Villanova Takes On Kansas In The Final Four In San Antonio
Two top seeds in Villanova and Kansas will take on one another in the final four in San Antonio for the right to play in the national title game.
As for how each team got to this point Villanova out of the Big East and in East Region beat Texas Tech.
Jalen Brunson scored 15, a game high, as the Villanova Wildcats (34-4) advance to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament with a 71-59 victory over #3 Texas Tech (27-10) at TD Garden on Sunday afternoon. "according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
Texas Tech gained the upper hand in the contest’s first 2:23, grabbing a 7-0 advantage as the Wildcats misfired on their first three attempts from the field. A Jalen Brunson free throw got Villanova on the board but Thomas Hamilton IV scored on the next possession to make it 9-1in favor of the Red Raiders."according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
But the Wildcats leaned on their defense and chipped into the deficit. A 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo from the right wing gave Villanova its first lead at 15-13 before a Jarrett Culver put-back of his own missed shot deadlocked matters at 15 as the game approached the midpoint of the first half. "according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
The activity and work around the basket by Paschall helped the Wildcats carve out a 27-21 lead through 16:06 despite connecting on 8-of-20 of their field goal attempts to that (.400). "according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
With Mikal Bridges and Omari Spellman both picking up their second fouls, Villanova needed a boost up front and it got one from freshman Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree. The Philadelphia native supplied four points, five rebounds and seven rebounds to help the Wildcats build a 36-23 halftime lead."according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
Villanova crafted its intermission advantage despite connecting on just 10-of-27 field goal attempts (.370) against one of the nation’s top defensive teams. But VU’s work on defense was superb in the period as it limited the Red Raiders to 9-of-27 accuracy from the field (.333). "according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
Each team scored seven points in the first 4:59 of the second half, meaning the Wildcats retained a 13-point edge as play came to a stop for the first official timeout of the period. But the Red Raiders kept chipping into the deficit with gritty defense – VU was 1-of-10 in one second half stretch – and closed to within 52-44 after a tip-in by Norense Odiase with 6:43 to play in the second half."according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
A 3-pointer by Texas Tech’s Josh Webster reduced the Wildcats’ advantage to 52-47 before Villanova forced a turnover that led to a Phil Booth layup at the other end. Keenan Evans sank two of three free throw attempts at the 4:58 mark to close the gap to 54-49. DiVincenzo put back a missed Bridges 3-pointer to extend the lead to 56-49 before the Red Raiders got two back at the free throw line. It was 56-51 with 4:14 on the second half clock. "according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
Eric Paschall sank one of two free throws at the line and the Wildcats got a defensive stop. A sharp feed from Jalen Brunson led to a pair of Bridges free throws at 2:57 which pushed the lead to 59-51. Another Villanova stop – this one courtesy of a blocked shot from Cosby-Roundtree – got the Wildcats another possession. Davide Moretti sank two free throws for the Red Raiders at 2:13 to make it a 59-53 game."according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
A Brunson post up move and basket pushed the margin back to 61-53 with 1:47 on the clock. Two free throws from Paschall at 1:15 made it 63-53 before an Evans basket at 1:07 made it 63-55. "according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
Two more clutch free throws from Bridges advanced the count to 65-57 before Texas Texas scored again at the one minute mark to make it 65-57. Two more swishes at the free throw line by DiVincenzo made it 67-57 at the 59.5 seconds mark."according http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
Bridge’s netted two more free throws with just 50 seconds to go to put Villanova up by 12. A pair of successful free throws by Evans got Texas Tech on the board once again. Before the ball could be inbound Texas Tech fouled Brunson and he headed to the line for two. He netted both making the final 71-59. "according to http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032518aaa.html
Kansas meanwhile out of the Midwest region edged Duke in overtime to get to the Final Four.
A career high from redshirt-sophomore guard Malik Newman, along with a game-tying 3-pointer from senior guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk to force overtime helped lead the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks to a thrilling 85-81 overtime win over the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA Championship's Elite Eight Sunday night inside CenturyLink Arena. Newman, who was named the Midwest Region's Most Outstanding Player, scored 32 points, including all 13 of his team's points in overtime, to lead Kansas to its 15th Final Four and its first since 2012. "according tohttp://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
In addition to Newman's Midwest Region Most Outstanding Player honor, the Jackson, Mississippi, product was named to the Region's All-Tournament Team along with senior teammate Devonte' Graham."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
In a game that featured 11 ties and 18 lead changes, it came down to heroics from Mykhailiuk and Newman, as well as some stingy Jayhawk defense, that final gave the Jayhawks the final cushion they needed to outlast the Blue Devils."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
With less than a minute to play in regulation and trailing Duke by three points, 72-69, Graham found Mykhailiuk at the top of the key for a guarded 3-point try. The senior out of Ukraine buried the shot, his third three of the night, with 26 seconds remaining in regulation to knot up the score at 72-72. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
Duke had one last chance to win the game in regulation, putting the ball in the hands of its senior leader Grayson Allen. The Blue Devil guard penetrated the lane and put up a shot off the backboard that hung on the rim and rolled off as time expired, sending the game to overtime, KU's first of the season."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
In the extra period the Blue Devils did not have an answer for Newman. The redshirt-sophomore connected on a 3-pointer less than a minute into the overtime to hand KU a one-point lead, 75-74. He then swished 3-of-4 free throws, one of which came after drawing the fifth foul on Duke forward Wendell Carter Jr."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
After Newman picked the pocket of Trevon Duval, KU had the ball with the score tied at 78-78 with under two minutes to play in overtime, and junior guard Lagerald Vick found Newman in the corner with just enough space to hoist up his 12th 3-point shot of the game. The shot went through the net with ease and Kansas found itself with a 3-point advantage with 90 seconds to play."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
KU's defense, which allowed just one Duke field goal over the final 2:30 of the extra period, got two more stops on the Blue Devils' next two possessions. Newman was fouled and sunk another pair of charities and the Jayhawks found themselves with a two-possession lead, 83-78, with 28 seconds to play. Newman tallied another steal on Duke's next trip down the floor, which led to two more free throws and his 31st and 32nd points of the game."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
Duke's Allen shot in a desperation 3-pointer with four seconds left, but time had run out on the Blue Devils and the Jayhawks closed out the 85-81 victory. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
The three ball kept the Jayhawks in the game during the early minutes. Myhkailiuk buried a pair, the first giving him a single-season KU record of 112 on the year, and Graham connected on his first, all within the opening eight minutes of the game. Duke's stingy 2-3 zone proved to be tough to crack as KU managed to hit just seven of its first 21 shots, helping the Blue Devils build a slight lead, 23-19, 13 minutes in to the contest. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
An 8-2 run helped the Jayhawks pull ahead late in the first half. Newman scored four points during the spurt that saw KU take a 29-27 lead on a Vick jumper with 3:12 left in the opening period. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
The Blue Devils also managed to swing the momentum in the first half's final minutes, hitting five of their final seven shots as Duval scored his team's final six points to see Duke take a 36-33 advantage into the halftime locker room."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
Kansas' shooters found their touch after the intermission. Newman swished back-to-back threes on the Jayhawks' first two possessions of the second half before Vick shot in his first 3-pointer of the game at the 16:35 mark to get the Jayhawks out to a 44-39 lead. Newman kept the KU offense rolling, with four more points over the next minute and the Jayhawks found themselves with their biggest lead of the game, ahead 48-41 with 15:30 to play. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
Duke fought back and tied the game up just over five minutes later. Duke freshman forward Marvin Bagley III scored six points during a 16-9 stretch by the Blue Devils to knot the score up at 57-57 midway through the second half. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
A 7-0 Blue Devil run three minutes later saw Duke take a 64-62 lead with just under six minutes left in regulation. From there, the lead changed hands six times over the final 5:28 of the second half. Four free throws from Allen handed his team a 3-point advantage with under a minute to play; however, Mykhailiuk's 3-pointer, and subsequent KU defensive stop on Duke's final possession would send the game to overtime, where the Jayhawks ultimately prevailed. "according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
Newman closed out a career night with 32 points, seven rebounds and three steals. He was one of four Jayhawks to score in double figures. Vick poured in 14 points, 10 of which came in the second half. Mykhailiuk picked up the first double-double of his career, scoring 11 points and pulling down a career-high 10 rebounds. Graham, who broke the program's single-season assist record, now with 279 on the season, also tallied 11 points, nine of which came from beyond the arc."according to http://kuathletics.com/news/2018/3/25/mens-basketball-san-antonio-bound-jayhawks-top-duke-in-ot-to-advance-to-final-four.aspx
Tip-off is set for 8:49pm from the Alamodome. The game will be televised on TBS. "according to http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/schedule