Villanova in first NCAA basketball championship game since 1985
Villanova guard Josh Hart (3) moves between Oklahoma's Cousins (11) and Buddy Hield (24) during the second half of the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal game Saturday
The Villanova Wildcats can party like it’s 1985. After a runaway 95-51 victory over Oklahoma Saturday night, they’re in their first NCAA basketball title gamesince that national championship season.
Villanova guard Josh Hart scored 23 points to lead the Wildcats, 15 in the first half when he missed only one shot.
He didn’t anticipate making history, helping the team win by 44 points — the largest margin in Final Four history.
“It was crazy,” Hart said. “It was just one of those days when shots fell.”
Villanova shot so well it resembled the Wildcat title team from 31 yearsago, which sank 78 percent of its attempts against Georgetown. In fact, the Wildcats shot 71 percent last night, the second best in Final Four history.
Coach Jay Wright says he would like this year’s team to put itself in the same class as that champion team.
“Those guys are really icons on our campus. They really are,” Wright said. “That whole team brings that magical underdog feeling like anythng’s possible. That’s really strong still at Villanova for all sports, but definitely for our basketball program.”
On Monday night, the team will face the University of North Carolina, which handily defeated Syracuse. The last time Villanova played North Carolina was in 2013 and the Tar Heels won. UNC is considered the favorite.
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