Villanova's Blueprint to Win the NCAA Tournament

The Villanova Wildcats were ranked as the second-best team in the nation by the selection committee when it released the NCAA tournament field on Sunday night.

Jay Wright's Wildcats will begin their quest for a national championship in Pittsburgh with a matchup against No. 16 Lafayette on Thursday.

Looking further down the bracket, Villanova will be tested by plenty of teams from power conferences on its way to a potential Final Four bid. 

Virginia, Louisville, Oklahoma, Northern Iowa and Michigan State could all stand in the Wildcats' path on their way to Indianapolis. 

In order to reach the final weekend of the tournament, Villanova will have to follow this blueprint. 

Continue to Hustle on Every Single Play

Hustling on every single play may seem like an obvious quality for a title contender to have, but very few teams are on point for 40 minutes like the Wildcats are. 

The perfect example of this came in the waning moments of the Big East tournament final against Xavier, when Darrun Hilliard and Ryan Arcidiacono both crashed into the photographers under the basket in order to keep a ball in bounds. 

This gritty intangible is nothing new to the Villanova program, but it may catch some people by surprise when they watch the Wildcats in action throughout the tournament. 

Arcidiacono and Hilliard, who are two of the team's stars, are the two players who exhibit this quality the best. 

If Villanova does face a tough test early in the tournament, expect one of the star guards to bring extra effort to the table to light a spark under the team. 

Avoid the Struggles of the 1st Weekend

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Villanova hasn't started the NCAA tournament in spectacular fashion over the last five years. 

Before they were eliminated by UConn last season, the Wildcats had to claw past Milwaukee before pulling away late in the game. 

As a No. 2 seed in 2010, the Wildcats were pushed to the limit by Robert Morris, who forced overtime at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence. In the game after that, the Wildcats fell to No. 10 St. Mary's. 

If Villanova can finally handle a lesser opponent with ease in the second round, it will be able to conserve some energy for its second game of the first weekend. 

However, that may not be an easy task since Lafayette will be looking to prove a point against its regional rival. 

If the Wildcats are pushed to the brink of an upset for the third consecutive time as a top seed, they could suffer a letdown and come out flat in the third round. 

Josh Hart's Spark off the Bench

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An argument can be made that Josh Hart is the most valuable sixth man in the NCAA tournament. 

The Big East tournament's Most Outstanding Player scored 53 points in 83 minutes off the bench in three games at Madison Square Garden. 

If one of the starters fails to get off to a hot start on the offensive end of the court, Wright can turn to Hart in order to put a spark in the team. 

Not only does Hart provide a boost on the scoreboard, but he has also produced in many other stat categories throughout the season. 

In the 69-52 win over Xavier, Hart pulled down a team-high seven rebounds to go along with his one steal, one block and one assist. 

Hart is also not susceptible to fall into foul trouble, as he was called for four or more fouls in just four of Villanova's Big East contests. 

Rely on Darrun Hilliard's March Success

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The most reliable player on the Villanova roster when it comes to March is Hilliard.

The senior guard, who averages 14 points per game, has failed to score in double digits in only four contests since the calendar flipped over to 2015. 

Hilliard's impressive run is a near-replication of his performance over the final three months of his junior campaign. Before UConn knocked the Wildcats out of the Big Dance, Hilliard scored over 10 points in 13 of his final 14 games. 

With Hilliard's consistency from the field almost a guarantee in any crucial game during March, the Wildcats will have someone to build their offense around at the beginning of each game. 

As a senior leader, Hilliard will also be able to boost the morale of the team if he gets off to a hot start from the field. 

Play Strong Perimeter Defense

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Villanova's defensive qualities on the perimeter will be tested by almost every potential opponent it faces on the way to Indianapolis. 

The first major test could come in the third round if NC State gets past LSU in one of the three other games being played in Pittsburgh. 

As we witnessed at the ACC tournament, the Wolfpack have a trio of star guards that can threaten the strength of any defense around the three-point line.

Anthony "Cat" Barber, Trevor Lacey and Ralston Turner are all capable of producing big games during the first weekend of the Big Dance. LSU's Tim Quarterman and Keith Hornsby could also pose a major threat to Villanova's title bid in Pittsburgh. 

Some of the other top seeds in the East Region also possess quality guards, which means the trio of Arcidiacono, Hilliard and Hart must be at its best for the entire tournament. 

All three players average over one steal per game with Hilliard leading the way at 1.8 per contest. If they can maintain their defensive ferocity for 40 minutes, the Wildcats will have no problem making a big run in the tournament.

Daniel Ochefu's Production Down Low

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In order to ease the pressure off the shoulders of the guards in the Villanova starting lineup, Daniel Ochefu must produce in the frontcourt. 

The senior center averaged 9.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as well as 1.4 blocks per contest. However, Ochefu has also committed 1.9 turnovers per game, which could turn into a major liability as the tournament progresses. 

If opposing big men are able to take advantage of Ochefu's turnover issue, the Wildcats could be sentenced to an early exit by a team like Northern Iowa or Louisville in the Sweet 16. 

The one matchup that could frighten many in the Villanova camp is the one against Montrezl Harrell, who is one of the most athletic big men in the country. 

If Ochefu is unable to keep up with the junior forward from Louisville, the Cardinals would be able to focus on shutting down the backcourt production. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

All statistics obtained from ESPN.com.