Villanova’s ability to neutralize Houston’s strengths helped the team outlast the Cougars, even as Houston pulled within 2 points as it attempted to come back. Houston feeds off its opponents’ mistakes, but Villanova is a disciplined team that limits them.
The Cougars, known for their ability to box out and create extra possessions on offense, could only pull in two offensive rebounds in the first half, and could not depend on their ability to create turnovers by attacking ball screens.
On offense, the Cougars were inconsistent, looking the worst they had all tournament.
“We had a lot of opportunities. They didn’t go in,” Sampson said. “That happens. I’m disappointed we lost. I felt this was a game we could win. Not should win, but could win. We had to earn it.”
But Villanova underperformed on offense as well. One of the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation, the Wildcats shot less than 30 percent from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes, going into the half without a single point from Gillespie.
Samuels, who powered Villanova over Michigan in the round of 16, finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Since taking down Michigan in 2018, Villanova had been knocked out of tournament by Purdue in 2019 and was defeated by Baylor, the 2021 champion, in the round of 16 last year.
Houston’s program had been dormant for years before Sampson’s arrival in 2014.
Yet against Villanova, that identity that he had built of being tough and hyperathletic, similar to the way the Cougars had played decades ago, wasn’t enough. A few missed shots and some lost rebounds kept Sampson’s team short of the Final Four it had wanted.