For the first time since the spring of 2018, the date of his last national title, Villanova reached the regional final of the NCAA tournament. At the expense of a brave Michigan team that was a bit short at the end of the game, the Wildcats won a trench match: neither team finished above 40% on shots, and both teams almost committed as many ball losses as assists (8 lost balls and 11 assists for Michigan, 7 and 10 for Villanova).
In the first half, it is difficult to identify a dominant team because the dynamics are unstable. At first, the Villanova collective made a first break (18-12), but Michigan immediately responded with a 10-2, driven by Eli Brooks (14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) and Hunter Dickinson (15 points and 15 rebounds), and passes in front (22-20). Then, once again, the Wildcats pull themselves together with a collective effort and reach halftime with a narrow lead (31-28).
After the break, we see more clearly: Villanova, carried by Justin Moore and Jermaine Samuels, finds its cruising speed and will never let go of control of the score.
7 minutes from the end of the match, Jay Wright’s men even lead by 9 points, and the Wolverines seem to have dropped. But veteran Eli Brooks, author of the winning shot against Tennessee in the previous round, triggers a last-minute comeback: the Wolverines are only -4 (54-50) two minutes from the final buzzer!
Without panicking, Villanova calms Michigan’s ardor: with an authoritative ‘drive’ from Samuels (22 points and 7 rebounds), then a huge decisive winning shot from Gillespie (12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists), the 2018 champions return to +9 (59-50) at the start of the last minute. This time, it’s too much for the Wolverines, who are cracking up against the final onslaught of the Wildcats, who will have finally led to the for 34 minutes, out of 40 possible.
Seeded No. 11 in the South region, Michigan stops in the third round after an honorable course. For his part, Villanova, seeded n ° 2, continues to advance and reaches the Elite 8. Jay Wright’s squad will face Houston, the head cutter program in this tournament: the Cougars have knocked down the Arizona favorite at Sweet Sixteen.