No. 2 Villanova Beats No. 11 Michigan, Advances to Elite 8 in South Region

In a rematch of the 2018 national championship game, Villanova yet again emerged triumphant.

The Wildcats moved on to the Elite Eight by defeating Michigan 63-55 in Thursday's South Regional Sweet 16 matchup in San Antonio. 

Two current Villanova players, Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels, played in that 2018 championship contest, so it didn't come as a big surprise that the two graduate students played significant roles in Thursday's proceedings. 

For Michigan, only Eli Brooks made an appearance in the 2018 matchup. 

This wasn't the prettiest game. Both defenses were stout, with Villanova shooting just 37.3 percent from the field while Michigan shot only 34.4 percent. But while the Wildcats were 10-of-12 from the charity stripe, Michigan was just 7-of-14. And Villanova's team defense mitigated Michigan's size advantage inside, with the Wolverines only out-rebounding the Wildcats by a 41-38 margin.

The two schools entered this year's showdown with far different storylines surrounding their NCAA tournaments. The second-seeded Wildcats were supposed to be here and posted composed victories over Delaware and Ohio State. 

And the 11th-seeded Wolverines were looking to continue an improbable run after beating sixth-seeded Colorado State and third-seeded Tennessee.

But similar to that 2017-18 team—also an underdog when they faced the Wildcats—the road ended with Villanova.

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Key Stats

Jermaine Samuels, NOVA: 22 points, seven boards

Collin Gillespie, NOVA: 12 points, six rebounds

Justin Moore, NOVA: 15 points, four assists, four boards

Hunter Dickinson, MICH: 15 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks

Eli Brooks, MICH: 14 points, five rebounds

Devante' Jones, MICH: Seven points, four boards, four assists

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Villanova's Balance Is So Tough to Overcome

The Wildcats may not have a superstar, future top-five NBA pick on their roster, but they have multiple players who can—and will—beat you on any given possession. And that was on full display against Michigan. 

Samuels and Moore led the way scoring the rock. Gillespie had a tough shooting night (4-of-14) but turned the ball over just once and hit the dagger three that all but put the game away.

Caleb Daniels was huge in the second half on both ends, hitting a few key buckets and coming up with a blocked shot.

Somebody always seems to hit a big shot for these Wildcats or come up with a key defensive stop. They are disciplined and poised, and on Thursday, they slowly and methodically wore the Wolverines down on both ends. 

Jay Wright has another legitimate contender on his hands.

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Dickinson and Brooks Couldn't Lead Michigan Past Its Shooting Woes

There were points in this game where it felt like there was a lid on the rim every time Michigan attempted a layup. It was just one of those nights for the Wolverines, though Nova's tough defense certainly played a part. 

Dickinson and Brooks tried to carry the Wolverines, but with nobody else hitting double-digit points, that weight was too much to bear. 

It was a heck of a run for these Wolverines. But the magic wore off on Thursday. 

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What's Next?

Villanova awaits the winner of No. 1 seed Arizona vs. No. 5 seed Houston. They'll face off on Saturday (time to be determined).