The last time Villanova and Houston faced each other in March was nearly 40 years ago, back in 1983. And their Midwest Region final ended on a high note for the top-seeded Cougars, which received the classic nickname "Phi Slama Jama" under longtime coach Guy Lewis. It was a matchup that occurred long before today's players were even born.
On Saturday night, the programs will meet again in the regional final round of March Madness, with a coveted trip to the Final Four hanging in the balance. Houston is seeking back-to-back national semifinal appearances for the first time since the mid-1980s, Villanova is 3-0 in its last three Elite Eight contests. And whichever team survives should be the favorite to cut down nets in April, according to Fox Sports college hoops voice John Fanta.
"Houston could win the national championship. If it's not Kansas right now, I'd suggest people take a hard look at that team," Fanta told The Zach Gelb Show on Friday. "And I'll deliver this take right now: the winner of Villanova-Houston, in my mind, should be the frontrunner for the national championship. I think those are two of the best three or four teams left in the field.
"It's going to be a heavyweight clash. I know the game doesn't involve Duke, North Carolina, or Kansas -- so it's not the perceived blueblood by the nation. But here's the thing: Villanova's played like a blueblood the last seven or eight years. Houston's the hottest team in this tournament. Of the eight matchups, if I had to choose one, the best matchup of players is Houston and Villanova."
Houston, which won 29 regular season games and earned the South Region's 5th-seed, knocked off top-seed Arizona, 72-60, in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. The Cougars' journey has been quite impressive, considering that head coach Kelvin Sampson was forced to replace his entire starting lineup after 2020-21. As for 2nd-seed Villanova -- which won the Big East crown and beat Michigan in the Sweet 16 -- they're trying to capture their third national title since 2016.
The Cougars and Wildcats are set to tip-off at 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday night, and according to FiveThirtyEight's projections, Houston has been given a 62-percent chance to reach the Final Four in New Orleans. If Villanova gets lucky instead, they have a 19-percent chance to win a national semifinal game.
The entire basketball conversation between Fanta and Gelb can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The Zach Gelb Show on Twitter @ZachGelb and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.