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Villanova (20-13)
PPG: 67.8.
PPG allowed: 64.7
How they got here: At-large berth. While Villanova’s 13 losses might not intimidate the Tar Heels, the Wildcats are one of five teams to beat Louisville this season. Villanova also owns wins against Georgetown and Syracuse.
What they do best: The Wildcats aren’t going to wow anyone with their ball-handling and guard play – Villanova ranked 323rd in the NCAA in turnovers per game, 295th in 3-point percentage defense and 292nd in assist-to-turnover margin – but they are a solid defensive team that will hold its own on the boards.
Number to know: 36.6 percent – that’s opposing teams’ 3-point shooting percentage against the Wildcats. Coming off a 28-point effort in the ACC title game when he hit six 3-pointers, North Carolina’s P.J. Hairston will have to like his chances to get good looks at the basket.
Key matchup
JayVaughn Pinkston vs. North Carolina’s smaller wings
Pinkston is a 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward who averaged 13.1 points and 4.9 rebounds and scored more than 20 points against Louisville and Georgetown in the past 10 days.
Pinkston, a McDonald’s All-American in high school, is a physical presence who can dribble through traffic and figures to be a punishing matchup for either Reggie Bullock or P.J. Hairston.
Pinkston will be the Wildcats’ first option in the halfcourt, so if the Tar Heels can frustrate him, it will go a long way toward advancing to a potential matchup with Kansas.
In their way ...
The highest possible seeds the Tar Heels would have to beat to reach the Final Four:
Friday: No. 9 Villanova
Sunday: No. 1 Kansas
Sweet 16: No. 4 Michigan
Elite 8: No. 2 Georgetown
