BOSTON — One team will wear blue uniforms with “Villanova” across the front. The other will have on white with “Duke” emblazoned on the jerseys.
But if you watch them play a shirts and skins game tonight, instead of an NCAA East Regional semifinal, you might have trouble telling the two teams apart.
The similarities between the Wildcats (28-7) and the Blue Devils (30-6) are significant. Both can score points in bunches. They both go after the opponent defensively. They possess a toughness that tells the other team right away that they will be in for a battle.
The coaches of each team, however, appreciate that they don’t have to follow the usual lineup that calls for two guards, two forwards and a center on the court at all times.
“I think we’d all love to have a major low-post presence and a shot-blocker,” Villanova’s Jay Wright said Wednesday. “But if you don’t, you’ve got to find a way to play. I think both of us are basically playing the best players, regardless of position. That can be difficult to play against. I think that’s where the similarities really lie.”
Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski agrees, saying simply both teams “have basketball players.”
“You’re not going to call (Dante) Cunningham a center, but you call him a really good player,” he said. “(Scottie) Reynolds can play with the ball or off the ball. We’re very similar in that regard. I think Jay has done a good job in allowing his kids to use their abilities and trusts them, and I think we do, too.”
The Wildcats have been interchangeable all season. They will start the game with two inside players, Cunningham and Shane Clark, then Wright will substitute Corey Fisher for Clark, put him at the point, and give the Wildcats four perimeter players.
The Blue Devils are 10-1 since Krzyzewski made changes in his lineup, moving Jon Scheyer to point guard and inserting freshman Elliot Williams in the backcourt.
