Villanova seizing the moment

"Except for (North) Carolina or Kansas, I don't think there's a team in this year's tournament that isn't worried about losing in the second round. As I told the kids, 'Is that going to kill us (if it happens again)?' No. If that's the worst it is, we can handle it. Now let's go try to win the whole thing.' "

- Villanova coach Jay Wright on the Monday after Selection Sunday, when asked about all of the early exits by his Wildcats since they made it to the Final Four in 2009.

HOUSTON - Maybe Wright had an inkling. Or it could have simply been the program's time once more.

Every ride has its own identity. Each year, his players talk about getting better with every game, being the best they can be at the end of the journey. As they should. The rest of us have heard it before, maybe too many times. It's a core part of Villanova basketball, Wright's value system. And they believe it, even when others might snicker. It's one thing to keep saying it, something else to make it happen.

This one-and-done stuff can be harsh. Not to mention unforgiving. Ask Michigan State.

Who really knows just how fine a line it actually is?

Last March, Villanova entered the tournament ranked second behind unbeaten Kentucky, having won 15 straight while establishing a school record for victories. Then the top-seeded team in the East Region beat Lafayette in its NCAA opener by 41. Everything looked, well, locked and loaded. Until a 13-loss North Carolina State eliminated the Wildcats two days later. Which meant they would have a whole year to think about it while addressing the same question.

They owned that. Now, they're doing the same with this moment.

How? Why?

They were a two seed. They'd reached No. 1 for the first time. Still, they weren't Kansas or Michigan State or North Carolina or Virginia or maybe even Oklahoma. Yet here they are, after having taken out the top-rated Jayhawks in the regional final and toasting the Sooners - who'd beaten them by 23 in early December in Hawaii - by 44 in Saturday's national semifinal. Monday night at NRG Stadium, they'll get North Carolina in the season's last game. The same UNC that ended Villanova seasons in 2005 (albeit controversially) in the Sweet 16 and seven years ago in the semis en route to national titles. The only time Villanova cut down the last set of nets, it beat UNC in a regional final in 1985.

This one is basically a pick 'em. As it should be. Office pools across America had UNC getting here. Villanova, probably not so much, for whatever the reasons.

Doesn't matter. They've proven by far to be the two worthiest teams, when it counted most. UNC, the East's No. 1 seed, ironically, was what kept Villanova from playing in Philly last week.

One storied program, against one that's moving way up the national charts.

"Some years, I thought we were playing our best (entering the tourney)," Wright said. "(But) we just ran into a hot team and didn't make shots."

This time they're THAT team, and hitting just about everything from anywhere.

"It's the best team we've ever had in terms of continuing to get better," he went on. "I think our '09 Final Four team did that. This team is doing the same."

Obviously, even more so. If only someone could bottle it.

They've had one close game. The others were over by halftime. North Carolina hasn't won by less than 14 in the tournament.

"The matchups are unique," Wright said. "We are different teams. It's going to be a battle of wills. This is going to be a helluva game . . .

"We would have loved to be in Philly. We were much more concerned about how we were playing. These kids never cared about seeding or anything like that. They're a very mature group . . . This group has fit our model the best."

Well, they had two four-year starters last year. It's that fragile of an existence. And it doesn't have to compute.

"Neither of us were dominant during the season," Wright noted. "You're seeing a season where two teams just continued to get better and better and better and better.

"I remember everybody saying about Carolina, when they play to their best they're great. It's hard to play to your best."

Precisely the point.

That's always the plan. All you have to do is pull it off.

"I look at it as being very fortunate to be in this position with these guys," Wright said. "I know it's not me, because I've done what I'm doing with this tam with other teams that haven't gotten there.

"Our team last year, I felt just as good about in terms of how we operated . . . Now, the results (losing in the second round again), everyone else didn't appreciate."

This run, regardless of which way it concludes, will be remembered for as long as there's a Main Line.

"Honestly, one of the reasons I came to Villanova was to compete for a national championship," said junior forward Josh Hart, their leading scorer, who had 23 points on 10-for-12 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals against the Sooners. "Whatever the outcome, it's going to be the same program. It's not going to change.

"After Seton Hall (two-point loss in Big East final), we weren't really able to look each other in the eye. Not because we lost. We played for like 25 minutes instead of 40. It made us realize we weren't that good (yet)."

But did he ever think they could take it to this high of a level?

"Not at all," he said. "I'm glad we did. At one point I looked at Ryan (Arcidiacono) when we were up 40 (against OU) and we were like, 'It's crazy.' It's something I didn't think could happen.

"I'm hoping we can take it to another level on Monday. This is something you might only get one shot at."

Or once a generation. Right now, being able to raise things up a notch could be more of a Carolina dilemma.

Three weeks ago Wright threw it out there for all to contemplate. They just might do it.

"I'm still trying to figure (the why part) out, really," Wright acknowledged. "There's a hunger in this team to continue to grow."

So did he have any sense what exactly was coming?

"Not any more than any other team," he said. "I think last year we had just as much a chance to do this, (and) just ran into a bad matchup. I think the year before we did. So I'm trying to look at what has clicked. I think it is maybe having less older guys. I'm not saying it's going to work all the time. But with this group, the young guys keep getting better and the older guys aren't tired of hearing my demands. It's been great."

Indeed it has. The whole thing is directly in front of them.

@mikekerndn