How Villanova's Sharp Shooting Delivered a National Title
Villanova won its first title since 1985 with a buzzer beater.
— -- All Villanova had to do to win its first title since 1985 was beat two No. 1 seeds (one of which had won their previous six tourney matchups against the Wildcats -- and, uh, tied the game with a long 3-pointer with 4 seconds left in regulation) and one of the country's strongest No. 2 seeds. Oh, and then hit a game-winning 3 at the buzzer of the national title game, yet another big shot from a team that averaged 64.9 percent shooting in its two games in Houston.
The Wildcats also did it with punishing defense -- through their first five games, they forced turnovers on 22 percent of opponents' possessions in the tournament, third-best in the field, and they were the first team in the tourney to outscore North Carolina in the paint -- and some serious star power that shone brightest in April. We break down the numbers behind the Wildcats' incredible win.
Nova's shooting couldn't be beat
Nova shot well all season -- its 48.1 percent rate was 19th-best in the country -- but the Wildcats took it to a whole new level in the tournament. At 58.2 percent, Villanova had the best FG percentage in an NCAA Tournament in 50 years, and, of course, that ridiculous 71.4 percent showing in the semifinal against Oklahoma won't soon be forgotten. The Cats continued the sharp shooting in the final, and it was once again incredibly balanced: five players had at least nine points, and their leading scorer, Phil Booth, came off the bench.
TOURNAMENT FG PERCENTAGE*
*Entering championship game, since 1985
Josh Hart's ever-improving play
Kris Jenkins' winning 3-pointer will be the shot remembered from this run, and Booth's 20 points off the bench was a story for the ages, but Hart had been the, well, heart of this team all season. As a junior, Hart was a national player of the year candidate for much of the season as Villanova's leading scorer (15.3 points) and second-best rebounder (6.7). In the tournament, he just kept getting better: Outside the tough win against Kansas, Hart's O-rating, according to metrics at KenPom.com, increased in every round through the first five games. A 12-point, eight-rebound performance against the Tar Heels wasn't too shabby, either.
O-RATING BY GAME
No, seriously, about that offense ...
It's hard to ignore Villanova's defensive performances in Houston -- but their offensive play was even stronger. Nova ranks among the tournament's best in several categories in this year's tournament.* And they were impressive all over the court: They made 66.7 percent of their shots outside the paint against Oklahoma and scored at least eight 3-pointers in five of their six tourney games, including the final.
*Minimum 2 games
Total dominance in the early rounds
Nova's title game against UNC was a well-matched, back-and-forth affair. But until Monday, the Wildcats had barely been challenged in most of their tourney matchups. In fact, only once in their first five games did Villanova have a win probability of less than 57 percent (in the second half against Kansas), according to tracking at KenPom.com. A 22-12 run to start the second half against Carolina -- during which the Cats scored on five straight possessions -- put them in the driver's seat on Monday, and despite Marcus Paige's furious rally that tied the game with seconds remaining, Nova held on with yet another big shot.
TOURNAMENT WIN MARGIN
