Late-game defense propels Villanova into Final Four
Villanova did not make a single field goal in the final 4:29 of its Elite Eight game against top-seeded Kansas.
But it didn’t matter.
The Wildcats went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line down the stretch to hold off the Jayhawks 64-59 and clinch a berth in the Final Four. Nova shot the lights out in the Sweet 16 against Miami on Thursday night to earn its spot in this game, but on Saturday night it was a hounding defensive effort and a 10-0 run midway through the second half that vaulted Jay Wright’s program to the Final Four for the first time since 2009.
The Wildcats had huge contributions across the board, especially from star guards Ryan Arcidiacono and Josh Hart, but it was Mikal Bridges, a wiry freshman role player, who came up with big plays time and time again down the stretch.
The 6-foot-7 Bridges gave the Jayhawks fits with his length and athleticism at the top of Nova’s defense. And with the Wildcats clinging to a 56-54 lead in the final minute, it was a deflection from a diving Bridges away from Kansas’ Devonte Graham that led to a foul call on Graham as he dove for the loose ball.
That foul gave possession back to Villanova and put Arcidiacono on the line, where he calmly buried both free throws, extending the lead to 58-54 with 33 seconds remaining.
The Jayhawks quickly cut that lead to one on a 3-pointer from Frank Mason III, but Villanova did not wilt under the pressure. Arcidiacono hit two more free throws to bring the lead back to three, as did Kris Jenkins after a Mason III lay-in.
Down 62-59 with 14 seconds left, Kansas had one last chance to tie it, but Villanova’s defense came up big again. This time Arcidiacono forced Mason III to lose possession, and Bridges was there yet again to fall on the loose ball and call timeout. Jalen Brunson then stepped to the line and sealed the win with two more free throws.
The Wildcats, who finished 18-of-19 from the free throw line, had four players in double figures. Arcidiacono, Jenkins and Hart all led the way with 13, while big man Daniel Ochefu added 10 points and eight rebounds. Brunson chipped in with seven, while Bridges added six points – including a crucial late-game putback – to go along with his five steals and three rebounds.
Kansas’ Graham led all scorers with 17 points, while Mason III and Wayne Selden Jr. pitched in 16 apiece. Jayhawks star senior forward Perry Ellis, fresh off a 27-point performance against Maryland, was held in check with just four points on one-of-five shooting – his worst scoring performance of the entire season.
Villanova’s defense set the tone from the start. The Wildcats blanketed Kansas and forced a Jayhawk scoring drought of 6:55 in the first half. And while the Jayhawks went cold from the field, Nova’s four-point deficit flip-flopped into a nine-point lead. A Jenkins 3-pointer gave the Wildcats a seven-point lead at the break, but the Jayhawks came out with more energy in the second frame. Kansas’ lead grew to 45-40 at the 10:50 mark, but the Wildcats responded with a 10-0 run of their own, capped off with back-to-back 3s from Arcidiacono and Hart, to retake a 50-45 lead.
From then on out, the Wildcats were able to hold off the pesky Jayhawks, who never led again.
Now Villanova moves into the Final Four in Houston where they will meet Buddy Hield and West Region champion Oklahoma, which knocked off No. 1 seed Oregon 80-68 earlier in the day.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
