SAN ANTONIO — After the last time Villanova lost, against Creighton in Omaha 37 days ago, the team held a meeting back on campus. Coach Jay Wright and the captains, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Phil Booth, opened the discussion, but eventually everyone was chiming in. The focus was simple: Play better defense.

In the next practice, the team took five or six shots, total. Each drill demanded physicality, communication, rebounding. Practice ran for about three hours. Almost every practice after that one, for the next five weeks, lasted nearly as long, with practically every drill designed around defending.

This all might sound a bit strange, considering that Villanova turned in one of the most impressive offensive performances in the history of the semifinals of the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament on Saturday night. Kansas was there, too, although one could be forgiven for not noticing. Too many shots were going in for the Wildcats, who won easily, 95-79, at the Alamodome.

They broke the Final Four record for 3-pointers made with 18, five more than the old mark, as seven players hit at least one shot from beyond the arc. They also tied the record for most 3-point attempts with 40; Villanova tried just 25 shots from 2-point range.