Oklahoma, 80-68 winners over Oregon, on Saturday at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas in the Final Four.
Senior four-year captain Ryan Arcidiacono nailed four major free throws in the last :33 second then knocked the ball free from Kansas guard Frank Mason III's hands with 4.6 to go to seal it.
Arcidiacono, celebrating his birthday, Kris Jenkins and Josh Hart led the Wildcats with 13 points each, and Daniel Ochefu added 10.
"I just tried to strip (Mason) and not foul in that situation," Arcidiacono said. "We got a loose ball and it came down to making free throws. This is unbelievable. I love everything about Coach (Jay) Wright and about this team and the whole coaching staff and we're not done yet."
Wright said the game would come down to the end.
"You know Kansas is going to fight for every play, and we were good enough to play better in the final eight." Wright said. "We're going to enjoy this one and try to figure out (Oklahoma)."
Villanova did all of this despite going over five minutes with a basket in the second half. Hart's with 16:21 to play gave the Wildcats a 36-31 lead, and then Villanova didn't score a basket until a Hart layup with 11:10 left.
But as he's done time and again, Arcidiacono found a way to put the Cats on his back, hitting a three-pointer that gave Villanova the lead for good, 46-45, with 8:42 to play.
Villanova took a 32-25 lead into halftime. The 25 points was the lowest first-half point total for Kansas this season. The Wildcats also shutout the Jayhawks' leading scorer, Perry Ellis, who went 0-for-2 shooting and turned the ball over four times. Kansas made just 10 of 23 shots (43.5%), to Villanova's 13 for 17 (48.1%). Ellis came into the game averaging a team-high 23 points a game for the Jayhawks, and shooting 66%.
The Wildcats' three-quarter court press disrupted the Kansas offense. It took the Jayhawks some time to get into their halfcourt offense, and it also caused them to force passes. It caused the Jayhawks into causing 10 turnovers, which led to an 11-0 run for the Wildcats. Kansas turned the ball over a total of 11 times against Maryland in the Sweet 16.
Jenkins led the Wildcats with 9 points, while Davonte Graham almost singlehandedly kept Kansas in the game with 11 points in the first half.
