Villanova women face tough test in third-seeded Michigan on Monday

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Following a tight, hard-fought upset of BYU on Saturday, Villanova has just a day to prepare for its host on Monday in a second-round game in the Wichita Regional of the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

The third-seeded Michigan Wolverines (23-6) are a very different team from the Cougars and, by extension, the 11th-seeded Wildcats (24-8). While Villanova plays a 5-out offense with shooters spread across the floor, the Wolverines are dominated by their forwards.

Seniors Emily Kiser and first-team AP All-American Naz Hillmon are a lethal duo, combining for 30.9 points and 17.5 rebounds a game. The pair is one of the best at drawing fouls, putting the Wildcats’ limited number of bigs, including forward Maddy Siegrist, in jeopardy of foul trouble.

“Mainly, just get [Kiser and Hillmon] out of the paint and then relying more on our guards to come in and pick up the rebounds if we get the big people out,” graduate forward Brianna Herlihy said.

The focus on the rebounding battle underneath the Wildcats’ basket will be huge, but their size will prove to be an advantage in other areas defensively.

Michigan struggles with turnovers, something the Wildcats exploited against BYU in the first-round game. A repeat of that performance, and freshman guards Lucy Olsen and Kaitlyn Orihel running a fast break, will be another way to exploit the Wolverines defense.

That athleticism compounds into another advantage on the offensive end. Throughout the season, athletic guards have troubled the Wolverines defensively, leading to losses down the stretch. The athleticism of Villanova’s guards and forwards may replicate the success that teams like Nebraska, Michigan State, or Northwestern experienced.

All of them can shoot the ball well, and all of them have range. Getting a traditional big like Kiser out on the perimeter will lead to a mismatch.

Hillmon, though, is a different story. At just 6-foot-2, she also plays out of the paint defensively, at times matching up with guards.

“Great offensive players like her don’t commit to defense. She does,” Villanova coach Denise Dillon said. “So when you talk about a great all-around player, she certainly fits that role.”

A win on Monday puts Villanova in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003.