SAN ANTONIO — They may be limping into New Orleans, but the Villanova Wildcats will show up at the Superdome next weekend after one of the most satisfying March runs in school history, even if this game was finished in slow motion.
In its 50-44 victory over Houston, an anti-classic for the ages, Villanova used every possible second of the shot clock, knowing there was no chance to beat Houston just by firing at will from the 3-point line. From that same line at the other end, Houston found the rim closed for business.
Only two Villanova players, Jermaine Samuels (16 points) and Caleb Daniels (12 points) scored in double digits. But that was enough since only one Houston player pulled off the same feat, and the Cougars made just 1 of 20 3-pointers.
Nothing was easy about it. As that Final Four hung in the balance, a Villanova lead just into double digits, that trip to New Orleans so close Wildcats fans could taste the beignets, Villanova went over six minutes with only one field goal.
How it was accomplished adds to a dynasty. The last time any school made the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four three times in six tournaments was over a decade back: Michigan State in 2005, ‘09 and ‘10. The last time a school made it three times in such a span and won at least one of them? North Carolina won it twice, in 2005 and ‘09, and also made it in ‘08.
This is still in play for Villanova: The last time a school won it all three times in six tournaments? You’re going back to John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty, which won seven in a row from 1967-73.
This group is the fourth of the Jay Wright era to make the Final Four, and is still undefeated this March.
Nothing easy. You saw it at the end, how Collin Gillespie decided a 42-40 lead was no time to play off his back leg, whatever its condition. His pull-back jumper over a 6-foot-7 Cougars forward hit the net. When Justin Moore hit two free throws for a 46-40 lead, ‘Nova, the top free-throw shooting team in the nation, had made all 12 of its free throws.
Over? Not over?
A Jamal Shead runner with 1:24 left drew Houston within 46-42, Houston tried to run two defenders at Gillespie in the backcourt but that maybe worked in Villanova’s favor, with Samuels getting a lane for one of his now-patented drives.
Justin Moore got to a loose ball with 35.4 seconds left, tying it up, and tried to get up, but couldn’t. Teammates helped him rise to the foot that wasn’t injured, but he needed help off the court. He stayed there as a last-minute Houston shot missed off the rim, then Eric Dixon secured the rebound. Gillespie made two free throws. When it was over, teammates moved to Moore at the end of the bench, since he couldn’t move to them.
Little plays became big. After a Samuels shot inside was blocked into the backboard for goaltending, Villanova had a 40-29 lead with just under 11 minutes left. Daniels forced a steal on Houston’s next possession, but Villanova guards missed three straight shots at the front rim while Houston scored on three straight possessions. A Daniels drive drew it out. A runner by Houston guard Jamal Shead after a Cougars weakside rebound drew it out. Two free throws, it was 42-38.
Villanova got three shots on its next possession, three different players, none falling. Houston went down and scored inside, 42-40.
Was it pretty?
None of it, as expected. Houston made none of the eight first-half 3s the Cougars tried, which made Villanova’s 3-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc pretty good. Between the two teams, there were only six assists on the combined 15 baskets.
Gillespie was officially fine for this after he bent his left leg late in Thursday’s Sweet 16 win over Michigan? But with Gillespie, that essentially means he has four limbs, all attached. Gillespie was out there for 16 minutes in the first half, moving the ball from station to station, but took one shot in the half.
Key plays?
As the Cougars began swarming the offensive boards, Justin Moore had a big block inside of a Houston big man. Moore’s contested three-pointer from the wing pushed a narrowing lead back to 38-29. Earlier, a drive by Jermaine Samuels turned into a three-point play. Villanova wasn’t depending on threes.
The first-half difference?
Villanova was up 27-20 at halftime after making all 10 of its free throws, keeping Houston to two buckets off the offensive glass, and committing just three turnovers.
First five minutes of second half
Houston got to the offensive boards, and began converting from it, finally getting a 3-pointer from one of the board tap-outs, drawing within 32-25, just over 16 minutes left.
First 10 minutes
Villanova threw the first punches. Houston’s first 11 possessions, the Cougars had one fast-break basket to show for them, with three turnovers trying to get the ball inside. Villanova jumped out with a Samuels 3-pointer from the wing and an Eric Dixon pivot move inside.
After five straight Villanova misses, the ball flying around the perimeter without getting perfect looks but using up a lot of clock, the Wildcats pushed the lead to 7-2 after Brandon Slater made a couple of free throws.
Through the first 13 minutes, Houston had one offensive rebound, a contested ball that went out of bounds off Villanova. At that point, Villanova had gotten to the foul line for six free throws, and made them all. Its lead was 18-10. Those first minutes? Huge.
