In what has been one of the most unpredictable NCAA men’s basketball tournaments in recent memory, Villanova has remained a model of dependability.

And Sunday, on tired legs, the Wildcats ground out a win against one of the nation’s toughest defensive teams.

All along, their approach has not wavered: filling the floor with shooters for the four-out, one-in motion offense coach Jay Wright patented in the mid-2000s. Every player has range, including the 6-foot-9-inch center Omari Spellman, who went 2 for 4 from 3-point range Sunday. It is no surprise the Wildcats are seven 3-pointers shy of setting an NCAA Division I record for the most made in a season.

Villanova, the 2016 national champion, has proved it is much more than a finesse team. The Wildcats illustrated that again Sunday, when shots were not falling, particularly in the second half. They outrebounded Texas Tech, 51-33, and drew 23 fouls, leading to 35 free throws.

But more important, they revealed a vastly improved defense that seems to be peaking at the right time.

“That was definitely our best defensive effort of the year,” Wright said.

Jalen Brunson, named the region’s most outstanding player, went 0 for 4 from 3-point range but still finished with 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Eric Paschall had 12 points and 14 rebounds.

“I was missing a lot of shots, and my teammates were looking me in the eye in the huddle and saying, ‘Jalen, keep shooting the ball. Keep shooting the ball,'” Brunson said. “That’s just the confidence they have in me and we have in each other.”

It was Villanova’s 134th win in the last four seasons, breaking the record for the most in a four-year span, set by Duke in 2001.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

ZACH SCHONBRUN © 2018 The New York Times