NCAA Tournament: How did Villanova break their tournament slump?
By Joe Albano
A look at why Villanova has been so successful in the NCAA Tournament.
On Selection Sunday, Villanova supporters saw the writing on the wall for their season. Somehow, we had watched the Wildcats fall from a potential one seed to the lowest number two seed. Not only was this gross under-seeding a slap in the face to the Wildcats, but it also landed them in, by far, the toughest bracket.
Related Story: Five Things we learned from the Big East Conference Tournament
The South Region featured seven teams that had been ranked in the AP Top 10 at one point in the season, five of them were inside the top five at one point as well.
After the Round of 64, the Wildcats’ road to the Final Four consisted of Iowa, Miami and Kansas.
Given Villanova’s recent tournament struggles, many thought the Hawkeyes would top Villanova in what some referred to as a “predictable upset.” If Nova was lucky enough to make it out of the first weekend, they were likely to see Miami. They did, in fact, match up with Miami and many considered them the underdog despite being the higher seed. In fact, most “experts” did not believe in the Wildcats, but then again why should they?
Villanova steamrolled through the Sweet 16. Their average margin of victory through the first three games was over 27 points. Their defense was as strong as it has always been, but they were now solid on offense as well.
Villanova shot over 47% from the field in their first three games and just under 40% from three. But surely, this was a stroke of luck. A team that lives and dies by the three-ball cannot possibly “luck-out” against the best team in the nation… Can they?
It is not luck that has propelled Villanova to the Final Four, it is merely talent. for the first time all season, every player on this team is playing to their maximum potential. Throughout the grind of Big East play, Josh Hart carried most of the offensive load. However, on an off night, you could usually count on Kris Jenkins or Ryan Arcidiacono to pick up some of the slack.
Through their first three tournament games, all three of them were firing on all cylinders and that’s why they put up 86 or more points each game.
The ‘Cats depth runs far beyond these three though. Jalen Brunson has come a long way over the course of the season. Brunson has consistently improved over the course of the season and he fits in perfectly with the Wildcats’ 1-3-1 trapping scheme. On offense, he is not a volume shooter, but he can put up numbers thanks to his smart shot selection and efficient finishing.
The resurgence of Daniel Ochefu has also helped Villanova in a big way. The senior big man is the heart and sole of Nova’s post game on both ends. He has been a technician down low on offense and he has been an anchor in the paint on defense.
In their matchup against Kansas, Ochefu was able to hold his own with Landen Lucas and he forced Perry Ellis out of the paint for basically the entire first half. As a senior captain, his improved play has given the team a much-needed spark. He is they type of player the Wildcats can rally behind, especially given his struggles with injury this year.
Ochefu isn’t the only leader that’s helping out Villanova. Jay Wright accomplished a very tough task against Kansas – he out-coached Bill Self. The Wildcats came into Kansas knowing that the Jayhawks are not the type of team that you want to get into a run-and-gun shootout with. To prevent this, Jay Wright switched things up a bit. Not only did he utilize the trap, but he also went with a more traditional lineup in the second half, rather than the four out-one in approach they had used for most of the season.
In an effort to keep Landen Lucas off the glass, Ochefu and Darryl Reynolds were on the court together, something that was rarely seen during the regular season.
Overall, Villanova has proven that their days of choking in March are behind them. This Villanova team is playing with a fire and tenacity that has been dormant in years past. The Wildcats are playing like they have nothing to lose, and that’s because they really don’t.
Next: How did the Big East perform in the Big Dance?
This is a team that people do not expect much from come tournament time. The Wildcats are carrying a very dangerous chip on their shoulders, but can they carry it all the way to the title?