Saint Mary’s Basketball: Three keys to upsetting Villanova
By Connor Hope
3) Run the Wildcats off the three-point line
Not only does Villanova like to shoot the three, attempting the fourth most in the country, they make their deep shots at a respectable 35% rate. Just as they did against the Zags, the Gaels will need to focus on forcing Villanova to drive to the rim and score inside. Saint Mary’s is bigger than Villanova on the interior, and forcing the Wildcats inside will allow the size advantage to shine.
Jordan Hunter and Matthias Tass proved that they could hold their own against the bigs of Gonzaga, one of the best frontcourts in the country. The size and strength of the Gaels’ bigs are known to force turnovers and make second-chance points difficult to come by, so forcing the Wildcats inside could cause a ton of chaos. Villanova’s success stems from their guard play, so forcing them to utilize their bigs and interior play more would work in the Gaels favor.
The Wildcats rely on the ability to spread the floor, so running them off the line early is incredibly important, not just to reduce three-point shots, but to collapse the offense. This will require a 40-minute team effort, but both teams liking a slow pace will help the Gaels.