With Kansas leading 55-51 late, Villanova went on a 5-0 run, holding the the Jayhawks scoreless over the final 1:49 to stun the top-ranked Jayhawks. Devon Dotson had a game-winning look on a floater as time expired, but the shot was pushed wide as Villanova held on, 56-55. With the result, Kansas becomes the fifth No. 1 team of the 2019-20 college basketball season to fall.
Here's how the Wildcats pulled off the win.
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Persistence paid off
Villanova struggled to shoot the ball — 35 percent as a team — for much of the afternoon but received its biggest scoring contributions with the game on the line. Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels combined for the Wildcats' final 17 points, notably the last few coming during a 5-0 run to rally for the upset.
Gillespie cut the lead in half on a layup before finding Samuels for what eventually was the game-winning 3. Of the seven made shots between the two over the final 10:30, three were assisted on by the other person.
Wrong side of history
Prior to Saturday, Kansas was 172-1 under Bill Self when holding opponents below 60 points. A 23-23 halftime score boded well for neither team reaching 60. Villanova's 35 percent clip from the floor likely gave the Jayhawks even more confidence. But Kansas struggled to convert down the stretch. During their final five possessions, the Jayhawks missed two shots, two more free throws and recorded a turnover.
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Limiting Dotson
The Jayhawks' point guard is the reigning Big 12 Player of the Week after scoring 40 total points and managing 12 assists to two turnovers in his previous two games. Dotson still led Kansas in scoring with 15 but the Wildcats kept him in check for the most part. A majority of his looks were contested as he finished 5-for-15 shooting.
Two of his better opportunities came in the final minute but neither was converted. He missed a game-tying free throw on the front end of a one-and-one before misfiring at the buzzer.
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