RTC will be providing coverage of the NCAA Tournament from start to finish. Walker Carey (@walkerRcarey) is in Pittsburgh this weekend.

Three Key Takeaways.

Villanova Cruised by Radford Today (USA Today Images)

1. Villanova was simply overpowering. Just like most #1/#16 match-ups, there was a massive discrepancy in talent between Villanova and Radford. Throughout tonight’s game, Villanova was able to get everything it wanted on the offensive end of the court and its athleticism and size on the defensive end were too much for Radford to handle offensively. This was highlighted by the fact that Villanova shot 59.6 percent from the field and 51.9 percent from the three-point line while Radford shot just 33.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from the three-point line. All in all, it was abundantly clear why one team is the top seed in the region and is widely projected to get to the Final Four and the other team had to win a game at the First Four just to make it to the main bracket.
2. Jalen Brunson showcased why he is one of the best players in the country. It is certainly tough to be underrated when you started at point guard for a national champion as a freshman and are the best player on another strong favorite to reach the Final Four. But Brunson does not grab the headlines or make many highlight reel plays, he just puts forth winning performances on a nightly basis. The junior put together another sterling effort in tonight’s victory, finishing the game with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with four assists. He was clearly the best player on the floor tonight, and that is a trend that figures to continue as Villanova makes its way through the bracket.
3. This game should just be a footnote in what was a remarkable March for Radford. Radford got smoked tonight — there is no way around that. But while tonight’s result has to sting, Radford’s March should not be defined by this single game. The reason why Radford even had the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament was because freshman guard Carlik Jones hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to best Liberty in the Big South title game. The reason why Radford had the opportunity to play Villanova was because it used a great second half performance to coast to a 10-point win over LIU-Brooklyn in the First Four. Those moments are what Radford fans should remember when they recall the wonderful March run that they had to get to this spot.

Player of the Game. Jalen Brunson, Villanova. The Wildcats put six players — Brunson, Phil Booth, Omari Spellman, Mikal Bridges, Eric Paschall, and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree — in double figures tonight, but it was the junior point guard that really set the tone. “Coach on the floor” is a tired cliche that is often incorrectly used, but it certainly fits with Brunson. When watching Villanova play, you clearly see how much the Wildcats feed off his energy and leadership. While he may not be the most talented player in the country, he might be the most important player in the country.

Quotable.

• “I was at Hofstra. I know how good these smaller schools are. We scrapped our way to win in an ugly game.” – Villanova coach Jay Wright, explaining how teams like Radford put pressure on higher seeds.
• “You do. You think about it.” – Wright, acknowledging that no coach wants his team to be the first #1 seed to fall to a #16 seed.
• “I have never had more fun with a team than I have had with this group. It is a shame we did not play better tonight, but Villanova had a lot to do with that.” – Radford coach Mike Jones, expressing disappointment with tonight’s result.

Sights and Sounds. The Radford contingent that made the trek to Pittsburgh deserves a ton of credit, as they were loud and proud throughout the game. When it became abundantly clear that the Highlanders had no chance at victory — which was around the first TV timeout — it actually made their crowd more supportive. After the final buzzer, the Radford team showed its appreciation by gathering in front of the fans and saluting them for a job well done.

What’s Next. Villanova advances to the Second Round where it will face Alabama on Saturday.

WCarey (318 Posts)

This entry was posted on Friday, March 16th, 2018 at 1:41 am by Walker Carey and is filed under 2018 ncaa tournament, rushed reactions. Tagged: 2018 ncaa tournament, carlik jones, dhamir cosby-roundtree, Eric Paschall, feature, Jalen Brunson, jay wright, Mikal Bridges, mike jones, omari spellman, Phil booth, radford, villanova. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.