SAN ANTONIO — When Villanova won its first national title in 1985, the Wildcats had to play the perfect game to beat Georgetown—the sport’s resident Goliath. When Villanova won its second national title just two years ago, the Wildcats needed Kris Jenkins to beat the buzzer to overcome North Carolina’s near buzzer beater. When Villanova won its third national title, the Wildcats needed only to play like what they were—the best team (and probably the best program) in college basketball.
With Monday’s 79–62 win against Michigan, Villanova completed its generational transformation from ultimate underdog to old-money blueblood. The Wildcats cut down the nets for the second time in three seasons and became the fourth team in NCAA tournament history to win every tournament game by at least 10 points, and they’ll probably enter next season as a favorite to reach the Final Four in Minneapolis.