Michigan Basketball: 3 keys to beating Villanova for the national title

It has been a dream season for Michigan basketball, but can the Wolverines finish it off tonight against Villanova? Here are three keys to a national title.

There are few seasons in the history of Michigan basketball that have been more magical than the 2017-18 season. The Wolverines won the Big Ten tournament and now just one win away from winning the NCAA tournament.

Michigan basketball has set a school record for wins with 33. The program has also won 14 games in a row. During that stretch, the Wolverines have beaten teams like Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Houston, Texas A&M, Florida State, Montana and Loyola.

During this run, the Wolverines have been flat-out dominant, especially on the defensive end. If there is one reason why Michigan is playing for the national championship, it’s the defense.

Certainly, Moe Wagner was a pretty big part of the result Saturday. So were guys like Duncan Robinson, Charles Matthews and Jordan Poole. But the fact that Loyola only scored 12 points in the last 12 minutes of the game was a huge part of the victory.

Of course, that won’t be as easy against Villanova. The Wildcats are a true college basketball powerhouse and are looking for their second championship in the past three years. Jalen Brunson is an incredible talent and Nova is probably the best 3-point shooting team in the country.

Jay Wright is a great head coach and the Cats have the look of a dynasty, at least as much of a dynasty you can have in the one-and-done era. Winning two in three years has only happened twice since Duke won back-to-back in 1992 and 1993.

So Villanova is gunning for some history. But so is Michigan, which is seeking its first national championship in 29 years. Here are the keys to making that happen.