Michigan falters against Villanova in Sweet 16, sees season end
Villanova is headed to the Elite Eight for the first time since the Wildcats won the 2018 National Championship after defeating Michigan 63-55 in San Antonio.
“I’m proud of them. It’s our players that are tough and that that Michigan team is, really smart and physical. They got us into some tough situations where our schemes weren’t working, we just had to be tough,” Villanova head coach Jay Wright said moments after the win.
The Wildcats led by as much as nine with 11 minutes left in the second half, but Michigan held on tight to a single digit deficit before Devante’ Jones went down with an apparent knee injury that slowed the Wolverines’ offense down. Despite checking back into the game at the under four minute timeout, Michigan never found their groove.
A Collin Gillespie deep 3-pointer gave the Wildcats another 9-point lead with under two minutes remaining after the Wolverines cut it to four. Gillespie’s shot put the game out of reach to knock the Michigan out of the tournament.
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Despite Wright playing just seven players against Michigan, three of his players scored in double figures. Gillespie finished with 12 points on 4-10 from 3-point range, but it was senior forward Jermaine Samuels‘ 22 points that led the game in scoring along with seven rebounds. Justin Moore scored 15 points for ‘Nova as well.
“I was really proud of his effort. We ask a lot of him on the defensive end, guarding Dickinson a lot,” Wright said about Samuels. “Then on the offensive end, we were trying to move Dickinson, which sounds good unless you’re the guy that’s got to do it. He never wanted to come out.”
Villanova will face either Arizona or Houston in the Elite Eight on Saturday. The Wildcats and and Cougars’ Sweet 16 game tips at 9:59 p.m. ET live on TBS.