LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Losing in the NCAA Tournament is downright painful. Several teams still in the hunt for the title are using the unpleasant memories of the past as good lessons that have helped them move into the Elite Eight.
The Villanova Wildcats know the misery well. They lost their second game each of the past two tournaments, while their seniors were around for an opening loss in 2013.
Rather than letting those memories haunt them, the Wildcats adjusted and reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 2009.
“What you’re seeing is a team that’s learned a lot from those games and that is experience,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said Thursday night after a 92-69 rout of No. 3 seed Miami in the South Region semifinal.
“They’ve been there twice. They’ve lost. They don’t fear it. They don’t fear losing in the second round, they don’t fear losing in the Sweet 16. They just are driven to advance,” he said. “And I think having no fear is what we’re seeing.”