Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports
Lost in the chaos of two No. 1 seeds falling Thursday night were multiple herculean defensive efforts and a mind-boggling offensive spurt. The result? Two Elite Eight matchups of contrasting styles with a trip to New Orleans on the line.
With 49 points from its big three—Jermaine Samuels, Justin Moore and Collin Gillespie—No. 2 Villanova neutralized Michigan center Hunter Dickinson, limiting him 15 points on 16 shots on the way to a 63–55 win. Dickinson was coming into the game averaging 24 points a game in the tournament for the No. 11 Wolverines.