LOUISVILLE, KY – MARCH 26: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats (L) and Ryan Arcidiacono #15 react after defeating the Kansas Jayhawks 64-59 during the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at KFC YUM! Center on March 26, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Ryan Arcidiacono joyously embraced Jalen Brunson, celebrating his greatest birthday.

Villanova (33-5) is going to the Final Four thanks to some key plays by its senior leader. The No.2-seeded Wildcats gutted out a steel cage match to win the South Region 64-59 Saturday night and upend Kansas the No.1 overall seed. They will face Oklahoma – a rematch of a regular-season meeting won by the Sooners 78-55 – in the national semifinals in Houston.

“When you’re a parent, you think your kids are the greatest,” said Villanova coach Jay Wright whose team squandered a 25-16 first-half lead. “When you see them live that out and become great, it just makes your heart swell.”

The Wildcats reached the Elite Eight by playing beautiful basketball. Coming into Saturday’s showdown, they had shot 59.9 percent (53 percent from 3-point range) and averaged 88.3 points in the NCAA tournament. Their 92-69 systematic destruction of Miami Thursday was a sight to behold.

Saturday night at the KFC Yum! Center wasn’t that type of game. It was decided by hustle for loose balls, fouls and free throws.

After several second-weekend clunkers, the NCAA tournament finally delivered drama. This was close in part because it wasn’t about shot-making or grace. Villanova hit at only a 40.4 percent clip and missed 14 of its 18 3-point tries.

This was about grit. The grittiest of them all might have been Arcidiacono. He tied a team-best with 13 points along with Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins. That was a far cry from the 21-point outburst against Miami. This performance, however might have been more satisfying to Arcidiacono who made a defensive play that helped send his team to the Final Four.

With the Wildcats clinging to a 62-59 lead, Kansas had the ball in the halfcourt. Arcidiacono got a finger on the ball and tipped it from Frank Mason and freshman Mikal Bridges dove on the loose ball with four seconds left. Kansas was forced to foul. Brunson’s free throws sealed the outcome. Villanova was successful on all eight of its free throws in the final 33 seconds, including the first four by Arcidiacono.

According to Arcidiacono, with the Wildcats leading 62-59, the original plan was to foul with some time left on the clock, rather than allow a 3-point shot by Kansas.

“It was probably the best birthday of my life,” the senior said. “I went for a steal – even if we get a foul, we’d still get the ball back whether we were up one or two. That was a big-time dive by Mikal Bridges.”

Another loose ball situation loomed large late.

Kansas was trailing 56-54 in the final minute when during a scramble Devonte’ Graham lunged into a scrum for a loose ball. He was called for a controversial fifth foul. Graham, who scored a game best 17 points, fouled out. He was 5 of 9 from 3-point range while the rest of his team was 1 of 13.

Kansas coach Bill Self’s thoughts about the call that didn’t go his way?

“I thought it was a great hustle play,” he said. “As upset, sad or mad about certain things, it doesn’t do any good now. If you have a next game, you can use that as motivation but it’s over.”

Arcidiacono was fouled and made his free throws but Kansas kept coming. Mason’s 3-pointer – the only trey made by a Jayhawk other than Graham – sliced the margin to 58-57. Arcidiacono made two more free throws but Mason attacked again making a circus shot lay-up with 15 seconds left to close within 60-59.

That turned out to be the last points Kansas would score. Villanova proved it could win an important game without playing its trademark beautiful basketball.

“It was beautiful once the final buzzer went off,” Arcidiacono said. “We wanted to make it ugly. We knew we weren’t shooting the ball too well. But the backbone of our program is to defend, rebound and play hard together.”

Villanova made it ugliest for Kansas star Perry Ellis. The senior couldn’t find a groove with a GPS device and a Sherpa guide. Ellis had as many turnovers as points (4) and shot 1 of 5. He was scoreless in the first half.

On Thursday, Ellis was unstoppable with 27 points in a 79-63 victory over Maryland.

“I feel like they did a great job of just trying to swarm me and somebody was always there,” said Ellis who was 1 of 5 from the field.

Said Self: “I think you should give Villanova credit. But I don’t think Perry was as aggressive demanding the ball as what he has been at certain times.”

Kansas grabbed a 45-40 lead midway through the second half. But Arcidiacono’s 3-pointer with 8:41 put Villanova up for good 47-45. The Wildcats gutted it out down the stretch, surviving 8 of 25 second-half shooting.

Villanova showed the college basketball world it can win without being pretty.

“It was ugly but it was beautiful to us,” Hart said.

About Michael Grant

Born in Jamaica. Grew up in New York City. Lives in Louisville, Ky. Sports writer. Not related to Ulysses S. Grant, Anthony Grant, Amy Grant or Hugh Grant.

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