Villanova Knocks Out Kansas 64-59

After Villanova beat the top seed of the NCAA, Wildcats players celebrated after they pulled off the most difficult task in the tournament. The Wildcats had to disrupt the rhythm of the Jayhawks while taking advantage of all opportunities available to them. Hard work allowed the Wildcats to gain a berth in the NCAA Final Four.

Two free throws each from Kris Jenkins and Jalen Brunson in the last minute of the game allowed the Wildcats to upset the number one team in the tournament, 64-59. Villanova will go up against the Oklahoma Sooners in Houston next week.

Steals by Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges in the final minute allowed the Wildcats to pull off the upset as well as end the 17-game winning streak of Kansas. Balanced scoring as well as aggressive defense allowed the Wildcats to return to the Final Four after seven years.

Ryan Arcidiacono, Hart and Jenkins scored 13 points each for their team. The Wildcats took a 50-45 lead behind a 10-0 run and beat the Jayhawks with key plays and baskets down the stretch. Jenkins said everyone in the team was willing to do everything to win. While everyone sacrifices, they are not satisfied and are looking forward to their next game in Houston, he added.

Even as Frank Mason III, Wayne Selden Jr. and Devonte Graham contributed 49 points, the leading scorer of Kansas, Perry Ellis, only had four points. While the Jayhawks had a 46 percent shooting percentage and out-rebounded Villanova, 32-28, they were playing catch up during the game.

Kansas did not appear to be in control in the game even when they were ahead. While Graham was five-of-nine from beyond the three-point line, he fouled out in the game. The rest of the team was limited to 1-of-13 from long range. Kansas also had 16 turnovers, including a number in the last few minutes of the game when they had a chance of leading or tying the game.

Villanova Knocks Out Kansas 64-59 - image credit: si.com

Coach Bill Self of Kansas said the Wildcats appeared to be confident when they defended his team. He added that it came down to a number of loose balls and Villanova making their free throws.

Daniel Ochefu scored 10 points for the Wildcats and made a big play as Villanova preserved their lead after wresting it from the Jayhawks. Mason helped the Jayhawks in cutting down the lead of the Wildcats to 60-59 with fifteen seconds left in the clock. However, the free throws of Arcidiacono, Jenkins and Brunson kept Kansas at bay. The Wildcats made 18 out of 19 free throws, including all 8 free throws in the last thirty-three seconds of the game.

The Wildcats also got the ball after Graham fouled Hart as they scrambled for the ball in a turnover by Graham. At this point, Graham fouled out of the game. Darryl Reynolds made two free throws for the Wildcats while Bridges had an important tip-in during the game. Villanova was 40 percent from the field.

While Villanova will have the opportunity to win its second title in five Final Four appearances, the 1971 appearance of the Wildcats was vacated by the NCAA after Howard Porter signed a professional contract while he was still in college. The Wildcats accomplished a feat no NCAA team achieved in more than two months.

Even as the Wildcats were also not expected to upset the tournament favorite, the two teams were the top teams in the season. The matchup of the top teams in the NCAA was inevitable and Coach Jay Wright of the Wildcats compared the matchup to a heavyweight fight prior to the game.

The shooting percentage of the Wildcats did not matter as Villanova moves to the Final Four of the tournament. Arcidiacono said they wanted to turn the game into a street fight, an ugly game and they achieved it. Arcidiacono was 6-out-of-7 from the free throw line as he sealed the win for Villanova on his 22nd birthday.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Sunday March 27 2016, 11:05 PM EDT. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0