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Three Key Takeaways.
- This was a complete and total rout. After a fairly slow start, Villanova broke this game open in the latter stages of the first half. After leading at the break by 14 points, the Wildcats kicked it into overdrive in using a 24-10 run spanning halftime to cement it away. Villanova looked in complete form on both ends of the floor as it shot 58 percent to UNC Asheville’s 37 percent. Five Wildcats scored in double figures and the 86 points represented one of Villanova’s most efficient offensive outings of the season.
- Daniel Ochefu looks healthy. After fighting his way through an ankle injury at last week’s Big East Tournament, Villanova’s senior center looked great today. Ochefu posted 17 points and 10 rebounds on 7-of-9 shooting, his eighth double-double of this season. If his team is to advance to the second weekend for the first time since 2009, Ochefu must play an important role. On a team that’s fairly undersized, he needs to be a force in the middle in order to protect the rim and open up the wings and driving lanes. When Ochefu is playing well and commanding a double team, Villanova’s offense is dynamic and difficult to defend.
- Villanova effectively tested two styles of play today. In the first half the Wildcats bombed away from three-point range and that allowed UNC Asheville to hang around. Villanova attempted 17 threes before the break but cut that down to only 11 attempts after halftime. In the second half there was more of an emphasis to get the ball inside either through Ochefu or dribble penetration. Villanova has long been criticized for the high volume of three-point shots it takes (24th nationally this year) but it is one of the best teams in two-point percentage as well. If the Wildcats can work the ball inside with Hart’s penetration and Ochefu’s skill set on the low block, they can advance deep in this NCAA Tournament.
Star of the Game: Daniel Ochefu, Villanova. Ochefu has struggled in fighting through an ankle injury since a great performance in a win over Marquette on February 27. He had totaled only 24 points over Villanova’s last five games before today’s 17-point effort, and the senior appeared to have gained back a lot of the mobility lost with the injury, although he still had a large ice pack taped to his ankle after the game. Villanova can’t win a national championship without a healthy Ochefu so his play today is a great sign.
Sights and Sounds: Barclays Center is a gorgeous arena with great sight lines but the crowd brought little to the table in a 30-point blowout. With a more competitive game to follow, most fans didn’t feel the need to get on site right for the start of this one. Villanova fans turned out in large numbers, as you would expect, but they were rather subdued most of the afternoon with the result never in doubt.
Quotable: Villanova head coach Jay Wright looked forward to a potential matchup with Temple, a fellow Philadelphia Big Five team. For those from the City of Brotherly Love, Wright said, “it’s like living in Alabama and playing an Auburn-Alabama football game.” A bit of a stretch, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Philadelphia absolutely loves its basketball.
What’s Next: Villanova advances to play the winner of #7 Iowa and #10 Temple on Sunday. UNC-Asheville wraps up its season with a 22-12 record and a Big South title in head coach Nick McDevitt’s third year on the job. The Bulldogs lose only one key contributor to graduation, Sam Hughes, and should remain a favorite in their league in 2016-17.