NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Invoice Self was wading via previous video of Villanova this week, making an attempt to scout a selected motion that the Wildcats use on the offensive finish of the ground, when the Corridor of Fame Kansas coach did one thing he is averted the previous 4 years.
Self watched movie of the 2018 Last 4.
The one the place the Wildcats embarrassed Kansas on their march towards a 3rd nationwide championship.
“I didn’t really watch it to try to, you know, have memories,” Self mentioned with a grim smile Friday. “I say I watched it — I got through about 12 minutes of it. After that it was very obvious I wasn’t going to enjoy it. There are other tapes to watch.”
A lot involving the Jayhawks and Wildcats.
The school basketball powers have turn into common NCAA Event dates through the years, and their newest their high-stakes showdown comes Saturday night time, once they sq. off once more in the national semifinals at the Superdome.
It will likely be the fourth time since Self and Villanova counterpart Jay Wright took over within the early 2000s that they’ve matched wits within the Candy 16 or past, and every time, the winner has gone on to claim the national championship.
That features Self’s lone nationwide championship in 2008, the primary for Wright in 2016, and that memorable 2018 matchup in San Antonio that folk in Kansas have tried to overlook — and that followers in Philadelphia proceed to cherish.
“It was just one of those games,” recalled Wright, whose workforce roared to a 22-4 lead, dropped an astounding 18 3-pointers and was by no means challenged after about 5 minutes. “We’ve been on the other side of that. I remember looking down at Bill and thinking, ‘I’ve been there before.’ It just so happened it was a Final Four game.”
Self and Wright are fast to say what occurred within the Alamodome has no bearing on what’s going to happen within the Superdome, the place the winner will face Duke or North Carolina for the title. However the packages are the identical, and so are a few of the gamers, due to medical and COVID-19 waivers that have produced two of the oldest teams in Last 4 historical past.
In reality, two-time Massive East participant of the 12 months Collin Gillespie continues to be working the present for the Wildcats 4 years later, and Kansas huge man Mitch Lightfoot continues to be giving the Jayhawks power and perspective off the bench.
“Its fate, almost. Like it’s written,” Lightfoot mentioned. “We played them in the Four and lost to them in 2018, so it’s only fair to go out there and give them our best shot, and we’re going to get their best shot. It’s going to be a great game.”
Kansas has been maybe probably the most dominant workforce within the event, rolling into the Massive Straightforward because the lone No. 1 seed nonetheless standing, whereas the Wildcats have turn into a feel-good story after shedding star guard Justin Moore to an damage.
But each have flown below the radar. And so they’re content material to let the epic Duke-Carolina showdown — their 258th assembly however first within the NCAA Event, and the final for retiring Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski — soak up the tough highlight that comes with enjoying on faculty basketball’s greatest stage.
“It’s perfect. We don’t need anybody to talk us up,” Jayhawks guard Christian Braun mentioned. “We know who we are. We’re Kansas. We’re the only No. 1 seed and that’s for a reason.”
WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE
Villanova and Kansas will welcome followers again to the Last 4 as the primary onto the ground first Saturday night time. Solely about 8,000 have been allowed within the stands of Lucas Oil Stadium final 12 months, when the event was performed totally inside a COVID-19 bubble in Indianapolis. However a sellout crowd of greater than 70,000 is predicted on the Superdome, and 1000’s extra are anticipated within the close by French Quarter as 4 of school basketball’s premier packages face off.
MORE ON MOORE
Moore, the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer, had surgical procedure this week after tearing his Achilles tendon within the ultimate minute of their regional ultimate with over Houston final Saturday. Now, one in every of their captains is left to cheer from the bench.
“It means everything to us to have him around,” Villanova guard Eric Dixon mentioned. “We miss having him on the court, but it’s bigger than him as a basketball player. That’s our friend, our brother. So it’s good to have him around.”
PORTAL PLAYERS
The most well liked participant within the event simply may be Kansas guard Remy Martin, who transferred from Arizona State for his ultimate season however struggled via accidents and a disaster of confidence. He continues to return off the bench, though he is averaging practically 17 factors within the event, giving the Jayhawks a giant scoring punch.
Martin might discover himself going toe-to-toe with Caleb Daniels, who spent two seasons at Tulane earlier than coming into the switch portal and ending up at Villanova. Daniels is averaging 11 factors via 4 event video games.
POSTER PERFECT
One factor Villanova does higher than anyone — and extra usually — is put up up its guards. Moore may need been the perfect at it, however Gillespie does it properly, too. It’s a part of Wright’s offense that originated a couple of decade in the past with Ryan Arcidiacono however has been handed down via Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson to the present group.
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
Kansas guard Jalen Coleman-Lands can be enjoying in his one hundred and seventieth recreation Saturday night time, third-most in Division I historical past, and Lightfoot is simply 4 behind. Gillespie can be enjoying his 156th and Villanova teammate Jermaine Samuels his 152nd. All have taken benefit of medical or COVID-19 waivers — or each — to increase their eligibility, producing what may be the oldest, most skilled nationwide semifinal recreation in historical past.
“Experience goes a long way,” mentioned All-American guard Ochai Agbaji, who has performed a mere 120 video games for Kansas. “I think we’re all battle-tested. We pride ourselves on that. We have a lot of confidence no matter the circumstances.”
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Extra AP protection of March Insanity: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
