BOSTON — It was nine years ago that Scottie Reynolds hit a game-winning runner here as the seconds ticked down in a round of 8 matchup with Pittsburgh, the shot that effectively started it all for Villanova Coach Jay Wright. He is still riding the wave of success that soft little teardrop shot created.

On Sunday, Villanova did not need any last-second heroics to earn its second trip to the Final Four in three years. The top seed in the East Region, the Wildcats did not need to shoot particularly well, either. They just did everything else to smother No. 3-seeded Texas Tech, 71-59, at TD Garden.

In what has been one of the most unpredictable N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournaments in recent memory, Villanova has remained a model of dependability, pacing through early wins against No. 16 Radford and No. 9 Alabama before a hard-earned victory over No. 5 West Virginia on Friday. And on Sunday, on tired legs, the Wildcats grinded out a win against one of the nation’s toughest defensive teams.

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