Final Four preview: Villanova, Kansas meet in blockbuster matchup
Duke and North Carolina might be getting most of the headlines leading into Saturday's two Final Four games, but the matchup between No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Villanova pits together two of college basketball's best teams all season.
As a pair of the sport's perennial powerhouses, the Jayhawks and Wildcats are used to being in the Final Four and boast coaches who have won the Big Dance.
With conflicting styles and matchup advantages on each end, we breakdown both sides of the Final Four's first contest.
Kansas
How they got here
Record: 32-6 (14-4, T-1 in Big 12)
Final AP Poll Ranking: 3rd
NCAA Tournament Seed: No. 1 in Midwest
First round: Kansas 83, No. 16 Texas Southern 56
Second round: Kansas 79, No. 9 Creighton 72
Sweet 16: Kansas 66, No. 4 Providence 61
Elite Eight: Kansas 76, No. 10 Miami 50
Key stats:
PPG: 78.3 (23rd)
Offensive efficiency: 118.4 (7th)
FG%: 47.8% (21st)
APG: 15.4 (38th)
RPG: 38.0 (45th)
3-point defense: 29.6% (21st)
Star players
Ochai Agbaji
Agbaji is one of five finalists for the Wooden Award as college basketball's player of the year. His steady presence on the wing provides Kansas with a go-to option in key scoring scenarios.
The senior swingman has defined consistency this season, hitting 40% of his 3-pointers, 53% of his twos, and 76% of his free throws. Agbaji has also scored in double figures and hit at least one 3-pointer in all but two games this campaign.
David McCormack
McCormack is everything a college big man has to be. He's a physical force around the basket, an elite rebounder, an imposing defender, and a surprisingly solid free-throw shooter.
Kansas can often struggle to give McCormack his fair share of touches in the post, but he's usually effective when given opportunities. Especially against Villanova's thin frontline, McCormack's ability to fight on the offensive glass and draw fouls on defenders could become key factors.
X-Factor
Remy Martin
It's not often the Midwest Regional MVP is considered an X-Factor, yet that's the case with Kansas' sixth man Remy Martin. He played more than 20 minutes just three times in 2022 before the tournament, but the former Arizona State star has been integral to his team's Final Four push.
Martin's ability to score on broken plays at the end of the shot clock will be massive against a Villanova defense that forces opponents into lengthy possessions. The Jayhawks are 12-1 when Martin reaches double figures in scoring.
Reason for concern
After posting 29 points in the first half in its Elite Eight win over Miami, Kansas exploded for 47 points in the second frame. A big reason for the Jayhawks' turnaround was that they emphasized transition offense and long outlet passes that led to easy baskets.
Villanova ranks in the 94th percentile in transition defense and allows such plays on just 13% of possessions. Kansas has to be much better in half-court sets than it's been in recent games to score on Saturday's opponent, as that'll be almost all of the opportunities the Wildcats give them.
Villanova
How they got here
Record: 30-7 (16-4, 2nd in Big 12)
Final AP Poll Ranking: 6th
NCAA Tournament Seed: No. 2 in South
First round: Villanova 80, No. 15 Delaware 60
Second round: Villanova 71, No. 7 Ohio State 61
Sweet 16: Villanova 63, No. 11 Michigan 55
Elite Eight: Villanova 50, No. 5. Houston 44
Key stats:
Points allowed per game: 62.2 (19th)
Offensive efficiency: 117.2 (9th)
Free Throw percentage: 83% (1st)
Average possession length: 19.9 seconds (9th slowest)
Opponent steals: 4.8 (9th)
Star players
Collin Gillespie
Gillespie, the two-time Big East Player of the Year, is one of the more decorated Villanova stars in a long line of standout players. He may not showcase elite athleticism, but his steadiness with the ball and shooting prowess makes him one of the country's top performers.
The point guard is one of just 13 players in the last 20 seasons to average at least 15 points and three assists per game while shooting at least 40% from distance and 90% at the free-throw line. Gillespie is the perfect blend of effectiveness and efficiency.
Jermaine Samuels
While Gillespie is the Wildcats' most irreplaceable player, Samuels might be their most talented. The South Region MVP is averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds on 63% shooting over the NCAA Tournament. He's used his speed and size to pose as a major mismatch at the forward spot.
Kansas has the length and quickness to defend Samuels, so his 3-point shooting will be even more vital Saturday. The graduate senior is only hitting 27.5% of his looks from deep this season, but he's nailed five of his last 10 attempts.
X-Factor
Caleb Daniels
Second-leading scorer Justin Moore went down with a season-ending Achilles tear late in the Houston win. So, that means the Wildcats will thrust sixth man Caleb Daniels into a starting role for the campaign's biggest game. However, Daniels is no stranger to a lead spot, starting 54 of his last 55 contests prior to this season.
Daniels is arguably the best pure sniper on the roster, and he's an absolute must on a team lacking superb playmaking off the dribble. While he was second on the team in scoring against Houston with 12 points, it took him 16 shots to get there. He'll need to be more efficient against Kansas for Villanova to pull out a victory.
Reason for concern
Moore's injury not only takes away a top-scoring option for the Wildcats, but it shortens an already-thin bench. Villanova uses its reserves only 22.7% of the time, with most of those minutes going to Daniels. The rest of the available options combine for just 46 career field goals.
Chris Arcidiacono, Bryan Antoine, or Trey Patterson will have to step up for the Wildcats to beat the Jayhawks. The onus will fall even further on the inexperienced bench contingent if one of Villanova's starters gets into foul trouble, and that's something coach Jay Wright doesn't want to see.