Defense Will Be The Key To Villanova's Success Vs. UNC
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Defense, defense, defense, it's what has carried Villanova to the brink of winning its second NCAA championship and first in 31 years. That's what will be the key Monday night when the Wildcats (34-5) face North Carolina (33-6) at the NRG Stadium, in Houston, Texas, in the NCAA Tournament title game at 9:19 p.m. ET on TBS.
Related: Nova-UNC By The Numbers
In consecutive games, the Wildcats held Kansas (59) and Oklahoma (61) to season lows in points. Villanova has done it with a stifling defense and great intensity.
The Wildcats handled Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, who was held to 9 points on 4 for 12 shooting. The Wildcats took Hield completely out of his game. He had 7 points at the half on 3 of 8 shooting and 1-for-5 from three-point range. Each time Hield touched the ball, he immediately had the attention of every Villanova player on the floor. It wasn't just one player either that made Hield feel uncomfortable. He was passed off from one player to the next, eliminating any miscommunication on the switches.
Hield's reverse layup through a maze of Villanova players with 1:16 remaining in the half ended a 15-minute, 3-second scoring drought that last saw him score with 16:19 in the half.
The Wildcats forced 17 turnovers and held one of the best three-point-shooting teams in the country to 6-of-27 from three-point range.
North Carolina doesn't possess a player like Hield. What the Tar Heels do possess—and the huge problem facing Villanova—will be the size difference.
The Tar Heels feature a pair of 6-10 inside forces in Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson, and add 6-8 sophomore Justin Jackson, with 6-9 junior Isaiah Hicks coming off the bench. Daniel Ochefu, Villanova's underrated 6-11 senior center, will have his hands full stopping them. North Carolina is outrebounding their opponents by plus-8.5 to Villanova's 1.9.
But getting past that initial layer of defense is what will make or break Villanova's championship hopes. The Wildcats have been excellent at disrupting opponents before letting them even get into their offense. They're attacking with a 1-2-2 three-quarters press and mixing some zone defense with man-to-man.
It's a statement to the great job Cats' coach Jay Wright is doing. It leaves opposing coaches guessing and opposing teams scrabbling.
And most important of all, Villanova's collective wrought-iron will is making teams quit. Miami quit. So did Oklahoma midway through the second half.
Add to that Villanova's remarkable shooting. Their 71.4% average shooting against Oklahoma (35-for-49) was second-highest shooting percentage in a Final Four game since the 1985 Wildcats shot and NCAA Final Four best 78.6% in their historic 1985 championship upset over Patrick Ewing and Georgetown.
Throughout the tournament, Villanova is shooting 58% (153-263) and almost 50-percent from three-point range (48-98). The Wildcats ended up with 1.57 points per possession.
So what will happen Monday night?
Possibly the same pattern that occurred against Oklahoma. It's won't be a 44-point aberration margin of victory as it was against Oklahoma. Expect a tight game early, then Villanova's defense gradually wearing down larger, lumbering North Carolina to a 71-65 victory.
