There was no shortage of Madness in March, but in the end, it will be the No. 3 seeded Michigan Wolverines and the No. 1 seeded Villanova Wildcats clashing tonight for the National Championship at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The Wildcats have cruised to the title game with their average margin of victory being 17.8 points and beating every opponent on their path by at least 12 points.
The superiority they have shown in the tournament has made them a seven-point favorite in this highly anticipated match.
Even though the Wolverines are the underdog, they’re also on a 14-game winning streak, making them the hottest team in basketball as they are undefeated since February 6.
This game matches Villanova’s high-efficiency offense against Michigan’s suffocating defense.
The Wildcats broke a Final Four record when they drained 18 three-pointers in Saturday’s win against Kansas, but Michigan’s perimeter defense is on point as they held the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers to their worst shooting performance of the season.
Among the key players to watch for Villanova is important to mention big man Eric Paschall, who against the Jayhawks became the sixth player in the last 16 years to score over 20 points while shooting 90 percent from the floor in a Final Four game.
Villanova also has great point guard play, with Jaylen Brunson setting the table for the rest of the rest of the team on offense. On the perimeter, they have several players that can spread defenses out as they are all capable of knocking down the outside shots.
For Michigan, all eyes are on Moe Wagner, who joins Larry Bird and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players in 40 years to score 20 points and snatch 15 boards in a Final Four game. This was the first time a player posted those numbers in a Final Four game since 1983.
The Wolverines, who last won a title in 1989, are in their first trip to the National Championship game since 2013 when they lost to Louisville 82-76.
Villanova meanwhile is looking for its second national championship in three years as they claimed their second title after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 77-74 in 2016. Their first title in school history came in 1985.
