Everyone said Villanova had to play a perfect game to beat
Georgetown. The Wildcats were pretty close to perfect in
the second half of their Southeast Region final upset of
North Carolina, shooting 76% and outscoring the Heels
39-22. So it shouldn't have been such a huge surprise when
the Cats proved infallible against the mighty Hoyas.
Villanova shot 78.6% (22-for-28) from the field—including
9-for-10 in the second half (the only miss was blocked by
Georgetown's Patrick Ewing)—against a team that led the
nation with 39.9% field goal defense. Georgetown made more
field goals (29-for-53) than the Wildcats took, but
Villanova was 22-for-27 from the line, while the Hoyas were
6-for-8. Pinckney had 16 points, six rebounds and five
assists while holding Ewing to 14 points and five
rebounds.
SI's Pick:
"To some, the Hoyas' less-than-decisive 60-54 [East
Region final] victory over Georgia Tech served notice that
this lean, mean fighting machine could well be had this
week in Lexington, where it will bid for a second straight
NCAA title. Don't count on it. There wasn't a team in the
tournament better equipped to stop the Hoyas than Tech ...
but it
didn't."
Surprise
Guest: Unranked Villanova upset No. 2 Michigan in the second
round then beat No. 7 North Carolina in the Southeast
finals.
Memorable Moment:
Had Boston College's Roger McCready not dribbled the ball
off his foot late in the Eagles' Midwest semi with Memphis
State, the Big East might have filled all four Final Four
slots. The Tigers' Vincent Askew scooped up the ball and
passed to Andre Turner, who nailed the game-winner. Memphis
State's Final Four appearance was later deleted from the
record book because of NCAA
violations.
Significant Fact:
The tournament expanded from 53 teams to
64.
They Said It:
Memphis State coach Dana Kirk—"If Villanova is
Cinderella, then Cinderella wears
boots."
Future First-Round
Picks: Villanova—Ed Pinckney (1985, 10th, Phoenix), Harold
Pressley (1986, 17th, Sacramento); Georgetown—Patrick
Ewing (1985, 1st, New York), Reggie Williams (1987, 4th,
L.A. Clippers); St. John's—Chris Mullin (1985, 7th, Golden
State), Bill Wennington (1985, 16th, Dallas), Walter Berry
(1986, 14th, Portland), Mark Jackson (1987, 18th, New
York); Memphis State—Keith Lee (1985, 11th, Chicago),
William Bedford (1986, 6th,
Phoenix).
