Villanova runs wild over Sooners

HOUSTON — Forget Buddy-ball, Villanova played its typical, balanced brand of buddy-ball Saturday from the jump and kept turning up the gas in the biggest decimation in Final Four history.

Villanova scored more points in the second half than Oklahoma did in the entire game on the way to a 95-51 blowout victory to move a win away from the school’s first NCAA championship since 1985.

Standout Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield, winner of a handful of player-of-the-year honours, had a tough start. He was swarmed defensively at every turn, finished with just nine points and the physical Wildcats got where they wanted on both ends of the floor.

The Wildcats, who play North Carolina in Monday’s final, shot more than 70 per cent from the field. The Sooners shot 31.7 per cent, including 22.2 per cent on three-pointers.

“I thought Villanova dictated everything,” Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger said.

“One of the best teams I ever played in college,” Hield added. “Just got to give them credit, what they did. They made it hard for us to guard them tonight.”

Josh Hart was particularly good, going off for 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting in the opening 20 minutes. Hart had 23 points by the end and six players scored at least 10 points.

Villanova shot 66.7 per cent in the first half, held Hield to 1-for-5 shooting on three-point attempts and didn’t need a trip to the free-throw line to build a 42-28 lead.

Oklahoma looked off, committing nine turnovers, including six on eight possessions at one point. Hield had three of them. Meanwhile, the Wildcats opened the game hitting 7-of-10 shots and finished the half sinking 8-of-10.

Oklahoma didn’t recalibrate during the break either, returning to the court still missing its shooting form. The Sooners began the final 20 minutes just 4-for-17 from the field, but managed to get to within nine before everything unravelled.

Wildcats head coach Jay Wright was gracious after the thrashing.

“Well, that was just one of those games that could happen to anybody,” Wright said.

“I feel bad for Oklahoma that it happened to them in the Final Four.”

Hield failed to reach 10 points for just the second time this season (the other came March 11, when his poor night cost the Sooners a shot at the Big 12 tournament title.