HOUSTON — Villanova earned its lone national championship in 1985 behind a near-perfect offensive performance. Now, the Wildcats will return to their first title game since because of an all-around effort that may have been even better.
Playing what felt like a coin-flip national semifinal against second-seeded Oklahoma, the second-seeded Wildcats put on a flawless showcase to avenge their worst loss of the season and record the biggest blowout in national semifinal history, defeating the Sooners, 95-51, Saturday night at NRG Stadium to advance to the national championship game against North Carolina.
Led by Josh Hart’s 23 points (10-of-12 shooting), the Wildcats (34-5) set a semifinal record by shooting better than 71 percent from the field — and made more than 61 percent on 3-pointers (11-of-18) — while the defense transformed Buddy Hield from star to spectator in a nine-point outing, holding the Sooners to less than 32 percent shooting.
“It’s as close as it gets, I think,” Villanova guard Phil Booth said, referring to the school’s legendary title game win. “Guys were dialed in, and that was one of the best performances we’ve had.”
In a 23-point loss to Oklahoma (29-8) on Dec. 7, Villanova never led.
“That I think was a big part of this game, when you’re talking about 18- to 22-year-old kids, they beat us by 23, they just did to us what we did,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “If we had to play them again tomorrow, it would be a lot different. … I think we had an advantage having gotten beaten pretty bad earlier in the year.”
Hield, the ultimate advantage against any opponent all season, was strangled by a defense intent on making anyone else beat them. The senior was smothered by a rotating group of defenders from every position, preventing Hield from seeing any space on the perimeter.
For just the second time this season, Hield scored in single-digits, making 4-of-12 from the field, including 1-of-8 from 3-point range. Hield entered the game averaging more than 29 points in the NCAA Tournament, while shooting better than 47 percent on 3-pointers.
“They made it tough on me by throwing multiple bodies at me,” Hield said. “That’s one of the best teams I ever played in college. … If a team can do this, I believe they can win it all.”
The aftermath of the bloodbath made it crazier to recall the up-and-down, back-and-forth battle that featured 11 lead changes in the first nine minutes, with Villanova trailing, 17-16. But the Wildcats’ defensive pressure sparked a 12-0 run by forcing a slew of turnovers, putting Villanova up 42-28 at halftime.
The Sooners treated the opening minutes of the second half like the final minutes of their lives, desperately trying to stave off the end with aggression on the offensive glass. And it worked, cutting the deficit to nine behind Jordan Woodard (12 points) just four minutes later.
“Coming in the second half, we made our run, we had momentum going in the first couple minutes,” Hield said. “I thought it was it for them.”
That expectation was more reasonable than what occurred afterward.
A comeback made more sense than Villanova shooting 77 percent in the second half after shooting 66 percent in the first half. Anything was less absurd than the Wildcats going on a 25-0 run in the second half and six Villanova players outscoring the country’s biggest star in the final game of his career.
“It becomes embarrassing right there,” Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said. “We lost our composure there and things came apart. … We got whipped in every way.”
By the perennial underachievers who had found it so hard to get past the second round, by the school hanging onto the memory of perfection for 31 years.
“That whole team brings that magical underdog feeling, like anything’s possible,” Wright said of the ’85 team. “At Villanova, those guys are still legendary, magical guys.”
Legends never die, but there always is room for more.