No. 2 seed Oklahoma will face No. 2 seed Villanova for the second time this season on Saturday. But next weekend's game will be for a spot in the National Championship.
The Sooners and Wildcats also met on Dec. 7 at the Pearl-Harbor Hickam Joint Base near Honolulu. Oklahoma dismantled Villanova 78-55, holding the Wildcats to 4-of-32 three-point shooting.
Backcourt:
Buddy Hield continues to sizzle in postseason play. The senior guard is averaging over 29 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, the highest of any Final Four participant. Isaiah Cousins has been instrumental in elevating the Sooners ball distribution in the tournament, dishing 15 assists in the previous two games.
Jordan Woodard is also quietly having an outstanding postseason performance. Woodard is filing over 16 points per game during March Madness.
Villanova features one of the best offenses in the country, ranking second in offensive efficiency. The backcourt is led by All-Big East First Team guard Josh Hart. Hart checks in as Villanova’s leading scorer and operates as a scrappy defender on the defensive end.
Hart is likely to defend Hield on Saturday. Guard Ryan Arcidiacono is the epitome of hustle and a key cog in Villanova’s distribution around the perimeter. Freshman Jalen Brunson has the propensity to fill up the basket at a moments’ notice.
But in this match up, it's hard to pick against Hield and the Sooners.
Advantage: Oklahoma
Frontcourt:
Forward Khadeem Lattin has been a revelation in the NCAA Tournament. While not posting flashy statistics, the sophomore forward has done a little bit of everything for his team and has put himself in positions to make the correct play more often than not. Forward Ryan Spangler had a modest game against Oregon after going for 10 points and eight rebounds against Texas A&M in the Sweet 16.
Villanova’s frontcourt is anchored by the duo of Kris Jenkins and Daniel Ochefu. Jenkins operates from the outside, leading the team in three-pointers while using his 6-foot-6, 240 pound frame to carve his way through smaller opponents. Ochefu is a versatile 6-foot-11 center that can operate with the ball in his hands as both a scorer and distributor from the post.
Advantage: Villanova
Coaching:
Lon Kruger will coach in the Final Four for the first time in 22 years. The Sooners have hit their stride, playing their best basketball to date. OU encored its 14-point win over No. 3 Texas A&M with a 12-point victory against top-seeded Oregon.
The Sooners have played well for large stretches in the tournament and have held their opponents to below 70 points and sub 40 percent from three-point range three times in the NCAA Tournament.
Villanova coach Jay Wright broke through the glass ceiling to get the Wildcats back to the Sweet 16 after a six-year hiatus. While not the most talented or athletically-driven club, Wright has developed the Wildcats into a team that wins by out-hustling and outsmarting its opponents. Advantage: Oklahoma
