NCAA Tournament The Kansas Jayhawks and Villanova Wildcats face off on Saturday in the Men’s Final Four No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 2 Villanova: Game time, live stream, TV channel, how to watch Men’s Final Four matchup.We break down everything you need to know to watch the game on TV and via live stream.
How to Watch Kansas vs. villanova in Men’s Final Four
Date: Saturday, April 2
Time: 6:09 p.m. ET
TV channel: TBS
The Final Four of the 2022 NCAA Tournament tips off Saturday, with the No.1 Kansas facing off against the No. 2 Villanova in the first game of the day. The game is set at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans with tip-off scheduled for 5:09 p.m. ET. The game will air on TBS.
The Jayhawks — the last remaining 1 seed in the tournament — will take on a suddenly weakened 2-seed in the Wildcats, who lost star player Justin Moore to a ruptured Achilles in the closing moments of their Elite Eight victory over Houston. How much his loss impacts Jay Wright's team remains to be seen, though he undoubtedly would rather have him in the lineup than without.
That means Villanova will need to see more players step up without Moore, who averaged 13 points, 2.5 rebounds and three assists per game in the NCAA Tournament. That includes Collin Gillespie (13 points, four rebounds, 2.8 assists in the tournament), Jermaine Samuels (18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals) and Caleb Daniels (11 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists).
They'll take on a Kansas squad that, like Villanova, is riding a nine-game win streak (including four straight multiple-possession victories in March Madness). Ochai Agbaji leads the team in scoring this tournament, averaging 12.3 points per game on top of 5.8 rebounds, two steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Christian Braun has played well too, averaging 11.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists in March Madness. Jalen Wilson is also averaging a double-double in points (11.5) and rebounds (10.5) this tournament.
What channel is Kansas vs. Villanova on today?
TV Channel: TBS
Live Stream: NCAA March Madness Live, SLING TV
Kansas vs. Villanova will air on TBS. Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery and Grant Hill will call the game from the booth; Tracy Wolfson will report from courtside.
Kansas vs. Villanova start time
Date: Saturday, April 2
Time: 6:09 p.m. ET | 3:09 p.m. PT
Kansas vs. Villanova, the first game of Saturday's Final Four doubleheader, will tip off at 6:09 ET at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
The one thing the Wildcats will do without Justin Moore — play Villanova basketball
On the stat sheet, it's obvious that Villanova's roster took a hit when news broke that Justin Moore would miss the Final Four with a torn Achilles. With Saturday being their third Final Four in six years, Jay Wright and Villanova are not concerned though; they are ready to play Kansas.
We had another good practice today. I feel like we're in a good place with replacing Justin," Jay Wright said to lead off his press conference on Friday.
Moore averaged 14.8 points for the Wildcats throughout the season — second overall for the team behind team captain Collin Gillespie. Even with the prospect of missing an injured star when the Wildcats take on a surging Kansas Jayhawks team, spirits are still high.
When asked about the team's confidence, Wright leaned on his fifth-year captain to reassure him that the troops are here and ready to win.
So I just called Collin Gillespie and said, do I need to talk to these guys about being ready, believing we can do this without Justin. He's like, 'no, way. Everybody is good. Don't worry about it,'" Wright told reporters.
Although Villanova will be missing Moore's confidence off the court, his presence has already been felt through the team in New Orleans.
It means everything for us to have him around and be in touch with him and cut it [up] with him. We miss having him on the court," Eric Dixon told reporters on Thursday. "It's bigger than him as a basketball player, that's our friend, our brother. So it's good to have him around.