By PAUL GOTHAM
LOUISVILLE, KY. — Where there’s risk, there’s reward, and the Villanova Wildcats are reaping those benefits.
Despite a 3-point shooting percentage outside the top 100 in the nation and some lackluster performances from long range this season, Villanova has found its rhythm from behind the arc in the NCAA Tournament.
“I think we’re just taking better shots,” said Ryan Arcidiacono who hit 4-of-7 from 3-point range part of an overall team effort that connected 10-of-15 times in a 92-69 win over third-seeded Miami in the South Region semi-final Thursday night. “Throughout the season, we didn’t really mix it up, catching and shoot and getting in the lane and kicking out to guys.”
Arcidiacono and Kris Jenkins, with 21 points apiece, led four in double figures as the Wildcats took a six-point lead into the locker room at halftime and outscored the Hurricanes by 17 in the second half.
“We’re taking what the defense is giving us while being aggressive,” the senior guard added. “We’re trying to get the threes up. If they’re not wide open, we’ll try to get in the lane and make a play for someone else.”
In three NCAA Tournament wins, Villanova is shooting a combined 33-for-62 (53.2 percent). This after connecting just 35.6 percent of the time for the season.
“We have a saying, ‘shoot ’em up and sleep in the streets,'” Villanova coach Jay Wright said quoting former NBA veteran Mike Riordan. “We want the guys to start aggressively.
“To be a great shooter, you have to be willing to keep shooting, even on a night when, if you don’t make them, no one’s going to let you come into their house. They’re going to make you sleep in the streets, you were so bad. If you’re going to be a great shooter, you can’t fear sleeping in the streets. We talk about that all the time.”
Wright pointed to an early-season game against Oklahoma where Villanova struggled hitting just 4-of-32 in a 78-55 loss.
“We were very, very aggressive shooting threes,” Wright recalled of the 78-55 loss in early December. “Very unintelligent shooting threes. But we want to be that way and then over the course of the season refine our decision-making but staying aggressive. I think we have been able to play long enough that we’re just — we’re making our best decisions right now.
“I think you’re seeing the best of our decision-making from three. And so when good shooters take good shots, you’re going to make them. And when good shooters take bad shots, you still make some, but not a great percentage.”
Wright noted the improvement of Jenkins who is averaging almost 20 points over Villanova’s last 12 games including hitting 45 percent (64-142) from long range during that stretch.
“We always would have to take him out because he would be tired or just not playing with a lot of energy,” said Wright who explained the effects of the junior forward cutting weight last off-season. “About halfway through this year, he really found his stamina. He found his stride. And he played defense consistently, rebounded consistently. So we could keep him on the floor. He’s a great scorer.
“If you keep a great scorer on the floor for 35 minutes, which he played tonight — he didn’t used to be capable of that — he’s going to get numbers. And that’s what you see him doing.”
No. 2-seed Villanova (32-5) will meet No. 1-seed Kansas (33-4) in the South Region final Saturday. Kansas has limited opponents to 32.3 percent (229-708) from behind the arc. The Jayhawks opponents hit 6.2 triples a game.
Villanova averages 8.75 makes a game from long range.
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