Player on Villanova’s last title team says KU got ‘revenge’ for loss in 2018 Final Four
The Kansas men’s basketball team ran out to a 19-point first half lead in Saturday night’s NCAA Tournament Final Four game against Villanova, and a former Wildcats star saw a historical comparison.
When KU lost 95-79 in a 2018 national semifinal game against Villanova, the Wildcats made a record 18-three pointers in the game and ran out to a 15-point halftime lead. That early burst was too much for the Jayhawks.
Jalen Brunson, who had 18 points in that 2018 game, was watching Saturday night as Kansas opened the Final Four rematch by scoring the game’s first 10 points. KU shot 48% in the first half, and made seven three-pointers.
The Jayhawks’ Ochai Agbaji, who had four three-pointers in KU’s first four NCAA Tournament games, made four in the first half of Saturday night’s game.
Brunson called KU’s onslaught “legit revenge” for the Jayhawks’ loss to Villanova four years ago.
Here is what Brunson tweeted:
Villanova ended the first half on a 10-2 run to cut KU’s advantage to 40-29 and Brunson’s mood had turned optimistic.
In 2018, Villanova never let KU back into the game. The Jayhawks did the same on Saturday night in New Orleans, winning 81-65.
Afterward, Brunson tweeted his support to the Villanova players.
This story was originally published April 2, 2022 at 6:12 PM with the headline "Player on Villanova’s last title team says KU got ‘revenge’ for loss in 2018 Final Four."
